What Does Genesis 12:17 Mean in the King James?

And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.

Genesis 12:17 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

One Hebrew root gives both “plagued” and “plagues”: the sentence makes the affliction a blow reaching Pharaoh and his house.

THE MEANING

The verse shows the LORD’s power reaching Pharaoh and his household with great affliction because of Sarai. Sarai is named as the cause, while the blows fall on the ruler and his house.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The lie that royal authority makes a person untouchable dissolves here: Pharaoh and his house are struck.

THE ROOT

וַיְנַגַּע

vayenaggaʿ

GROWS FROM

נגע

To touch, reach, or strike.

English separates the action (“plagued”) from its result (“plagues”), while Hebrew builds both from ⁨נגע⁩ (nagaʿ, touch or strike). The affliction is pictured as a stroke reaching Pharaoh and his house.

ALSO GROWS

nagaʿ: Touch, reach, or strike.

נָגַע

The verb in this verse comes from this root, so the plague is pictured as a strike reaching its target.

negaʿ: A stroke, affliction, or plague.

נֶגַע

This noun names the “plagues” in the same verse, sharing its root with the action that brings them.

naguaʿ: Stricken or afflicted.

נָגוּעַ

Isaiah uses this form for the suffering figure, linking another scene of affliction to the same root.

THE PATTERN

Royal office does not shield a ruler from divine judgment.

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

Genesis 20:3 · KJVA ruler who has taken another man’s wife is confronted directly with the threat of judgment.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

Exodus 11:1 · KJVPharaoh’s rule does not keep the coming plague from reaching him and Egypt.

And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Acts 12:23 · KJVEven a king is struck when he claims honor that belongs to God.

THE THREAD

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:4 · KJV

Both verses use ⁨נגע⁩ (nagaʿ, touch or strike): here it names a plague falling on Pharaoh and his house; Isaiah calls the suffering figure “stricken.” The shared root makes the striking visible across both scenes, while each verse shows it falling on different people.

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