King James Version

Genesis 12:11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

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Hebrew

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וַיְהִ֕יvayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רkaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…הִקְרִ֖יבhiqrivapproachקָרַבverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “approach”, a completed actionH7126to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring (forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer, present, produce, make ready, stand, take.לָב֣וֹאlavoto to comeבּוֹאpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to to come”, the to-form of the verbH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…מִצְרָ֑יְמָהmitsrayemahEgyptמִצְרַיִםnoun, proper name, directional ending — “Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙vayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).שָׂרַ֣יsaraySaraiשָׂרַיnoun, proper name — “Sarai”H8297Sarai, the wife of AbrahamSarai.אִשְׁתּ֔וֹishtvoeachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “each”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.הִנֵּהhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.נָ֣אnaI beseech theeנָאparticle, exhortation — “I beseech thee”H4994'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunctionI beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.יָדַ֔עְתִּיyadatiknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…כִּ֛יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אִשָּׁ֥הishaheachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “each”, the ordinary formH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.יְפַתyefatbeautyיָפֶהadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, construct — “beauty”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3303beautiful (literally or figuratively)[phrase] beautiful, beauty, comely, fair(-est, one), [phrase] goodly, pleasant, well.מַרְאֶ֖הmarehvisionמַרְאֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vision”, the ordinary formH4758a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision[idiom] apparently, appearance(-reth), [idiom] as soon as beautiful(-ly), countenance, fair, favoured, form, goodly, to look (up) on (to), look(-eth), pattern, to see, seem, sight, visage, vision.אָֽתְּotetheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: 'Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

Young’s Literal Translation

and it cometh to pass as he hath drawn near to enter Egypt, that he saith unto Sarai his wife, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have known that thou [art] a woman of beautiful appearance;

World English Bible

When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.

Darby Translation

And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a woman fair to look upon.

Douay-Rheims

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

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: 'Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And it came to pass when Abram drew nigh to enter into Egypt, Abram said to Sara his wife, I know that thou art a fair woman.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἤγγισεν Ἅβραμ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, εἶπεν Ἅβραμ Σάρα τῇ γυναικὶ, γινώσκω ἐγὼ, ὅτι γυνὴ εὐπρόσωπος εἶ.