When Abram was seventy-five years old, the LORD said, “Abram, I want you to leave your family and country and go to a place I have selected for you. I’ll make you into a nation and your name will be great. I’ll bless you, and I’ll also bless everyone else who blesses you. And I’ll curse anyone who curses you. All the families of the earth will be blessed because of you.”

So Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot and left Haran. When they came to a place called Canaan, God said, “I’m giving this land to you and your children.” Abram believed God, even though he didn’t have any children. He knew God would keep his promise. So he built an altar there and worshiped the Lord.

Sometime later, a severe famine hit the land. So Abram took all he had and went to Egypt. He said to Sarai, “The Egyptians will see you’re a beautiful woman. They’ll kill me in order to get you. So tell them you’re my sister.”

He was right. The Egyptians saw that Sarai was beautiful. When Pharaoh found out that she wasn’t married, he took her into his house. He treated Abram well, thinking the man was her brother.

Abram became rich in Egypt. His wealth included sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and servants.

God was angry with Pharaoh because he had Sarai in his house. Plagues hit his family, and everyone got seriously sick. Finally, Pharaoh said to Abram, “Why did you do this to me? You said she was your sister. Now I find out she’s your wife! Take her and get out of here!”

So Abram took Sarai and Lot and went back to Canaan. They settled near a place called Bethel. There, he worshiped the Lord.