When he was about to enter Egypt: Egypt doubtless refers to the rich delta area of the Nile in lower Egypt. Good News Translation “cross the border” may be more precise in the situation than the narrator had in mind. The idea is that Abram was approaching the area where there would be Egyptian military units guarding the road to the delta. In some languages we may say “When Abram was very close to Egypt” or “When Abram and those with him were about to go into Egypt.”

In the dialogue that follows, Sarai does not reply. However, it appears from the story that she obeyed and helped carry out her husband’s deceit. In Hebrew, as in many other languages, wife and woman are the same word.

I know that you are a woman beautiful to behold: the Hebrew begins with an expression that may be translated “Listen” or “Look here.” It calls attention to an action to be undertaken. Many modern translations like Good News Translation omit it. However, Bible en français courant opens the dialogue with “Listen,” Moffatt has “Come,” and Speiser “Look.” I know has the sense of “I am aware,” “I realize.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “I am worried because….”

A woman beautiful to behold is better rendered in English by Good News Translation “You are a beautiful woman.” Gen. 17.17 indicates that Abram was ten years older than Sarai. This means that Sarai was sixty-five years old when they left Haran. It may be asked how at sixty-five Sarai could be considered a beautiful woman. Two answers are offered: Some speculate that the aging process was much slower then than it is today. However, others argue that the text in 12.4 is from a different author than the text in 12.11, and that later editors allowed this difficulty to remain.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .