Genesis 12:10 (DBY)

Passage

And there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.

Nearby Context

Genesis 12:8 And he removed thence towards the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel toward the west, and Ai toward the east; and there he built an altar to Jehovah, and called on the name of Jehovah.

Genesis 12:9 And Abram moved onward, going on still toward the south.

Genesis 12:10 And there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.

Genesis 12:11 And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a woman fair to look upon.

Genesis 12:12 And it will come to pass when the Egyptians see thee, that they will say, She is his wife; and they will slay me, and save thee alive.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "famine", "land", "abram", "went", "down", "egypt", and "sojourn". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "famine" and "land", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "And Abram moved onward going on still..." into verse 11's "And it came to pass when he...", so "famine" and "land" belong inside that flow. In Genesis context, the local focus is creation, human rebellion, covenant promise, and God's providence.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "famine" and "land" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.