Genesis
12:14 ¶ And it came to pass, that, when
Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very
fair. 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw
her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s
house. 16 And he entreated Abram well
for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and
maidservants, and she asses, and camels. 17
And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of
Sarai Abram’s wife. 18 And Pharaoh
called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst
thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19
Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to
wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him:
and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
Pharaoh’s
princes saw Sarai as something worthy of the Pharaoh and perhaps were too
afraid of his wrath to steal her for themselves but thought to use her as a way
of gaining his favor. Abram, thought of as her brother, was treated very well
and made wealthier for his supposed sister being part of the Pharaoh’s harem.
Racists insist that verse 14 says that Sarai was attractive to the Pharaoh
because she was white skinned and, of course, the assumption is that darker
skinned men always prefer “white” women. This ignores the context of verse 11
and fair to look upon means she was attractive, desirable.
Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men
that they were fair;
and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Esther 1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king
with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
But, you will believe what justifies your bigotry and prejudice
and will force the Bible to justify your social beliefs, taking the
non-believers’ and the skeptics’ eyes off of the gospel of Christ and onto your
inconsistencies, hypocrisies, and moral weakness.
Whatever
the case, God plagued Pharaoh and his house for this action, thereby saving Sarai
from suffering the humiliation, the unfinished murder of being forced sexually
against one’s will. Pharaoh makes himself out to be a just man who is done
wrong by Abram although we know by Abram’s repeat of this behavior and Isaac’s
copying of it that the chance of Abram being eliminated was likely, regardless
of this heathen’s protestations of his innocence. Still, he sent Abram and
Sarai away with all of their possessions. The plagues put a fear in Pharaoh
that would have served a later Pharaoh well if he had heeded them.
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