# 23 - Abraham's Lie & Sarah's Capture - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we recount the familiar yet painful story of Abraham's deception, where he presents Sarah as his sister to King Abimelech, repeating the same mistake made in Egypt. The episode highlights themes of fear, faith, and divine intervention as God protects Sarah despite Abraham's failure. Through Abimelech's dream, God's sovereignty ensures that Sarah is returned unharmed, while Abraham's faith is restored, demonstrating God's faithfulness even in the face of human frailty and failure. This episode reflects on redemption and the hope found in God's unrelenting grace.
Episode 23 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Proverbs 27:22, “Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.”
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Show Notes:
(02:04) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(04:12) Abraham's Lie & Sarah's Capture
(29:32) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
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Speaker 2: You've drawn the attention of Pharaoh's officials, and because of that,
00:00:08
Speaker 2: we should be prepared to tell them you're my sister,
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Speaker 2: not my wife. This is for your protection as well
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Speaker 2: as my own. If you've drawn the eye of a
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Speaker 2: prominent Egyptian as your brother, my life would be spared.
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Speaker 3: Abram, you would tell a half truth and deny me
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Speaker 3: the protection of my husband. Lie to spare yourself and
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Speaker 3: ship me off to an Egyptian warlord.
00:00:37
Speaker 1: Abram winced, his resolution, wavered in her directness. In its
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Speaker 1: wake came guilt, and he was ashamed to admit it.
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Speaker 3: I have never been able to conceive, and in the
00:00:48
Speaker 3: ten years since we heard this promise, that hasn't changed.
00:00:52
Speaker 3: I would have you achieved this promise another way. I
00:00:55
Speaker 3: would present my maid to you so that you could
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Speaker 3: conceive a child with her.
00:01:00
Speaker 1: And so Hagar did as her lady instructed. That very
00:01:05
Speaker 1: night she was escorted to her lord's tend.
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Speaker 4: You have given your husband to me, and I have
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Speaker 4: done what you could not. Why should my station not
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Speaker 4: be elevated. Who is to say that Abram will not
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Speaker 4: decide between us?
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Speaker 5: You are nothing, You are nothing.
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Speaker 2: You are nothing, Master Abram, Congratulations, Hagar.
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Speaker 6: Has borne your son.
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Speaker 2: Hagar has asked me to relay the message that the
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Speaker 2: boy's name will be Ishmael.
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Speaker 1: Abram turned his face away from Serah. He feared what
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Speaker 1: would happen if he continued. Abram couldn't bring himself to
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Speaker 1: fully admit what had happened in Egypt, certainly not to Serah.
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Speaker 1: Perhaps some day, but the failure still haunted him deeply.
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Speaker 7: In the land of Abimelech, Abraham's old deceit resurfaces. Can
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Speaker 7: you find redemption in the cycle of his own making? Shallo,
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Speaker 7: my friends from here in the holy Land of Israel,
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Speaker 7: and welcome again to the Chosen People. I'm ya l
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Speaker 7: Exstein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Each
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Speaker 7: day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible,
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Speaker 7: stories filled with timeless lessons of faith and love and
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Speaker 7: the meaning of life. Through Israel's story, we'll find this
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Speaker 7: truth that we are all chosen for something great. Remember
00:02:45
Speaker 7: to take a moment and follow this podcast. That way,
00:02:49
Speaker 7: you never have to miss an episode. It also helps
00:02:52
Speaker 7: us to get discovered by more people, to inspire them.
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Speaker 7: In the busy and crowded world of podcasts, Every little
00:03:00
Speaker 7: bit matters. So now let's begin. Why do we repeat
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Speaker 7: our mistakes? Why is it when we find ourselves at
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Speaker 7: the same crossroads do we so often choose the same
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Speaker 7: wrong path. In Genesis twenty we see Abraham, our patriarch,
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Speaker 7: the father of faith, standing at such a crossroad. Again.
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Speaker 7: Here we find Abraham in a foreign land, fearing for
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Speaker 7: his life, resorting to a lie that he has told before.
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Speaker 7: He tells Abimelech the king, that Sarah's his sister, not
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Speaker 7: his wife, a lie that echoes a previous chapter in
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Speaker 7: Abraham's life, a mistake that Abraham has made before. Do
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Speaker 7: you remember back in Egypt when he feared Pharaoh more
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Speaker 7: than he trusted God? And so we have to ask,
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Speaker 7: why do we, just like Abraham, repeat our mistakes? And
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Speaker 7: can we, like Abraham, find redemption even in our faltering steps?
