Genesis and Incest

Paper Summary:

This paper compares how Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 treat the subject of incest. The writer notes that one of the most taboo topics, even in our own society, is the question of what constitutes incest. The writer then relates that in Genesis, this topic is addressed not once, but twice, in Genesis 12 and Genesis 20. These incidents in the life of the patriarch Abraham (Abram) and his wife Sarah (Sarai) are, like other significant episodes in the first book of the Pentateuch, told and retold, virtually right after one another in ways that are similar but with some critical differences in plot and tone. The writer maintains that these two different versions of the same incident of the life of Abraham and Sarah are used to shed new light upon the meaning of the same anecdote. The writer concludes that although it has the same plot of the sister-as-wife, Genesis 12 is more interested in showing how God will intervene to protect Abraham on earth, and to show this is a demonstration of God's plan for Abraham to be a father of Israel. Further, the writer maintains that textual resonances with the later Mosaic covenant take predominance over character development, or even explaining basic details of the plot, like how Pharaoh understands the relationship between the husband and wife.

From the Paper:

"Abraham believes that as a woman, Sarah's life (still Sarai) will be protected although very likely she will be violated, if the two of them are known to be married. He fears his own life will be at risk. But if the two are taken to be unmarried strangers, the Egyptians will be less hostile to them as foreigners. He anticipates her resistance to this idea (as it may still put her chastity in danger) but begs her to do so, so his soul might live. Abraham seems to make a plea that this is a God-fearing thing to do by invoking the soul, rather than merely asking his wife to engage in a potentially immoral deception to save his life.
"Interestingly, in both versions of the incidents, Abraham is not blamed for his deception by either his wife, the man he deceives, or the Lord, even though it places Sarai's life at risk, not his own."

Sample of Sources Used:

• The King James Bible. Full e-text available on 2 Nov 2007 at http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2020;&version=9;

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