Genesis 12:15
New International Version
And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace.

New Living Translation
When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace.

English Standard Version
And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

Berean Standard Bible
When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh.

King James Bible
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

New King James Version
The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house.

New American Standard Bible
Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

NASB 1995
Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

NASB 1977
And Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

Amplified Bible
Pharaoh’s princes (officials) also saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken [for the purpose of marriage] into Pharaoh’s house (harem).

Christian Standard Bible
Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s household.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s household.

American Standard Version
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Contemporary English Version
The king's officials told him about her, and she was taken to his house.

English Revised Version
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Pharaoh's officials saw her, they raved about her to Pharaoh, so Sarai was taken to Pharaoh's palace.

Good News Translation
Some of the court officials saw her and told the king how beautiful she was; so she was taken to his palace.

International Standard Version
When Pharaoh's officials saw her, they brought her to the attention of Pharaoh and took the woman to Pharaoh's palace.

Majority Standard Bible
When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh.

NET Bible
When Pharaoh's officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram's wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh,

New Heart English Bible
The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into the household of Pharaoh.

Webster's Bible Translation
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

World English Bible
The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and princes of Pharaoh see her, and praise her to Pharaoh, and the woman is taken [to] Pharaoh’s house;

Young's Literal Translation
and princes of Pharaoh see her, and praise her unto Pharaoh, and the woman is taken to Pharaoh's house;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Pharaoh's rulers will see her, and will praise her to Pharaoh, and the woman shall be taken into Pharaoh's house.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the princes told Pharao, and praised her before him: and the woman was taken into the house of Pharao.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the princes reported it to Pharaoh, and they praised her to him. And the woman was inducted into the house of Pharaoh.

New American Bible
When Pharaoh’s officials saw her they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

New Revised Standard Version
When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and praised her before Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Princes of Pharaoh saw her and praised her before Pharaoh, and the woman was led to the house of Pharaoh.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised her to Pharao and brought her into the house of Pharao.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
14So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh. 16He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.…

Cross References
Genesis 20:2
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

Genesis 26:7
But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”

Exodus 1:8-10
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. / “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us. / Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

1 Kings 3:1
Later, Solomon formed an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Solomon brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his palace and the house of the LORD, as well as the wall around Jerusalem.

1 Kings 9:16
Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.

2 Chronicles 8:11
Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her. For he said, “My wife must not live in the house of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy.”

Nehemiah 13:23-27
In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. / Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah. / I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! ...

Psalm 105:13-15
they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. / He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf: / “Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!”

Isaiah 30:2-3
They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.

Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

Ezekiel 23:5-8
Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors / clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all desirable young men, horsemen mounted on steeds. / She offered sexual favors to all the elite of Assyria. She defiled herself with all the idols of those for whom she lusted. ...

Hosea 7:11
So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

Acts 7:21-22
When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. / So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

Romans 4:13
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.


Treasury of Scripture

The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

princes.

Esther 2:2-16
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: …

Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

Hosea 7:4,5
They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened…

Exodus 2:5,15
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it…

1 Kings 3:1
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

2 Kings 18:21
Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

taken.

Genesis 20:2
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

Esther 2:9
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

Psalm 105:4
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

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Commended Great House Officials Palace Pharaoh Pharaoh's Praise Praised Princes Words
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Commended Great House Officials Palace Pharaoh Pharaoh's Praise Praised Princes Words
Genesis 12
1. God calls Abram, and blesses him with a promise of Christ.
4. He departs with Lot from Haran, and comes to Canaan.
6. He journeys through Canaan,
7. which is promised to him in a vision.
10. He is driven by famine into Egypt.
11. Fear makes him feign his wife to be his sister.
14. Pharaoh, having taken her from him, is compelled to restore her.
18. Pharaoh reproves Abram, whom he dismisses.














