Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This [is] his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
The Egyptians were a very lustful people, which made Abram more cautious.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee,…. Who were a lustful people, and whose eyes would soon be fastened upon, and be taken with the beauty of Sarai:
that they shall say, this is his wife; this beautiful woman is such a man’s wife:
and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive; so great a regard had they in those times, and even in Heathen countries, to the laws of marriage, that they chose rather to be guilty of murder than of adultery, though a lustful people; and therefore would, as Abram feared, take away his life, that it might be free and lawful for them to marry Sarai.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
12. Therefore it shall come to pass, that when the Egyptians shall see thee, etc. It may seem that Abram was unjust to the Egyptians, in suspecting evil of them, from whom he had yet received no injury. And, since charity truly is not suspicious; he may appear to deal unfairly, in not only charging them with lust, but also in suspecting them of murder. I answer, that the holy man did, not without reason, fear for himself from that nation, concerning which he had heard many unfavourable reports. And already he had, in other places, experienced so much of the wickedness of men, that he might justly apprehend everything from the profane despisers of God. He does not however pronounce anything absolutely concerning the Egyptians; but, wishing to bring his wife to his own opinion, he gives her timely warning of what might happen. And God, while he commands us to abstain from malicious and sinister judgments, yet allows to be on our guard against unknown persons; and this may take place without any injury to the brethren. Yet I do not deny that this trepidation of Abram exceeded all bounds and that an unreasonable anxiety caused him to involve himself in another fault, as we have already stated.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Gen 12:12. They will kill me, &c. Abram, it is plain, had a very bad opinion of the AEgyptians, for which most probably he had good grounds: he knew them to be libidinous to an extreme degree, and consequently ready to commit the most atrocious crimes, in order to gratify their lust. And, from Gen 12:15 it appears, that he was not much mistaken: a handsome woman could no sooner make her appearance, than the princes of the king report it to him, and he immediately seizes her. “In these early days,” says Bishop Warburton, “we see the splendour of a luxurious court in the princes, who resided in the monarch’s household; among whom we find some to have been procurers for his pleasures.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 12:12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This [is] his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
Ver. 12. Therefore it shall come to pass, &c. ] Note here, saith Pererius, 1. The raging affection of the Egyptians, that made no conscience of murder to enjoy their lust; 2. Their blindness, that made less account of murder than adultery. Note again, saith Piscator, that beauty exposeth a body to the danger of dishonesty, and that, as the poet hath it,
“ Lis est cam forma magna pudicitiae .”
Let those therefore that have beauty a look to their chastity, and possess their vessels in holiness and honour;
“ Thesaurum cum virgo, tuum vas fictile servet,
Ut caveas quae sunt noxia, tuta time .”
Filthiness in a woman is most abominable; therefore is a whore called a strange woman.
a
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
see thee. In Egypt the women went unveiled.
kill me. Satan’s next assault, working on Abraham’s fear. If God had not interfered (Gen 12:17), where would His promise have been? (Gen 3:15; Gen 12:7; Gen 13:15, &c.) See App-23 and App-25.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
will kill: Gen 20:11, Gen 26:7, 1Sa 27:1, Pro 29:25, Mat 10:28, 1Jo 1:8-10
Reciprocal: Gen 34:30 – and I shall Jdg 15:18 – and fall 1Ki 12:27 – and they shall 1Ki 19:3 – he arose Rom 4:2 – but