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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 by 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.
(^)