Genesis 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.

Cross-references

Genesis 20:11 confirms Abram's reasoning here: 'There is surely no fear of God in this place' — the land's godlessness fuels his fear of being killed.

Genesis 26:7 shows Isaac repeating this exact fear — 'the men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah' — the same panic passed to the next generation.

Proverbs 29:25 warns that fearing people sets a snare. Abram's fear of being killed is exactly the trap this proverb describes — he trusts deception over God.

In Matthew 10:28, Jesus says fear the One who can destroy body and soul. Abram feared Egyptians; this verse redirects fear toward God, not men.