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[Salam]

Since Abraham's wife remained with pharaoh for a bit: couldn't Isaac have been pharaohs son instead of Abraham's?

[jimwalton]

The story is in the Bible in Genesis 12.10-20. To my knowledge this story does not appear in the Qur’an.

This was certainly one of the problems with Abraham’s behavior. The entire covenant is in jeopardy. As you said, “What if a child resulted from her being with the pharaoh? Who would know it was not Abraham’s child?

So there are two questions we must ask:

1. Did Sarah get pregnant by the Pharaoh?
2. Could it have possibly been Isaac?

The answer to both questions is no.

We can’t be exactly sure what year this happened in, but we can look at the gap between this event and when Isaac was born, and there are at least 15 years, but more like 20 years, between Abraham being in Egypt and Isaac being born. So there’s no way Pharaoh got her pregnant.

Secondly, we find out in Genesis 16.1-2 that Sarah is unable to have children. This is another issue that jeopardizes the covenant. If Sarah can’t have children, how can Abraham give birth to the covenant child? Ah, the answer is that ABRAHAM can have children even if Sarah can’t, and so she lets Abraham sleep with Hagar. So we know a second way that Sarah didn’t get pregnant by the Pharaoh. She was sterile, or barren.

Third, by the time Isaac is born, Abraham has been in the land for 25 years (so it’s possibly 20-24 years after Sarah has been with the Pharaoh, and Ishmael is about 14.

The conclusion is that there is absolutely no possibility that Isaac could have been the pharaoh’s son instead of Abraham’s.

[Salam]

Thanks. So, how do we know she remained faithful to Abraham and didn't sleep with pharaoh? I appreciate the answer.

[jimwalton]

Again, a good question. There is every reason to believe she could have slept with the pharaoh, but not necessarily so. Genesis 12.15 says she was taken into his palace, implying that she was taken into his harem. In Genesis 12.19 the pharaoh says he took her to be his wife. We know that in the ancient world, harems and wives were often for political alliances, not necessarily for sex. But we have no reason to think at this early time that Abraham would have been perceived as a powerful sheik, as would probably be the case later. The text says the pharaoh took her because she was beautiful, not for a political alliance. The information leads us to believe the pharaoh probably slept with her, but we can't be sure.

But since she was sterile, it would not have resulted in pregnancy. And since Isaac was not born until 20 years later, there’s no way that Isaac was the son of the pharaoh.

What other questions?

[Salam]

Thanks. Doesn't this make Abraham evil for giving up his wife?

[jimwalton]

You’ve been asking good questions, and I thank you for that.

Regarding Abraham, I can understand what you’re thinking. But it doesn’t make Abraham evil, just lacking faith that God would take of him. It’s not evil because…

1. Technically Sarah was his half-sister, so he’s technically not lying. Genesis 20.12 indicates she was the daughter of his father, which could mean a half-sister or an adopted sister.

2. Abraham is trying not to get killed (Gn. 12.13), and he thinks he’s acting appropriately to preserve his life. He knows what a violent world he lives in, and is taking steps to protect them. At the same time, he is showing lack of faith in God to protect him. He thinks he has to devise his own scheme.

3. Polygamy was common in their world, and God had not made a law against it (God actually never does that anywhere in the Old Testament), though it’s true that every time we see an example of polygamy, something bad happens. So even though God never commands against polygamy, it implies that it’s nothing but trouble.

So Pharaoh taking Sarah along with other wives was not perceived as evil. But your question pertains to, “Doesn’t that make Abraham evil, for giving up his wife to another man?” It’s a great question.

Remember Abraham is still getting to know this God. He came from an upbringing and background of polytheism (Joshua 24.2), and he has to learn about this REAL God, what He is like, and what faith is all about. We get to watch his tumultuous journey of faith through Genesis.

The text doesn’t paint Abraham as evil, but instead as not trusting in the promises and protection of God. In other words, it’s a lack of faith on Abraham’s part, not an action of evil. It’s another “test,” just like other tests Abraham goes through.

As we watch Abraham go through life, we see that he (like his son and grandsons) is capable of repeated, shabby deceptions that actually endanger his wife. He’s actually exploiting her (something the Bible never approves of), using her sex appeal to save his own life. He’s not evil, just lacking moral courage, lacking faith, anxious about his own security. Later he fathers a child with a slave woman at his wife’s insistence. Then he lets Sarah drive Hagar out of the household. We see he is a man of weak character and a deficient sense of responsibility. That’s what’s going on here, too. He has a lot to learn, as do all of us.

But watch how the text shows that Abraham is growing, learning, and developing in character:

1. He learns humility and dependence, as he lets Lot choose which part of the land (13.8ff.)
2. He learns courage when he rescues Lot from the armies (14.14ff.)
3. He learns dignity and reliance when he turns down riches and chooses to trust God instead (14.22ff.)
4. He learns patience and faith, waiting 25 years for the birth of the promised son (21.5)
5. He learns to pray when he intercedes for the cities of the plain (18.23ff.)
6. He learns to be complete devoted to God’s will (chapter 22).

So I would say he’s not evil; he just makes a lot of mistakes, and God works with him to bring him to maturity. It’s a great lesson for all of us. God doesn’t refuse us until we’re perfect; He takes us as we are and changes us. It gives us all hope.

[Salam]

Thanks. Good answers!