36 Heb “say.”
37 Tell them you are my sister. Abram’s motives may not be as selfish as they appear. He is aware of the danger to the family. His method of dealing with it is deception with a half truth, for Sarai really was his sister—but the Egyptians would not know that. Abram presumably thought that there would be negotiations for a marriage by anyone interested (as Laban does later for his sister Rebekah), giving him time to react. But the plan backfires because Pharaoh does not take the time to negotiate. There is a good deal of literature on the wife-sister issue. See (among others) E. A. Speiser, “The Wife-Sister Motif in the Patriarchal Narratives,” Oriental and Biblical Studies, 62–81; C. J. Mullo-Weir, “The Alleged Hurrian Wife-Sister Motif in Genesis,” 22 (1967–1970): 14–25.
38 The Hebrew verb translated “go well” can encompass a whole range of favorable treatment, but the following clause indicates it means here that Abram’s life will be spared.
39 Heb “and my life will live.”

In other versions

Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”

Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account.”

So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”

Please say you are my sister so that it will go well for me on your account. Then I will live on account of you.”

Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

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