Monday, May 8, 2023

Reading for May 16th

Read Genesis 12.10--20. In 12.10-20: Abram pretends Sarai is his sister and no this wife.  In verse 10:  A famine in the land of Canaan forces Abram and Sarai to travel to Egypt. The same situation will occur later with Abraham's descendants when Jacob's sons come to Egypt looking for food (41.53- 42.3). An alien is a traveler who lives for a time in a foreign land. Such a person has no rights as a citizen and thus is vulnerable to abuse. In verses 11-16: Sarai is so beautiful in appearance that Abram is convinced that the Egyptians will take Sarai and kill Abram if they find out they are husband and wife. Therefore, Abram instructs Sarai to lie and say that she is Abram's sister. Abram endangers Sara's life in order to save his own. In verses 17-20: The Lord afflicts the Egyptian Pharaoh with plagues to force him to let go of Sarai. During the Israelite Exodus out of Egypt, the Lord will again send plagues on Egypt and Pharaoh which will cause him to set free the Israelite slaves (Ex 11.1). This wife-sister story will reappear with Abraham and Sarah in 20.1-17 and with Isaac and Rebekah in 26.6-11. Comments or Questions..

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