Did Abraham lie?

[Chaston]

If Sarah was really Abrahams sister:

Gen. 20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

Was it a lie because he let them take her? Because he only told half the truth? Because it caused another man to sin? Or because he did it to save his own life?

[blessedmommyuv3]

I think you must look at his intention behind his words. His motivation was to save his own hide. He did not trust in God's provision for himself and Sarah. He took matters into his own hands and tried to arrange a situation that would be to his advantage. I think that is where the sin occured--he did not trust God.

Genesis 20:
10And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What have you encountered, that you have done this thing?"
11Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
12"Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;

In Christ,
Jen

[jayne]

It's a lie because he intended to deceive people. And not just Abimelech. Everybody.

Genesis 20:13 - ".....And when God had me wander from my father's household, I said to her, 'This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, 'He is my brother.'"

Before Abraham took his first step out of Ur, he told Sarah to deny their marriage - to everyone they met. As blessedmommy said it was a lack of trust. He believed that powerful men that he may encounter were more powerful than the God who was calling him.

I always wondered if God withheld giving them a child for so long because they denied being married.

Was it a lie because he let them take her? Because he only told half the truth? Because it caused another man to sin? Or because he did it to save his own life?

Isn't a half-truth really a whole lie?

[tmentour]

Ya the big thing was that it was only a half-truth, some bible's w/commentary like mine state that is wrong and u should always giv whole-truths.

[Reynolds357]

To put it bluntly, Yeah, he lied.
He told a half truth. The half truth was told with the sole intent to deceive.

[-SEEKING-]

Did Abraham lie?

Here's the real question. If he in fact did lie, was it wrong? Was he told not to lie?

[JohnDB]

In the ANE deceit was not the same as a lie.

You could decieve someone and it was considered to be acceptable as it was most likely a misunderstanding.

Which is not the same as an outright lie.

Jeremiah has his famous line: "Oh Lord you decieved me and I was decieved..."

Jeremiah wasn't calling God a liar in any respect. Only that for really effective communication there has to be a metting of the minds in understanding...but who can know the mind of God?

[crossnote]

It was a lie bred from fear of man due to a lack of faith in God. We all have it to one degree or another.

[nzyr]

Where in the bible does it say Abraham lied? He told the truth. Sarah was his half sister. Where in the bible does it say that God was mad at Abraham? It doesn't.

[Chaston]

Where in the bible does it say Abraham lied? He told the truth. Sarah was his half sister. Where in the bible does it say that God was mad at Abraham? It doesn't.

Agreed, in fact God cursed the men that took her until she was returned. Why would God punish them if Abraham was at fault for his lack of faith (twice)?

[Steven3]

he also used elohim + plural verb to Abimelech, which is a bigger no-no than his lie about Sarah

Abraham told Abimelech: gods [elohim], they caused [plural verb] me to

"gods"! there is no God but one.

I suspect this isn't the only time in the whole OT where a believer in YHWH does this when talking to a pagan, but all the same I think God would have been more worried about this than the Sarah lie.

[Radagast]

Where in the bible does it say Abraham lied? He told the truth. Sarah was his half sister. Where in the bible does it say that God was mad at Abraham? It doesn't.

Gen 20:6-9 suggests that God supports Abimelech's innoncence, and, by implication, that Abimelech is speaking for God in his criticism of Abraham for telling a lie (which is what it was: it was intended to deceive).

As Jayne says, a half-truth is really a whole lie.

[The Mighty Sword]

Did Abraham lie?


Yes.

[goykodesh]

Yet Abraham was counted as righteous by God.

not as a testiment of his works, but as a testiment of his faith, and his willingness to turn to God's ways. Good lesson and an excellent vindication of God's unwavering steadfastness, grace and love.

[nzyr]

Abraham didn't lie. Sarah was his sister. The middle east back then was dangerous. Just like it has always been. What good would it have done to tell them she was his wife? They probably would have tried to kill him for her.