Genesis 12:17-20

12:17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases ¹  because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 12:18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this ²  you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 12:19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her ³  to be my wife? ⁴  Here is your wife! ⁵  Take her and go!” ⁶  12:20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, ⁷  and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.

[12:17]  ¹ tn The cognate accusative adds emphasis to the verbal sentence: “he plagued with great plagues,” meaning the Lord inflicted numerous plagues, probably diseases (see Exod 15:26). The adjective “great” emphasizes that the plagues were severe and overwhelming.

[12:18]  ² tn The demonstrative pronoun translated “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to me?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[12:19]  ³ tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive here expresses consequence.

[12:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “to me for a wife.”

[12:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “Look, your wife!”

[12:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “take and go.”

[12:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.