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Speaker 7: Or are we doomed to walk in the shadows of
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Speaker 7: our own making, forever repeating the past?
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Speaker 8: You really got to meet a king.
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Speaker 6: I did.
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Speaker 5: Did you see how big his army was?
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Speaker 9: Oh?
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Speaker 2: Yes, they were very impressive. I even met their commander.
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Speaker 2: They call him fight coll These Philistines are an impressive people.
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Speaker 8: I wish I had an army. Someday I'll be a
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Speaker 8: great warrior.
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Speaker 2: I would never doubt anything you set your mind to,
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Speaker 2: my son, you are fiery and determined. I pity any
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Speaker 2: enemy foolish enough to challenge you. But what orange you
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Speaker 2: asking me about my meeting with King of Bimelech. I
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Speaker 2: didn't go into Gerard to survey their army, right.
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Speaker 8: Don't seem to be hostile towards us, so they will
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Speaker 8: let us stay here? Will they let us access the
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Speaker 8: water in the valley for our flocks?
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Speaker 2: Yes, and that's what's important. I'm glad to see your
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Speaker 2: thinking like a clan leader. Our flocks are our most
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Speaker 2: precious resource. They're the source of our wealth. If they die,
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Speaker 2: we die. That's why it's important that we have good
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Speaker 2: relations with these other nations. I know you're taken with
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Speaker 2: the idea of a large army and knowing how to
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Speaker 2: defend yourself can be prudent, but using diplomacy makes you wise.
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Speaker 2: Fight if you have to, but form friendships when you.
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Speaker 8: Can, like you did with the Amorites back in Hebron Exactly,
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Speaker 8: even if they're different than us and they don't follow
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Speaker 8: our God.
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Speaker 2: Sometimes the friends you make won't see eye to eye
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Speaker 2: with you, but you try for peace before you go
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Speaker 2: to war.
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Speaker 8: So is a bim like our friend. Now, since you
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Speaker 8: went to talk with.
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Speaker 2: Him, we shall see, but keep your guard up. As
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Speaker 2: you said, these people do not follow our god. There
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Speaker 2: are savvy merchants here, having controlled this trade route for
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Speaker 2: so long, but I fear they are also the kind
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Speaker 2: of men who may take what they want. I see,
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Speaker 2: I will be careful.
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Speaker 1: Father Abraham smiled at Ishmael as he ran off toward
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Speaker 1: his mother's tent. At thirteen, he was almost a man.
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Speaker 1: He absorbed all that Abraham taught him, and was proving
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Speaker 1: to be as clever as he was, competent and well
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Speaker 1: on his way to becoming a warrior. He had seen
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Speaker 1: how his training was coming along. Ishmael would make a
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Speaker 1: fine clan leader and a formidable foe. One day, frowning
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Speaker 1: at the young man flying past her, his wife Sarah
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Speaker 1: approached him.
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Speaker 3: You've returned. How was the meeting? What did a bimelech say?
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Speaker 3: Does he pose any threat to us?
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Speaker 2: He will let her stay, but I still fear will
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Speaker 2: need to be cautious in this territory of his. I
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Speaker 2: do not trust the people. I saw many troubling things
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Speaker 2: in the city. These people may not be as far
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Speaker 2: gone as Sodom or the other cities on the plain,
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Speaker 2: but they could prove treacherous.
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Speaker 3: Hum We'll have to bear that in mind. It's a
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Speaker 3: relief to find well watered lands to settle. I fear
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Speaker 3: the famine will keep Hebron in its grip for some time.
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Speaker 6: I agree.
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Speaker 1: Abraham was glad that his wife had come to meet
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Speaker 1: him to discuss the meeting. It was best that this
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Speaker 1: conversation took place away from the others. He knew Sarah
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Speaker 1: would better receive what he would ask of her away
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Speaker 1: from an audience of spying eyes and listening ears. Abraham
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Speaker 1: had hoped that the people's ways in the city would
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Speaker 1: differ from those they had encountered, but his optimism waned
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Speaker 1: when he saw their temples to false gods, brothels, polygamy,
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Speaker 1: packed taverns, and general wanton and unruly lawlessness. He had
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Speaker 1: hoped it would not be so, but Gheira was the
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Speaker 1: sort of place he feared his marriage would not be respected.
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Speaker 3: Sarah, yes, Abram.
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Speaker 2: About what I saw in the city.
