Adventure in Egypt, Increasing Wealth, Separation from Lot, God Confirms His Covenant (Genesis 12:10 to Genesis 13:18).
This section is to be seen as a whole leading up to the final covenant (Genesis 13:14-17). It reveals God's watch over Abram in all circumstances, and stresses that Yahweh's power reaches even into Egypt. Pharaoh was believed to be the earthly manifestation of a god, but he is shown as having no protection against Yahweh. The account helps to explain how Abram and Lot became so rich in herds that they had to separate.
‘And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was sore in the land.'
It is clear that by this time Abram has been some time in Canaan. A severe famine occurs there. Canaan was always vulnerable to famine because it was so totally dependent on rain, so Abram makes for Egypt as would many others with herds to protect. Egypt exercised general control over the area over this period. There is no suggestion of blame here about his going to Egypt. On the contrary the writer justifies Abram on the grounds of the severity of the famine.
The well known mural painting of Beni-Hasan, dated about the year 1892 BC, portraying a visit to Middle Egypt by a small caravan of travelling Semitic smiths and musicians, provides background to this incident.
But this must have been a real test to Abram's faith. The land that God has brought him to has failed and he must leave it at least for a time. He needs some special reassurance of God's care and he receives it in what follows.
Because of the Nile, which overflowed its banks seasonally and kept the ground well watered, Egypt was usually protected from the worst aspects of famine, although, rarely, they did happen even there, and we know from external records that people often sought refuge in Egypt at such times and were accepted in (compare also Genesis 26:2; Genesis 41:54 on; Genesis 43; Genesis 47:4). Abram's intention was only to stay as long as was necessary.
As with much of the narrative it reads as though Abram were almost on his own, but it is commonplace in ancient literature to depict the activity of a group in terms of its leader unless there is an intention to make a specific impression (compare e.g. 1 Kings 14:25; 2 Kings 12:17; 2 Kings 16:9). The action here is centred on Abram and Sarai, those who are with him, including Lot (but see Genesis 13:1), are unimportant to the narrative.