When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai
The phrase begins with "When Pharaoh’s officials," indicating the presence of a structured and hierarchical society in ancient Egypt. The term "officials" suggests individuals of authority and influence, likely tasked with maintaining the Pharaoh's interests. The Hebrew root for "officials" is "שָׂרֵי" (sarim), which can also mean princes or leaders, emphasizing their high status. "Sarai" is the original name of Sarah, Abraham's wife, meaning "princess" in Hebrew. Her name foreshadows her future role as the matriarch of Israel, highlighting her inherent dignity and the divine plan for her life.

they commended her to him
The phrase "they commended her" implies that Sarai's beauty and presence were so remarkable that the officials felt compelled to bring her to Pharaoh's attention. The Hebrew word for "commended" is "הִלְלוּ" (hillelu), which can also mean to praise or glorify. This suggests that Sarai's attributes were not only physical but also carried a sense of grace and nobility. The act of commending her to Pharaoh underscores the cultural practices of the time, where women could be seen as part of political and social transactions, reflecting the patriarchal structures of ancient societies.

and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh
The phrase "she was taken" indicates a lack of agency on Sarai's part, highlighting the vulnerability and precariousness of her situation. The Hebrew verb "לֻקָּחָה" (luqqachah) is passive, emphasizing that this was an action done to her, not by her. This reflects the historical context where women often had limited control over their destinies. "Into the palace of Pharaoh" situates the event within the grandeur and opulence of Egyptian royalty. The "palace" (בֵּית פַּרְעֹה, beit Par'oh) was not just a residence but a symbol of power and authority. This setting foreshadows the divine intervention that will later occur, as God protects His covenant with Abram and Sarai, ensuring the fulfillment of His promises despite human failings and societal norms.

(15) The princes . . . commended her before Pharaoh.--In the days of Abram Canaan was the highway to Egypt, and so large an immigration of men of the Semitic stock found their way thither that they overspread the whole Delta, and finally, under the name of the Hyksos, made themselves masters of the throne of the Pharaohs, and retained their supremacy for several centuries. To keep out these hordes, Amenemhai had built a chain of fortresses, with a connecting wall; and though probably, as M. Chabas concludes (Rev. Arch., XVe Annee, Livr. ii. 7), the Hyksos had already in Abram's time attained to empire, nevertheless, on arriving at this wall, so powerful a sheik, with so large a following, would be interrogated by the Egyptian scribes, and a report sent to the Pharaoh. The word sar. translated here prince, is common to the Babylonian, Egyptian, and Hebrew languages; but while in Babylonia it was the title of the sovereign, in Egypt it was applied to subordinate officers, such as those in command at these fortresses. By one of these Abram would, no doubt, be conducted into Pharaoh's presence; and on one of the sepulchres at Benihassan we find an exactly parallel occurrence in the presentation of a nomad prince, evidently of Semitic origin, who, with his family and dependents, is seeking the Pharaoh's protection, and is received by him with honour. As women did not at that time go veiled in Egypt, this custom not having been introduced there till the Persian conquest, the officers at the frontier would have full opportunity of seeing Sarai. and would, no doubt, mention the extraordinary lightness of her complexion.

The most probable derivation of the word Pharaoh is that which identifies it with a symbol constantly used in inscriptions to indicate the king, and which may be read per-ao or phar-ao. It signifies, literally, the double house, or palace. This would be a title of respect. veiling the person of the monarch under the name of his dwelling, in much the same manner as we include the sovereign and his attendants under the name of the Court. For the arguments in favour of this derivation, see Canon Cook's Excursus on the Egyptian words in the Pentateuch, at the end of Vol. I. of the Speaker's Commentary. He also gives there the reasons for his opinion, in opposition to that of M. Chabas, that the Pharaoh in whose days Abram visited Egypt was an early king of the twelfth dynasty, some time anterior to the usurpation of the Hyksos.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When Pharaoh’s
פַרְעֹ֔ה (p̄ar·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

officials
שָׂרֵ֣י (śā·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

saw
וַיִּרְא֤וּ (way·yir·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

[Sarai],
אֹתָהּ֙ (’ō·ṯāh)
Direct object marker | third person feminine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

they commended
וַיְהַֽלְל֥וּ (way·hal·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1984: To shine

her to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

[him],
פַּרְעֹ֑ה (par·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

and she
הָאִשָּׁ֖ה (hā·’iš·šāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

was taken
וַתֻּקַּ֥ח (wat·tuq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - QalPass - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

into the palace
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Pharaoh.
פַּרְעֹֽה׃ (par·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings


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OT Law: Genesis 12:15 The princes of Pharaoh saw her (Gen. Ge Gn)
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