A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

advantageous to leave the land of promise to find refuge in Egypt, Abram did what must have at
the time seemed the most reasonable course of action available, he “went down to Egypt”
(12:10).
While not disputing the severity of the famine, two things should be noted concerning
Abram’s interpreting that problem as a directive to journey to Egypt. First, the famine was apparently
not severe enough to drive the Canaanites from the land. They remained while Abram
departed. Second, the same word used to describe the severity of the famine is later used to
describe the wealth of Abram (13:2) suggesting that even in going to Egypt, Abram had not
escaped what was essentially his problem.
The combination of broken fellowship with God and severe problems in life was
followed by a third condition in the life of Abram that resulted in his lapse of faith, a willingness
to accept a temporary solution alleviating the symptoms rather than searching for a more
complete answer to his real problem. Abram’s intent when traveling to Egypt was “to sojourn
there” (12:10). The Hebrew verb qur means “to dwell as a stranger” or to live in a place
temporarily. Abram never intended to live in Egypt continually, but he didn’t leave under his
own volition either.
A fourth characteristic was Abram’s willingness to lie concerning his relationship with
his wife. Abram feared the Egyptians would kill him in order to take Sarai into a harem. His
fears may not have been entirely unreasonable. Written on the pyramid of Unas, a Pharaoh of the
Fifth Egyptian Dynasty, is a magic formula which states concerning that Pharaoh, “Then he takes
away the wives from their husbands whither he will, if desire seizes his heart.”
It is interesting to note the timing of Abram’s appeal to Sarai, “when he was close to
entering Egypt” (v. 11). Perhaps Abram had thought he could trust God to take care of him in
Egypt, but as he left the land of promise he may have been plagued with a nagging doubt. Some
have suggested that the wives of Egyptians were generally ugly and faded early. The women of
Chaldea held their youth and beauty longer than other cultures. Others have noted that Egyptian
women do not wear veils as is customary in other parts of the Near East. As the couple got closer
to Egypt, the contrast between Sarai’s physical beauty and the Egyptian women would have
become increasingly obvious to Abram.
The grammar of Abram’s statement to Sarai (vv. 11-13) suggests a pleading on the part
of Abram. The statement begins with a demonstrative participle of entreaty which would be
literally translated, “Behold, please.” Abram then described his wife using the expression
yepheth-mar’eh literally meaning “beautiful to behold.” The word yapheh was used not only as
an adjective meaning “beautiful” or “fair,” but also conveyed the idea of the “fairest one,” or
“most beautiful.” Part of Abram’s success in convincing Sarai to agree to his plan may be
attributed to the fact he appealed to her vanity with tenderness.
Abram may have explained to Sarai that she didn’t have to lie, but only not elaborate on
the truth. In identifying herself as Abram’s sister, she was telling the truth, but not the whole
truth. She was the biological half-sister of Abram (cf. 20:12). Further, sisterhood was a legal
status which could be achieved under law by a wife, particularly if she had been given in
marriage by her brother. Sarai may have also been a sister in this sense as well. In identifying
herself as Abram’s sister, Sarai was telling the truth, but she was telling the truth with the intent
to deceive and therefore was lying.
Abram was looking for the road of least resistance which is not always the best path. He
was rewarded with a comfortable lifestyle in Egypt, even if that meant undermining his relationship
with his wife (12:13). Many of the later struggles and conflicts in the life of Abram find