Genesis 26: 6-11…Like father, like son.

So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife. So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

Comment: Isaac, like Abraham, thought his wife to be especially beautiful, even to the degree where in a rough society he would be killed to get her. As a brother he might have even been paid for her! I think that it must have been Ahimelech junior (see yesterday) or he would never have fallen for the trick introduction! It didn’t work out at any rate because obviously, in public, treated Rebekah as his wife and the king saw it. I’m, from a human point of view surprised that the dishonesty, having been discovered didn’t lead to war or expulsion. Abimelech was clearly conscious of ‘divine’ control and feared moral judgement. He graciously just rapped Isaac over the knuckles, and made it clear to his people that Isaac and Rebekah were under his protection.

Prayer: We don’t understand the hows and whys but we thank you that You are in control.