How do we know Pharaoh did not have relations with Sarai?<\/p>\n\t
“So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels. But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? “Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had<\/em>” (Genesis 12:14-20).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
While Pharaoh had brought Sarai to his house, notice that when he scolded Abram he stated that he “might have taken her as my wife.” In other words, he had not yet done so.<\/p>\n\t
Question:<\/h2>\n
I do not see that “might” in most versions and in the Strongs I don’t see it indicated that it was in the original text. When Abram takes Sarai to Abimelech’s kingdom later in chapter 20, the message is clear that she had not been touched, so it goes to reason the same is true here too. But I do not see the word “might” anywhere but in the King James. I am still needing help!<\/p>\n\t
Answer:<\/h2>\n
Actually, it does appear in the New King James Version as well, since that is the one I quoted from. You are correct that “might” doesn’t appear in the text, though I don’t think the translators were wrong in inserting the word for clarity.<\/p>\n
Because the ancients treated an engagement as equivalent to a marriage, we cannot assume that just because Pharaoh took Sarai to be his wife that it implies that they had actually married at the time, let alone consummated the marriage. It was Pharaoh’s intention of marrying Sarai, that is why he took her and gave Abram dowry gifts. But the return of Sarai to Abram with nothing more than a strong tongue lashing is taken to imply that there wasn’t enough time for more than a plan for marriage.<\/p>\n
Still, it doesn’t change matters. Sarai was over 65 at this time and did not give birth to Isaac until she was 90.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: How do we know Pharaoh did not have relations with Sarai? Answer: “So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. He treated Abram…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[189],"class_list":["post-17659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-genesis"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":29448,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-was-abram-rewarded-for-lying-to-pharaoh\/","url_meta":{"origin":17659,"position":0},"title":"Why was Abram rewarded for lying to Pharaoh?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just read Genesis 12:1-20 and I'm a little perplexed by it. Abram bent the truth concerning Sarai by getting her to say she was his sister rather than his wife when they came into Egypt. I know she was his half-sister by his father, but it was still\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36597,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-many-sons-did-abraham-have\/","url_meta":{"origin":17659,"position":1},"title":"How many sons did Abraham have?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Regarding Genesis 20, where it says Sarah was untouched. So being the wife of Abraham she had no relations with him?\u00a0 Then how was it written she was barren?\u00a0 Abraham was married to his half-sister so he only told half a lie to the Pharaoh. Why was the Pharaoh\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61158,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-was-god-about-to-kill-moses\/","url_meta":{"origin":17659,"position":2},"title":"Why Was God About To Kill Moses?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 5, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry W. Benton The text of Exodus 4:24-26 seems oddly placed, but it is a separate paragraph from the rest of the text. Moses has been commissioned to go back to Egypt where the Israelites are and tell Pharaoh to free them. 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God told\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17666,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/where-did-cain-get-his-wife-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":17659,"position":4},"title":"Where did Cain get his wife? (2)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 3, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: As I continue my journey through Genesis I find myself asking a new question. I understand Adam and Eve. I get that they had two sons, Cain and Abel, but after Cain killed his brother he was cast over to another part of the land. How did Cain meet\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28657,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-god-kill-all-the-firstborn-sons-of-the-egyptians-when-it-was-pharaoh-who-sinned\/","url_meta":{"origin":17659,"position":5},"title":"Why did God kill all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians when it was Pharaoh who sinned?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Exodus when the firstborn sons of all Egyptians die because of Pharaoh, why did God kill all the Egyptian sons for the sin of Pharaoh? Answer: It is easy to blame the leader and forget he wasn't the only one involved. 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