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Speaker 3: What did you see?
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Speaker 2: It's not so much what I saw as what I
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Speaker 2: believe we need to do to keep ourselves safe. No
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Speaker 2: one here fears the God most High, and they live
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Speaker 2: according to their whims. The Philistines are not at war
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Speaker 2: with us, but I fear they will still take what
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Speaker 2: they want. We're staying in their lands and at their mercy.
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Speaker 2: We've amassed a great fortune. And though we are not
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Speaker 2: a military threat to the Philistines, our agreement is tenuous
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Speaker 2: and they may seek to in other ways.
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Speaker 3: What are you saying, Sarah, I'm afraid.
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Speaker 2: I see too many similarities in these people to the
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Speaker 2: ones we've dealt with in the past. I'm terrified for
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Speaker 2: my life. As the heads of our people, we will
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Speaker 2: be a target. I fear that they will use you
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Speaker 2: against me, or take you from me, or worse.
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Speaker 3: We've survived this threat before, Abraham.
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Speaker 2: I know we have I hope we do so again.
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Speaker 2: I would call upon your loyalty as my wife again.
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Speaker 2: I would have you tell everyone that you are my sister.
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Speaker 2: Please do this for me. Please go along with this
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Speaker 2: so I can rest easily, So you can.
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Speaker 3: Rest easily, even if it means I rest in fear
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Speaker 3: for my life and dignity. Though your God saved us
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Speaker 3: in Egypt.
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Speaker 2: I hadn't cut the covenant with our God yet at
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Speaker 2: that point I must uphold my end of the agreement
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Speaker 2: and mitigate any risk. There's so much more at stake now.
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Speaker 2: What would happen to all of you if I were
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Speaker 2: to be killed for political gain over our people?
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Speaker 3: And what if they were to come for me and
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Speaker 3: make me a part of the king's harem? What if
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Speaker 3: your promise then? Don't forget promises have been made to
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Speaker 3: me too.
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Speaker 2: I'll think of something if it comes to that. We
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Speaker 2: have to trust that the God Almighty will protect the
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Speaker 2: promise he's made to us. But I don't see any
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Speaker 2: reason for us to be reckless. I think it would
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Speaker 2: be safer if the Philistines didn't think they had anything
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Speaker 2: to steal from me.
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Speaker 3: I see, your mind is made up. I will do
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Speaker 3: what you ask.
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Speaker 1: Abraham breathed a sigh of relief and rest at easier
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Speaker 1: knowing the woman he loved would not be used against him.
00:11:00
Speaker 1: In his experience, evil men were far more tempted into
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Speaker 1: evil deeds when tempted by something they could not have.
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Speaker 1: Abraham circulated that Sarah was merely his sister, not his wife,
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Speaker 1: and days went by without incident, until one morning the
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Speaker 1: king Abi Malek rode out to visit Abraham at their camp.
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Speaker 1: His procession of guards and advisers walked alongside his donkey,
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Speaker 1: and all of Abraham's people bowed before him as he
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Speaker 1: made his way to Abraham's tent in the heart of
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Speaker 1: their caravan.
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Speaker 6: May I present the king a Bimlek of Gara.
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Speaker 2: Your majesty be welcomed in my home.
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Speaker 10: You may rise, my Lord Abraham, how goes your work
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Speaker 10: of settling into this lamp?
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Speaker 6: Very well?
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Speaker 2: Your highness, You are very generous for coming here in
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Speaker 2: person to inquire.
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Speaker 1: Abraham could not help but notice the bite creeping into
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Speaker 1: his turn. Abi Malek did not need to come here
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Speaker 1: to see how Abraham was. Certainly, in person, he could
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Speaker 1: have sent envoys or spies to assess Abraham's people and belongings.
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Speaker 1: Abraham knew posturing when he saw it, he was too
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Speaker 1: old to have the patience for it. As these thoughts
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Speaker 1: flashed through Abraham's mind, he saw the crafty ruler eyeing
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Speaker 1: the people of Abraham's household behind him. Undoubtedly he had
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Speaker 1: already taken inventory of his armed men and the number
00:12:27
Speaker 1: of servants Ishmael was beside Abraham, raising his chin and
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Speaker 1: drawing his shoulder back in opposition. He was far from
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Speaker 1: his final height, but Abraham's chest swelled with pride at
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Speaker 1: how his son presented himself before this abe Malek. The
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Speaker 1: king's gaze then swept over to his wife, Sarah. She
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Speaker 1: darted her eyes to the ground, but Abraham could see
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Speaker 1: that her staggering beauty had already been marked in the
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Speaker 1: abe Malek's eyes.
