WoW Bible Study - Sarai #2

January 11, 2023

WoW Bible Study - Sarai #2

Abram and Sarai had to go South toward Egypt because there was a great famine in Canaan. Now, as we have mentioned earlier, Sarai was a very beautiful and desirable woman. It was not uncommon for Egyptians to kill the husband and keep the wife as part of their harems. Abram had a true fear of what could happen to both of them if they were found out. Due to this, he asked Sarai to tell everyone in Egypt that she was his sister. She agreed.

Abram was right. The men of Egypt found Sara very beautiful - as did Pharaoh's officials! They praised her to Pharoah, piquing his interest in this new foreign woman. She and Abram were brought to him and due to the great beauty of his "sister" he was gifted many cattle, donkeys, sheep and female servants. I can't be the only person wondering if Pharoah had other things on his mind!

While reading the Bible, the next chapter goes directly to when the plagues start (more on that momentarily) however, Sarai and Abram were in Egypt for seven years. Sarai pretended not to be Abram's wife for SEVEN YEARS. During this time, she lived in Pharaoh's house as HIS wife. (Most likely one of MANY wives). Scholars have interpreted things in two ways, one that Sarai retained her virtue during this time or two, she was living with him as a true wife.

These Biblical lives can get rough! I would suspect that Sarai knew of God's promise to her husband that he would be a "great nation" and she must have wondered what woman would share that title with him, as it certainly could not have been her! Then to be given to another man as a wife by your own husband who you have traveled with out of love and loyalty.

But Pharaoh does find out. God inflicts diseases upon the household due to Sarai. Pharaoh, angered, tells Abram to take his wife and leave. He sends him off not only with all of the wealth he brought with him as well as the gifts he had given him several years previously - he sent along a female servant with them, Hagar.

Now according to the Bible, Hagar was an Egyptian slave. Interestingly enough, in Judaism, Hagar was Pharaoh's daughter!

"It would be better for my daughter to be a handmaiden in this house (Sarai's) than a noblewoman in another" Hagar meaning - Reward. (Jewish Encyclopedia)

Once again, Sarai is traveling with her husband along with a female handmaiden, all the cattle, sheep, camels, and lots of silver and gold.

As an accompaniment to this study, I have put together a playlist of contemporary Christian songs that all connect with Sarai and her story. If you have Spotify, you can listen to the playlist here: SARAI

If not, I have put links to the songs on YouTube below! I hope you enjoy them. I'll see you in the land of Bethel!

Christ Our King - Passion (Rachel Halbach)