Abraham and Sarah
Excerpt from
Historical Deception: The Untold Story of Ancient Egypt – 2 nd Ed.
by Moustafa Gadalla
General
Thousands of years ago in Canaan (same area as modern Israel and Lebanon), famine was a
regular occurrence. It was at a time of famine, according to the Bible, when Abram and Sarai
traveled to Egypt, a journey that began the relationship between the Egyptian royalty and, what
was to become later, the tribe of Israel.
Compared to Canaan, Egypt was a rich and sophisticated country. Abram and Sarai did not
stop in the eastern delta of the Nile, which one might have expected if they were simply seeking
food, but traveled hundreds of miles to Onnu(Heliopolis) or Men-Nefer(Memphis) where the
Pharaoh was residing. Apparently, Abram and Sarai may have been looking for more than just
food. They traveled unnecessarily deep into Egypt, of their own free will . We are told
however, in the Bible, that Abram was afraid of the pharaoh murdering him because of his
beautiful wife. Abram told Sarai to tell others that she was Abram’s sister “so that I shall be
treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you”. Subsequently the
Pharaoh married Sarai (according to the Hebrew version of the Bible) and Abra m was rewarded
generously for the hand of his ‘sister’.
Even though the Pharaoh did not know that he married a married woman, the Bible tells us
that the Lord “inflicted serious diseases” on the Pharaoh and his household. Once the Pharaoh
found out the truth about Abram and Sarai, he told Abram to take his wife and leave.
The behavior of Abram and Sarai in Egypt, according to the Bible’s version, can hardly be
considered ethical or moral.
Abram and Sarai returned to Canaan and major changes began to occ ur to their small tribe.
The Bible tells us that the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying: “To your descendants I
give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates” . Later, the Lord told
Abram, “...No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be Abraham, for I have made
you a father of a host of nations...Kings will come from you” . The Lord continues, “As for
Sarai your wife...her name will be Sarah. I shall bless her and give you a son by her...Kings of
people shall come from her”.
Some observations of the above passages are worth noting:

The promised son was Isaac.

The promise that “Kings of peoples” will descend from Sarah is the first mention of any Hebrew kings. The
Hebrews lived as nomadic tribes, with a chief as the head of the tribe and not a king.

The Bible told us earlier that Sarai had been unable to conceive throughout her married life with Abram. In
fact, to compensate for her own barrenness, Sarah had given Abraham her Egyptian maid Hagar, who bore
Abraham and Sarah – Excerpt from Historical Deception: The Untold Story of Ancient Egypt
1
him a son, Ishmael. So it must have been surprising to Abraham to learn that Sarah would bear a son, as
stated in the Bible.
Isaac’s Father
Who was Isaac’s father? As Sarah was married to both Abraham and the Pharaoh, the child
could have belonged to either of them. The following points should assist in answering this
pivotal question.

The Talmud, which is considered second in authority to the Old Testament, suggests that
when Isaac was born, he did not look like Abraham. “On the day that Abraham weaned his
son Isaac, he made a great banquet, and all the peoples of the world derided him, saying:
"Have you seen that old man and the woman who brought a foundling from the street, and
now claim him as their son! And what is more t hey make a great banquet to establish their
claim!"

We are told, by the Bible, that after the birth of Isaac, Abraham built an altar and was ready
to slaughter him with a knife as a sacrifice to the Lord. At the last minute, a voice came
from heaven, “Do not raise your hand against the boy” .
Firstly, it is difficult to believe that Abraham would kill his own son, if Isaac was really his
son.
Secondly, it is a fact that human sacrifices were not the custom of the time, in this area of
the world, and even if it was the custom why not sacrifice your eldest son, Ishmael?!
But who was the ruling Pharaoh when Abram and Sarai went to Egypt? All evidences lead
to Twthomosis III, as the Pharaoh who married Sarai and who fathered Isaac. More details will
follow in the next two chapters.
A Special Son
In Genesis 26:2, the Lord addressed Isaac, “Go not down into Egypt ....”. It is logical to
assume that there is no reason for this instruction except to forbid him to seek his real fa ther’s
inheritance.
Abraham and Sarah – Excerpt from Historical Deception: The Untold Story of Ancient Egypt
2
Away from Egypt, Isaac grew to manhood and married Rebekah. He had twins, both boys,
from her. They were Esau and Jacob. The name of his second boy was Jacob ( Y’qwb means
‘the one who follows’). The Bible tells us that Esau sold hi s birthright to Jacob.
Jacob had eleven children. The youngest was Joseph, who began the Israelite’s sojourn into
Egypt. As a point of interest, coincidentally just after the birth of Joseph, the Bible tells us, in
Genesis 35:9-10, that God said unto Jacob “Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any
more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel” . The new name is
significant as explained below.
We shall follow Jacob/Israel as he enters Egypt with his tribe, when Jose ph, his son,
becomes the second highest official in the land, after the Pharaoh.
Glossary of Interesting Names/Words
1- Abraham (in Egyptian) means ‘heart of the majesty of Ra’.
2- Sarah (in Hebrew & Egyptian) is the feminine form of ‘Sar’.
3- Ysra/Sar (in Hebrew & Egyptian) means ‘Prince/High Official’.
4- El (in Hebrew) is the short form of Elohim [God].
5- Ysrael (Israel) means ‘Elohim [God] rules’, which is the same title given to the ruling
Pharaoh of Egypt.
Abraham and Sarah – Excerpt from Historical Deception: The Untold Story of Ancient Egypt
3