Genesis 12:9 to ; Genesis 13:4
Abram has come into the land of Canaan with Lot, his nephew. But a famine sets in and, without waiting for divine instructions this time, the patriarch goes down to Egypt. Notice to what this lack of dependence leads; he disowns his wife and by this he puts himself in a critical situation. From this sad page of his history we learn what the most faithful believer is capable of when he leaves the place where God has put him. He can even be led to deny his relationship with the Lord. Peter went through this painful experience. He sought out the company of his Master’s enemies and had no courage to confess His name (Matthew 26:69). Are we, who are redeemed by the Lord, sometimes ashamed to say that we belong to Him? (compare 2 Timothy 2:12-13).
Disastrous as was his attitude as a man of God, could it at least be of some profit to the world? Not at all! The presence of Sarai in Pharaoh’s palace only brought plagues on Pharaoh and on his people. After the world called, "Go thy way," in a very different way from the command of the LORD in verse 1, Abram returns to Canaan, to his point of departure. He finds the altar again, in other words, he comes back into the relationship with God, which he had not been able to enjoy while he was in Egypt.