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Speaker 10: Indeed, you will find me very involved in the day
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Speaker 10: to day operations of my land. Garar's wealth was not
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Speaker 10: built overnight, and I take pains to ensure it's stewarded.
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Speaker 2: Well, of course, I understand, your highness. That's very admirable.
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Speaker 10: Abraham, Tell me who is this lovely woman of your household?
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Speaker 10: Surely she must be.
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Speaker 1: Your wife Herbie Malek appeared to be all flattery and praise,
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Speaker 1: but Abraham observed a calculation in his gaze. Tinged with desire,
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Speaker 1: Abraham felt sick to his stomach. All that he feared
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Speaker 1: would happen was unfolding before him.
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Speaker 2: Now, oh no, no, she's my Sarah, is blk I
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Speaker 2: present Sarah, my sister.
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Speaker 10: Well, that is very fortunate you will add her to
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Speaker 10: my hospitable terms for allowing you to camp here. That
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Speaker 10: shall be more than enough to cover the bride price.
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Speaker 10: She has advanced in years, but exceedingly beautiful. You would
00:14:02
Speaker 10: not get a more favorable offer for her hand. And
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Speaker 10: I think she would make a fine addition to my
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Speaker 10: harem of wives, don't you think?
00:14:09
Speaker 1: Abi Malek turned to his men and chuckled. They all
00:14:13
Speaker 1: laughed with the sinister and foreboding enthusiasm. Abraham winced as
00:14:18
Speaker 1: the full effect of the king's words smacked him in
00:14:21
Speaker 1: the face. He saw Sarah's eyes widen with horror, though
00:14:26
Speaker 1: her head was still declined. He then saw her jaw
00:14:30
Speaker 1: lock and anger falled on her face. Abraham could not
00:14:34
Speaker 1: imagine the fury she would unkload on him later. He
00:14:37
Speaker 1: would need to figure out how to escape this mess. First,
00:14:41
Speaker 1: he realized that Abbim Malek was waiting for his reply,
00:14:44
Speaker 1: and he found the words tumbling out of his mouth
00:14:47
Speaker 1: to make up for the awkward hesitation.
00:14:49
Speaker 2: But what's a generous offer? But what if she were
00:14:54
Speaker 2: promised for another man?
00:14:57
Speaker 6: Is she isn't?
00:15:01
Speaker 10: Aw? I can see you are a wise man, Abraham.
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Speaker 10: I am eager to see where this new friendship of
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Speaker 10: ours takes us. Come now, Sarah, you'll come back with me.
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Speaker 10: Now my man can wait for your things to be
00:15:15
Speaker 10: gathered and packed. They will bring your belongings to the.
00:15:17
Speaker 1: Palace without any further ceremony or pleasantries. Abeam elected exactly
00:15:24
Speaker 1: as he said. Sarah was ushered to his side, saddled
00:15:29
Speaker 1: and made to trot alongside his donkey back into the city,
00:15:33
Speaker 1: and Abraham was forced to watch as his wife was
00:15:36
Speaker 1: taken away from his care for a second time. His
00:15:40
Speaker 1: blood boiled with anger, not against Abemelek, but against himself.
00:15:47
Speaker 1: Mear hours later, Sarah was stiffly introduced to Abemelek's other
00:15:52
Speaker 1: wives and shown her new quarters by the head servant.
00:15:56
Speaker 1: She could throtle Abraham for this turn of events. Did
00:15:59
Speaker 1: he not learn? What did he think was going to happen?
00:16:03
Speaker 1: She bit back her anger. However, when she considered the alternative,
00:16:08
Speaker 1: her fate would have remained the same, but Abraham would
00:16:10
Speaker 1: be lying dead before their camp. It was clear that
00:16:13
Speaker 1: no one denied this King Abima like anything, and who
00:16:17
Speaker 1: knew what would have happened to Elieza and the others.
00:16:20
Speaker 1: That evening, when she settled to sleep, she heard a
00:16:23
Speaker 1: sudden sob in the hallway outside her door.
00:16:27
Speaker 4: Macall, what's happened? What's wrong?
00:16:30
Speaker 5: I don't know.
00:16:31
Speaker 3: I was just with them midwife earlier today and everything
00:16:34
Speaker 3: seems fine.
