Bible Discussion Thread

This chapter repeats the error that Abraham consented to with his wife in his earlier travels "down south". Apparently, after all of God's promises of granting him an heir through His wife he still wasn't convinced that he didn't have to make up some narrative going into foreign lands so that he wasn't killed for his wife's sake. Sarah must have been a very beautiful woman of 90 something at that time. The custom at that time was to have more than one wife; and apparently there was little formality other than taking someone in who a king would desire to complete that process. The plagues that are threatened included closing up the wombs of the King of Abimalech's wife and maidservants; so this was a rather lengthy stay until this dream and realization occurred. The "agreement" which Abraham made likely had many similar scenarios to the two chapters covering it in Genesis as apparently WHEREVER he went she was expected to consent to this spineless request; essentially putting her in a compromised position to being violated to save his skin. In any event; because it was God's prophet he ended up being better off materially after this event than before. Sarah herself was reproved by the PAGAN king and he was prayed for to restore the childbearing afterwards. After this Isaac was finally born; and her status as a mother could no longer be hidden. In any event; this shows God's patience with our obstinate tendencies to rely on the flesh to accomplish His purposes. Her act of complicity was finally exposed as well.