seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 26:7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”
8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”
10 Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
11 So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”
10 Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
11 So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
This is the easy English commentary.
During the previous famine, Abraham went to Egypt. And he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. (See Genesis 12:10-13. At that time, Abraham was called Abram. And Sarah was called Sarai.) And on another occasion, Abraham went to Gerar. Again, he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. (See Genesis 20:2.) On both occasions, this caused trouble. For the reasons why Abraham said this.
During this famine Isaac went to Gerar. He did the same thing that Abraham had done. He said that his wife Rebekah was his sister. What Abraham said was not completely wrong. (See the comment on Genesis 12:11-13.) But when Isaac called Rebekah his sister, that was a lie.
Abimelech insisted on right moral standards. Probably he knew what had happened when Abraham visited Gerar. Probably his father had told him about his dream. (See Genesis 20:3. For ‘his father’ see the comment on verse 1.) So Isaac had no need to lie about his wife. He was not in danger.
During this famine Isaac went to Gerar. He did the same thing that Abraham had done. He said that his wife Rebekah was his sister. What Abraham said was not completely wrong. (See the comment on Genesis 12:11-13.) But when Isaac called Rebekah his sister, that was a lie.
Abimelech insisted on right moral standards. Probably he knew what had happened when Abraham visited Gerar. Probably his father had told him about his dream. (See Genesis 20:3. For ‘his father’ see the comment on verse 1.) So Isaac had no need to lie about his wife. He was not in danger.
Have you ever noticed that the Bible is really a "tell all" book? This part is like reading a soap opera!
