7. Then the lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the lord, who had appeared to him.
8. After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the lord, and he worshiped the lord.
9. Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.
10. At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner.
11. As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman.
12. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’
13. So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”
14. And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s beauty.
15. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace.
16. Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
17. But the lord sent terrible plagues upon Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
18. So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply. “What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?