'she & # 39 ; S Not My Wife, She's My Sister '

There are many interpretations of the different stories in the Bible that often do not agree with each other. From ancient interpreters who believe that the Bible is written from the account of one person to modern scholars who believe that the Bible is written from various accounts, the Bible can be viewed in multiple ways. One of the stories that are placed under careful examination is the “She’s not my wife, she’s my sister” narrative. The passages that fall under this narrative are Genesis 12:10-20, Genesis 20:1-18, and Genesis 26:1-11. When analyzed, these passages appear to be parallels to each other (Berlin 42). Whether one may choose to read this story from the modern scholar or traditionalist perspective, it raises the question as …show more content…
This passage is interesting because it keeps the reader wondering after reading it. Many questions are left unanswered such as whether or not the plague that the Lord troubles Pharaoh with is taken away, whether or not God punishes those who are innocent, etc. Reading this passage slowly, it is clear that the Pharaoh necessarily does not do anything wrong. Yes, he takes Sarai as his wife, but Pharaoh is not aware of Abram’s and Sarai’s relationship. In Pharaoh’s eyes, he is innocent because Abram and Sarai are only siblings. Abram is the one who deceives Pharaoh, and Abram is the one who lets Pharaoh take Sarai as his wife. Stepping back and looking at the big picture, it appears as if Abram is the one who allows all of this to happen. Many would say that Abram is in the fault, but it is odd how Pharaoh is the one punished for Abram’s wrongdoings. It is also important to note that in this passage, Pharaoh is given a voice. Pharaoh is given the opportunity to voice his opinion, which displays his shock and rage. This can in fact be utilized to further establish his innocence because the emotion that is portrayed through the language is real and honest. The way how Pharaoh is punished and Abram is not displays the nature of God: God does not plague those who are on his side. This story sends the meaning that God will always stand by those who have faith in Him, even if you may …show more content…
It is also in this passage that a lot of the questions that are raised in Genesis 12 are answered. In this passage, God is given a voice, while in the previous passage God did not speak. The way how God and His voice is more included in this story takes this passage into a different direction than the previous one. From the type of language and diction that is utilized in this passage, it seems as if this passage is more centered around God than any of the other characters. God speaks in the passage, “‘…and so I kept you from sinning against Me’” (Berlin 43). It’s intriguing how the word “Me” is used and how God’s tone is more commanding. The way God says that He was the one who stopped King Abimelech from sinning allows for God to appear more powerful—God is so powerful that he is able to control the actions of others. The usage of the word “Me” makes it seem as if the action of King Abimelech having sexual relations with Sarah to be a more serious sin. The author could have written “I kept you from sinning against Abraham” ,but this is not what he choses to do. Keeping the word “Me” makes the sin more personal to God and portrays to the reader that sinning against God is not something to be taken lightly. God’s almighty and powerful nature is also exemplified through the way how He is able to enter into King Abimelech’s dream. During the time in which the story was written, it was believed that