The Watchtower Society and John and Morton Edgar - A2Z.org

(with Sarah and Lot) form the mountainous country ofCanaan,down south to the almost sea-level land of Ex ypt.The Scriptures use Egypt as a figure of the sinful world.Is it consistent with the facts to say that Abraham re-' presents God at this stage? For hor can God be said tohave gone down with the world into its sinful condition 2The episode narrated in the remaining verses of this 12thchapter of Genesis shows how the allegory sustains thisthought. First, let us quote the verses:Gm. 13 i 11-m. And it came to paas, when he war oome near to enterihto eypt. that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behokl now, 1 k ~~ow thatthou urt a fair woman to look upon: 12 Therefore it shall collie to pass.wllen the Egyptia~~s ol~all see thee. that they shall say. ThiCis his wite:and they will kill me, but they w1l1 save thee alive. 13 %y, 1 pray thee,thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy saki: and my soul&all live becallw of thee. 14 And it came to pass. that, when Abraqwas come into Ijllypt, the Emtlans beheld the woman that she was veryfair. I The yrincesahoof Pharaoh saw her, and commended her beforePharaog : and the mman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 16 And he entreatadAbtam well for her sake: and he had sheep. and 0Tt.n. and heasses, and menservants and midnemants, alwl she asses, and canlels. 17And the &,Ow plagued Pharaoh and his house wtth great plagues becauseof Sa'rai Abrkm's I&. I8 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said. Whatie this that thou I~ast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me. that shewus thy aife) 19 Why aaidst thou, She u my Sister? so I 111ight havetaken her t'o me to wife : now therefore behold thy wife t8kC kr and gothy way.. zo And Paraoh commanded his men connrniig him : and, theymnt him away. and his wife, a d all that he had.. .. Were ii not ' that re'rnrceive an allegoricrl purpose inthis peculiar episode in Abraham's life, weS'might beat a,lo'ss tp understand why it should be mentioned. Thewriters of God's Word were greaR economists ofspace, and always had a definite reason for every.utterance.Besides which we remember that God Himselfsupervised all the holy records, and nothing was allowed40, be inserted in His Word unless it would serve a usefulpurpose. Apart from the allegorical picture there is noapparent reasoq why this episode should be included. inthe Bible. ' We just draw attention to this, because it is a