Genesis 12:17 (YLT)

Passage

And Jehovah plagueth Pharaoh and his house--great plagues--for the matter of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Nearby Context

Genesis 12:15 and princes of Pharaoh see her, and praise her unto Pharaoh, and the woman is taken <FI>to<Fi> Pharaoh's house;

Genesis 12:16 and to Abram he hath done good because of her, and he hath sheep and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and handmaids, and she-asses, and camels.

Genesis 12:17 And Jehovah plagueth Pharaoh and his house--great plagues--for the matter of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Genesis 12:18 And Pharaoh calleth for Abram, and saith, `What <FI>is<Fi> this thou hast done to me? why hast thou not declared to me that she <FI>is<Fi> thy wife?

Genesis 12:19 Why hast thou said, She <FI>is<Fi> my sister, and I take her to myself for a wife? and now, lo, thy wife, take and go.'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jehovah", "plagueth", "pharaoh", "house--great", "plagues--for", "matter", "sarai", and "abram's". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jehovah" and "plagueth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "and to Abram he hath done good..." into verse 18's "And Pharaoh calleth for Abram and saith...", so "jehovah" and "plagueth" 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 "jehovah" and "plagueth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.