Genesis, Chapter 26,
Verse 7
When the men of the place asked questions
about his wife, he answered, “She is my sister.” He was afraid that, if he called her his wife, the men of the place would
kill him on account of Rebekah, since she was beautiful.
So Isaac (whom was bound
as a sacrificial offering to God) the only son of Abraham, now is grown, has a
wife and is pulling the same trick with the men who desire his wife-stating she
is my sister.
According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the recurring story has a unified
purpose:
"From the
point of view of the history of culture these episodes are very instructive.
But it is not very probable that Abraham would have run the risk twice.
Moreover, a similar incident is reported in regard to Isaac and Rebecca. This
recurrence indicates that none of the accounts is to be accepted as historical;
all three are variations of a theme common to the popular oral histories of the
Patriarchs. That women were married in the way here supposed is not to be
doubted. The purpose of the story is to extol the heroines as most beautiful
and show that the Patriarchs were under the special protection of the
Deity."[1]
Another
lesson we can take from this is that Isaac here was dealing with men that had
no fear of God. Men who take what they want and will kill to get it. Isaac here
could not fight them because he was not strong enough. Isaac could not leave
because there was a famine. So he sought to deceive. Yet, even in his weakness
God was with him and when Abimelech, the righteous king, discovered the truth
put him under his royal protection; thus saving him from danger. Righteous men &
nations always seek to protect the weak.
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