(10) There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.(11) As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are.(12) If the Egyptians see you, and think, ‘She is his wife,’ they will kill me and let you live.(13) Please say then that you are my sister, that it may go well for me on your account... that I may remain alive thanks to you.”(14) When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw how very beautiful the woman was.(15) Pharaoh’s courtiers saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s palace.(16) And because of her, it went well with Abram; he acquired sheep, oxen, asses, male and female slaves, she-asses, and camels.(17) But יהוה afflicted Pharaoh and his household with mighty plagues on account of Sarai, the wife of Abram.(18) Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me! Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?(19) Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now, here is your wife; take her and begone!”(20) Pharaoh then ordered his men to send him off with his wife and all his stuff.

That it may go well for me on your account... So that they'll give me presents.

(1) Now, when King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim(2) made war on King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar,(3) all the latter joined forces at the Valley of Siddim, now the Sea of Salt. (4) Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.(5) In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim at Shaveh-kiriathaim,(6) and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness.(7) On their way back they came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and subdued all the territory of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazon-tamar.(8) Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went forth and engaged them in battle in the Valley of Siddim:(9) King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four kings against those five.

(10) Now the Valley of Siddim was dotted with bitumen pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, in their flight, threw themselves into them, while the rest escaped to the hill country.(11) [The invaders] seized all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions, and went their way.(12) They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, and his possessions, and departed; for he had settled in Sodom.

(13) A fugitive brought the news to Abram the Hebrew, who was dwelling at the terebinths of Mamre the Amorite, kinsman of Eshkol and Aner, these being Abram’s allies.(14) When Abram heard that his kinsman’s [household] had been taken captive, he emptied [the fields of] his most trusted men, young men of his house, numbering t318, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.(15) At night, he and his servants deployed against them and defeated them; and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.(16) He brought back all the possessions; he also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, and the women and the rest of the people.

(17) When he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, which is the Valley of the King.(18) And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of El Elyon.(19) He blessed him, saying, “Blessed be Abram of El Elyon, Creator of heaven and earth. (20) And blessed be El Elyon, Who has delivered your foes into your hand.”

And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything.(21) Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.”(22) But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I swear, to יהוה, El Elyon, Creator of heaven and earth:(23) I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say, ‘It is I who made Abram rich.’(24) For me, nothing but what my servants have used up; as for the share of the parties who went with me—Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre—let them take their share.”

(1) GOD said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (2) I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you and curse the one who curses you; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.”

לך לך GO FORTH (literally, go for thyself) — "for your own benefit," i.e. for your own good: there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children (Rosh Hashanah 16b). Furthermore, I shall make known your character throughout the world (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 3)

And Rav also holds that there is no constellation for the Jewish people, as Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: From where is it derived that there is no constellation for the Jewish people? As it is stated with regard to Abraham: “And He brought him outside, and said: Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to count them; and He said unto him: So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5). The Sages derived from this that Abraham said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, and one born in my house is to be my heir” (Genesis 15:3). The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: No. “And, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: This man shall not be your heir; rather, one that will come forth from your own innards shall be your heir” (Genesis 15:4). Abraham said before Him: Master of the Universe, I looked at my astrological map, and according to the configuration of my constellations I am not fit to have a son. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Emerge from your astrology, as the verse states: “And He brought him outside,” as there is no constellation for Israel. What is your thinking?

GO FORTH (literally, go for thyself) —

“The Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land…” – Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Listen, daughter, see, and incline your ear. Forget your people and your father’s house” (Psalms 45:11). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is analogous to one who was passing from place to place, and saw a building with a [candle] burning in it. He said: ‘Is it possible that this building has no one in charge of it?’ The owner of the building looked out at him and said: ‘I am the owner of the building.’ So, because Abraham our patriarch was saying: ‘Is it possible that this world is without someone in charge?’ The Holy One blessed be He looked at him and said to him: ‘I am the owner of the world.’ “The king will desire your beauty, as he is your master” (Psalms 45:12) – to show your beauty in the world. “And bow to him” (Psalms 45:12) – that is, “the Lord said to Abram.”

“The Lord said to Abram” – Rabbi Berekhya began: “By the fragrance of your good oils, your name is like poured oil” (Song of Songs 1:3). Rabbi Berekhya said: To what was Abraham our patriarch comparable? To a flask of balsam oil surrounded with a fastened cover, that was placed in a corner and its fragrance did not diffuse. When it was moved, its fragrance diffused. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our patriarch: ‘Move yourself from one place to another place, and your name will be exalted in the world.’