in contact; and they might slay Abram for his wife's sake.32

The deceit - for such it really was - seemed scarcely such in their eyes, since Sarai was so closely related to

her husband that she might almost be called his sister. In short, as we all too oftentimes do, it was

deception, commencing with self-deception; and though what he said might be true in the letter, it was false

in the spirit of it. But we must not imagine that Abram was so heartless as to endanger his wife for the sake

of his own safety. On the contrary, it seemed the readiest means of guarding her honor also; since, if she

were looked upon as the sister of a mighty chief, her hand would b e sought, and certain formalities have to

be gone through, which would give Abram time to escape with his wife. This is not said in apology, but in

explanation of the matter.

Ancient Egyptian monuments here again remarkably confirm the scriptural narrative. They prove that the

immigration of distinguished foreigners, with their families and dependents, was by no means uncommon.

One of them, dating from the time of Abram, represents the arrival of such a "clan," and their presentation

and kindly reception b y Pharaoh. Their name, appearance, and dress show them to be a pastoral tribe of

Semitic origin.33

Another ancient tablet records how such foreigner attained the highest dignities in the land. So far, then,

Abram would meet with a ready welcome. But his device was in vain, and Sarai "was taken into the house of

Pharaoh." As the future brother-in-law of the king, Abram now rapidly acquired possessions and wealth.

These presents Abram could, of course, not refuse, though they increased his guilt, as well as his remorse

and sense of shame. But he had committed himself too deeply to retrace his steps; and the want of faith,

which had at the first given rise to his fears, may have gone on increasing. Abram had given up for a time

the promised land, and he was now in danger of losing also the yet greater promise. But Jehovah did not,

like Abram, deny her who was to be the mother of the promised seed. He visited "Pharaoh and his house

with great plagues," which by-and-by led to their ascertaining the true state of the case - possibly from Sarai

herself. Upon this the king summoned Abram, and addressed him in words of reproach, which Abram must

have the more keenly felt that they came from an idolater. Their justice the patriarch acknowledged by his

silence. Yet the interposition of God on behalf of Abram induced Pharaoh to send him away with all his

possessions intact; and, as the wording of the Hebrew text implies, honorably accompanied to the boundary

of the land.

It is a true remark, made by a German writer, that while the occurrence of a famine in Canaan was intended to

teach Abram that even in the promised land nourishment depended on the blessing of the Lord, - in a

manner teaching him beforehand this petition, "Give us this day our daily bread," - his experience in Egypt

would also show him that in conflict with the world fleshly wisdom availed nothing, and that help came only

from Him who "suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes; saying, Touch

not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm," (Psalm 105:14, 15) thus, as it were, conveying to Abram's

mind these two other petitions: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." And so Abram once

more returned to Bethel, "unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning; unto the place of the altar

which he had made at the first: and there Abram called on the name of Jehovah." In one respect this incident

is typical of what afterwards befell the children of Israel. Like him, they went into Egypt on account of a

famine; and, like him, they left it under the influence of "fear of them which fell" upon the Egyptians - yet

laden with the riches of Egypt.