Abram and His Sister

Genesis 12:10–20 ESV

Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 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.” When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

Flight to Egypt

The middle east depend up storms for their annual rainfall. They are not like Arkansas who can walk inside their house and it be a bright, shiny day and then turn around to get something they forgot and it be pouring down rain. These areas are predictable. They have a rainy season, and they have their dry periods. What they rely on is the wind. The winds will blow storms from the east, to the west over them. Most years this is fine, but every once in a while the winds shift. Going north or south they push the storms around the region. Now if you are Arkansas and you hit July and August and rain does not show up it gets miserable, but you have the months before and the months that follow to make up for it. If you are the near east, you go without rain for a year. You may go without rain for a few years. This is why it was so important that those winds were favorable. Water was also obtained by wells. If there is no rainfall to refill the water tables then wells will run dry. Droughts were not uncommon, but they were not enjoyable. This drought drove Abram into Egypt, which is where many Canaanites often fled to when droughts came about. Egypt did not depend upon rain for their source of food, they depended on the flooding of the Nile. Droughts were not uncommon, but they were not fun to say the least.

You are my Sister

Abram told Sarai to tell everyone that they were brother and sister. Why? There are a few possible reasons given. One, a beautiful sister is someone who might be worth trading for. If you wanted to marry someone you could offer a trade for them, but if that person is already married what do you do? You eliminate the spouse. So Abram wanted to have a chance of favorable trade rather than death. Another theory was that a wife that was also a sister would be more favorable in Egypt since that was custom in the Egyptian hierarchy. Abram had little influence if any at all, so the status of his wife would matter little to the Egyptians.

What is true was that Sarai was exceptionally beautiful. Abram was not simply trying to flatter his wife. Even the Egyptians noticed her for her beauty. We are not talking about a pretty face. We are not talking about an “eh. she ight.” girl. Sarai was a knock out. Abram was terrified because he knew men would want her, and he was the only one standing in the way. A husband will be removed, but a brother will try to be persuaded.

Pharaoh Pays the Price

Word of the new girl travels quickly. If you have new people show up that are just so so, they can fly under your radar for a very long time. If a new girl shows up at your school, and she’s extremely beautiful, you find it out very quickly. Word of Sarai’s beauty made it to the Pharaoh quickly, and Sarai made it into the harem of the king within hours. She was one of the Pharaoh’s women. Do you know what they were used for? Do you know what Sarai’s beauty was sought for? Now how does that fair with her actually being married to Abram? Especially knowing how God feels about marriage and being faithful to one’s spouse. Pharaoh had no idea that Sarai was married, so it was to his great surprise that as he had already paid handsomely for the woman, he was being plagued by God. That’s what he gets for marrying multiple women anyways.

Pharaoh wanted nothing more to do with Abram and Sarai. He simply wanted them out of his land. He shipped them away with all that had been given him. Pharaoh showed character. He did not touch Sarai, though he wanted to. He did nothing to Abrams wife, even though he was king of the land and could have done whatever he wanted to her. Abram thought nothing of Sarai in the moment, only of his own safety. Pharaoh sought only to release her when he realized the situation that has unfolded.

The Big Deal

Abram went to Egypt to escape a drought. He did not last long in the land and was kicked out. Where will he go now? He cannot return where he came from, there is no water. How do you think the servants talked about their fearless leader as they tucked tail and fled the country?

God promised Abram children. He promised Abram land. He promised Abram fame. With these promises, protection would undoubtedly follow him wherever he went in order to fulfill God’s promise and His plan. Abram has shown, and will again, a narrow tunnel vision in his life. Only focusing on the situation at hand, and not what God has said will come about.

When God makes a promise, He will see the promise carried out. No matter the circumstances. God is good. God is faithful. God is powerful. Place your trust in Him. Abram would have been better of if He would have relied on God rather than Himself.

Do not lose your hope. Do not lose your faith. Trust God’s process, and know that He will see the plan through to the end.