Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse subtly highlights Abram’s immediate trust, not by staying in Canaan, but by his decision to temporarily sojourn in Egypt. This shows a deep reliance on God’s provision and promise, even when faced with severe hardship, rather than retreating to his former home.
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Abram had just arrived in the land of Canaan, where God had promised him descendants and an inheritance. However, a severe famine struck the land, forcing Abram to seek sustenance elsewhere. Instead of returning to his homeland, he traveled south to Egypt to temporarily stay until the famine passed.
Ever felt like the world around you is drying up, leaving you desperate for provision? Abram faced a severe famine, a crisis that tested his newfound faith.
The Bible doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of life, like famine. Genesis 12:10 tells us a famine gripped the land of Canaan, the very place God had promised Abram. This wasn't just a random act of nature; it was a test.
A Test of Trust
Abram didn't just flee the famine; he 'went down to Egypt to sojourn.' What does this temporary stay reveal about his faith journey?
Abram's decision to go to Egypt, rather than return to his homeland, is a crucial detail. It shows a developing faith, even amidst fear and flawed decisions.
The Pilgrim's Path
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Understand the original words
ra'av · Hebrew Noun
A severe shortage of food, often used in Scripture as a means of divine testing, judgment, or an instrument to move people to new locations according to God’s sovereign plan. It frequently prompts a crisis of faith and dependence.
gur · Hebrew Verb
To reside temporarily in a foreign land without the rights of citizenship or permanent ownership; it characterizes the status of God’s people on earth as aliens and pilgrims waiting for the eternal city.
This event highlights how even a figure of great faith like Abram faced severe hardship, forcing him to seek provision in a foreign land. It underscores God's providence in providing for His people, even amidst their struggles and flawed decisions.
c. 2090 BC
Abram leaves Ur
Abram, obeying God's call, departs from Ur of the Chaldeans with his family, initially settling in Haran. This marks the beginning of God's covenant promises to him.
c. 2080 BC
Abram arrives in Canaan
Abram journeys into the land of Canaan as instructed by God, encountering the Canaanites who were then inhabiting the land. He begins to establish altars and worship the Lord there.
c. 2080 BC— this verse
Severe famine strikes Canaan
A severe famine grips the land of Canaan, making it difficult to sustain life and livestock. This event prompts Abram to seek sustenance elsewhere.
c. 2080 BC
Abram sojourns in Egypt
To survive the famine, Abram travels down into Egypt with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. He intends to stay only temporarily until the famine in Canaan subsides.
c. 2080 BC
Pharaoh plagues due to Sarai
The Pharaoh of Egypt is plagued because he took Sarai into his household, unaware she was Abram's wife. God intervenes to protect Sarai and uphold Abram's marriage.
c. 2080 BC
Abram leaves Egypt
After the plague and confrontation with Pharaoh, Abram, Sarai, Lot, and all their possessions are sent away from Egypt, returning to Canaan.
This passage shows a similar famine occurring in Canaan, causing Isaac, like Abram before him, to sojourn in the land of the Philistines, highlighting a recurring challenge for the patriarchs in the promised land.
Genesis 42:1-2Here, Jacob's family faces a severe famine, prompting them to 'go down' into Egypt to buy grain, echoing Abram's journey and illustrating Egypt's consistent role as a place of sustenance during times of scarcity in Canaan.
Deuteronomy 8:7-9This passage describes the promised land as a place of abundance ('a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills'), contrasting sharply with the famine Abram experienced, and underscoring God's provision but also the potential for hardship.
Hebrews 11:8-9This New Testament passage explicitly links Abram's journey to Egypt with his faith, stating he 'sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents,' showing his obedience despite the challenging circumstances like famine.
Psalm 105:13-15This psalm recounts God's protection over Abram and Isaac when they sojourned in foreign lands, including Egypt, during times of famine, emphasizing God's faithfulness to His promises even amidst their vulnerability.
calvinGenesis 12:1-20: "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:"
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
Et cepit Abram Sarai uxorem suam, et Lot filium fratris sui, et omnem substantiam q…
gillGenesis 12:10: "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land."
And there was a famine in the land,.... The land of Canaan, which was a very fruitful country, abounding with all kind of provisions usually; but now there was a scarcity of all; and which was both for the sins of the inhabitants of the land, and for the trial of Abram's faith, who was brought out of his own country, where was bread enough and to spare,…
This verse subtly highlights Abram’s immediate trust, not by staying in Canaan, but by his decision to temporarily sojourn in Egypt. This shows a deep reliance on God’s provision and promise, even when faced with severe hardship, rather than retreating to his former home.
Abram had just arrived in the land of Canaan, where God had promised him descendants and an inheritance. However, a severe famine struck the land, forcing Abram to seek sustenance elsewhere. Instead of returning to his homeland, he traveled south to Egypt to temporarily stay until the famine passed.
Abram had just arrived in the land of Canaan, where God had promised him descendants and an inheritance. However, a severe famine struck the land, forcing Abram to seek sustenance elsewhere. Instead of returning to his homeland, he traveled south to Egypt to temporarily stay until the famine passed.
"Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land." — This verse subtly highlights Abram’s immediate trust, not by staying in Canaan, but by his decision to temporarily sojourn in Egypt. This shows a deep reliance on God’s provision and promise, even wh…
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Last reviewed October 2026