Genesis 20: Sister Act II

Once again, as in chapter 12, Avraham hides the fact that Sarah is his wife. This time, he tells Avimelech, king of the southern city-state of Gerer, that Sarah is his sister. There are several differences between the two stories. The major difference is that ה׳ has a much more active role in this chapter. ה׳ even appears to Avimelech in a dream:“וַיָּבֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ בַּחֲלֹ֣ם הַלָּ֔יְלָה”“God came to Abimelech in a dream by night” (Genesis 20:3)Pharaoh has no direct contact. ה׳ plays a more active role in this story because it takes place in the land of Canaan—“the land that I will show you”:“אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶ֖ךָּ”“To the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1)When Avraham left for Egypt, ה׳ withdrew. In Canaan, ה׳ takes center stage to protect Avraham.There is also a bit of clever word play connecting the two chapters. In chapter 12, we are told that the servants of Pharaoh were enchanted by Sarah’s beauty and brought her to the King:“וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י יָפָ֖ה הִ֣וא מְאֹֽד”“When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw (וַיִּרְא֤וּ – V’ayiru) that she was very (מְאֹֽד – meod) beautiful” (Genesis 12:14)In this chapter, after Avimelech’s dream, the servants are terrified:“וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ בַּבֹּ֖קֶר וַיִּקְרָ֣א לְכָל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֖ם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מְאֹֽד”“Early next morning, Abimelech called his servants and told them all that had happened; and they were greatly frightened (וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ – Vayiiru) מְאֹֽד – meod” (Genesis 20:8)The text uses the homophones of וַיִּרְא֤וּ – V’ayiru (they saw) and וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ – V’ayiiru (they were afraid), combined with מְאֹֽד – meod, to link the actions of the two sets of servants. Perhaps it was the righteous reaction of the servants of Avimelech, as opposed to those of Pharaoh, that saved their people from pain.