Genesis 12:10 (DRB)

Passage

And there came a famine in the country: and Abram went down into Egypt, to sojourn there: for the famine was very grievous in the land.

Nearby Context

Genesis 12:8 And passing on from thence to a mountain, that was on the east side of Bethel, he there pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: he built there also an altar to the Lord, and called upon his name.

Genesis 12:9 And Abram went forward, going and proceeding on to the south.

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

Genesis 12:11 And when he was near to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife: I know that thou art a beautiful woman:

Genesis 12:12 And that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they will say: She is his wife: and they will kill me, and keep thee.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "And Abram went forward going and proceeding..." into verse 11's "And when he was near to enter...", so "came" and "famine" 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 "came" and "famine" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.