‘And he treated Abram well for her sake, and he had sheep and oxen and he asses, and menservants and maidservants, and she asses and camels.'
Great kings were often not ungenerous when a beautiful woman was involved. Here he was dispensing favours, and the courtiers would be well instructed in the matter. These gifts were of course supplied by Pharaohs' princes on his behalf. Pharaoh himself would not get involved in such a matter until the woman was presented to him. The gifts show that Abram was respected and the certainty the princes had of Pharaoh's satisfaction. They were munificent as became a Pharaoh. They explain how Abram so quickly became rich enough to have to separate from Lot. Notice the stress on the expansion of his herds and flocks.
Camels were a comparative luxury at this stage but there is no question but that the privileged had them. Camels are attested in a cuneiform tablet from Alalah (18th century BC), a kneeling camel figure from Byblos (19th century BC), a 19th century BC text from Ugarit and a Middle Bronze Age tomb at Nablus (1900 - 1550 BC), as well as at other places. Figurines of camels have been found at Al-Ubaid, also at Uruq, Lagash and in Egypt. Camel bones and teeth have been found in Palestine (1700 B.C.). When Abram wishes to impress his far off relatives it is camels that he sends (Genesis 24:10).
But the size of his ‘household' was also increased. Many more men now served under him. His power and effectiveness was thus extended.