And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
Abraham answered, 'I thought to myself that the people in this place don't fear God at all, and they would kill me to take my wife.'
Abraham is explaining that he lied about Sarah being his sister because he was afraid the people there didn't respect God and would murder him to steal his beautiful wife.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when Abraham and Sarah traveled to Gerar, where King Abimelech ruled. Abraham had told the same lie years earlier in Egypt, claiming Sarah was his sister rather than his wife. In ancient times, powerful men sometimes killed husbands to take their wives, so Abraham's fear wasn't entirely unreasonable, though his deception showed a lack of trust in God's protection.
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