00:16:35
Speaker 5: But now he's gone.
00:16:39
Speaker 3: The baby's gone.
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Speaker 4: Oh no, Macca, I'm so sorry, but you know sometimes
00:16:45
Speaker 4: these things happen.
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Speaker 3: Oh I've lost babes before. This was different.
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Speaker 4: How do you mean?
00:16:52
Speaker 3: Yes, this was the work of the gods. There was
00:16:56
Speaker 3: no blood, no pain, the babies just.
00:16:59
Speaker 4: Cool walk by the might of Dargan. He's taken the
00:17:04
Speaker 4: babe from your very wound.
00:17:05
Speaker 3: What did I do to Vinger Dagon? I brought him
00:17:09
Speaker 3: an offering every evening and preating him every morning. I
00:17:13
Speaker 3: was just at his double this morning. How could I
00:17:16
Speaker 3: have angered him?
00:17:19
Speaker 1: Sarah sat up in her bed. This event felt suspiciously
00:17:24
Speaker 1: similar to what had happened the last time she was taken.
00:17:27
Speaker 1: She knew this was not Dagan's work. Sarah had come
00:17:31
Speaker 1: to realize that these Canaanite gods had very little actual power,
00:17:36
Speaker 1: if any at all. She knew there was only one
00:17:39
Speaker 1: god capable of such a thing. Sarah trembled as she
00:17:43
Speaker 1: attempted to go to sleep. Despite her fear, a glimmer
00:17:47
Speaker 1: of hope rang out in her heart. Perhaps the God
00:17:50
Speaker 1: most High was preparing her rescue even now. Abi Malek
00:17:56
Speaker 1: had just sent one of his concubines from his chambers
00:17:59
Speaker 1: and was settling into a satisfied slumber. Sleep pulled him
00:18:03
Speaker 1: under quickly, so he was deaf to the sudden stillness
00:18:06
Speaker 1: of the night. The breeze softly blowing the gauzy fabric
00:18:10
Speaker 1: around the windows halted as if someone had turned a
00:18:13
Speaker 1: great faucet, and the nighttime noises fell silent. Abimelech didn't
00:18:18
Speaker 1: notice any of that, but he did dream. The dark,
00:18:23
Speaker 1: warm night draped over Abimlek like a thick blanket. He
00:18:26
Speaker 1: was held down by its weight, then paralyzed. Her boom
00:18:31
Speaker 1: voice shouted from the darkened abyss. The voice surrounded him
00:18:36
Speaker 1: in his dream, and he felt something he hadn't felt
00:18:38
Speaker 1: in a very long time.
00:18:41
Speaker 6: Fear. Behold, a Bimelec, you are a dead man?
00:18:46
Speaker 10: Is this a god? What do you mean?
00:18:50
Speaker 6: You have done a terrible thing and you will die
00:18:54
Speaker 6: because of the woman whom you have taken, for she
00:18:57
Speaker 6: is another man's wife.
00:19:00
Speaker 10: Am I to be killed because the woman I have
00:19:02
Speaker 10: taken belongs to another? I? Am innocent of what you
00:19:08
Speaker 10: accuse me of. Did Abraham himself not say to me
00:19:12
Speaker 10: she is my sister? And did the woman not confirm
00:19:17
Speaker 10: his words? You are clearly a powerful and angry god.
00:19:21
Speaker 10: But would you truly destroy me if I was innocent?
00:19:27
Speaker 10: And if you kill me, my nation would be thrown
00:19:30
Speaker 10: into chaos. Would you really do such a thing due
00:19:37
Speaker 10: to a misunderstanding, a deception that I am a victim of.
00:19:42
Speaker 10: By the way, I swear to you, my hands are clean.
00:19:48
Speaker 10: I did not know, and I have not even taken
00:19:51
Speaker 10: her to bed. Yet I left her alone. My conscience
00:19:57
Speaker 10: is clear, and surely nothing taken place that could not
00:20:01
Speaker 10: be righted.
00:20:03
Speaker 6: You speak to truth. It was I who kept you
00:20:07
Speaker 6: from taking her to your bed this night. Though you
00:20:10
Speaker 6: sated your lust with another on the accusation of adultery,
00:20:15
Speaker 6: your conscience is clear. I have prevented you from sinning
00:20:19
Speaker 6: against me in this manner. Your devotion to your nation
00:20:25
Speaker 6: does you credit, and the land is thriving despite famine elsewhere.
00:20:31
Speaker 6: I will tell you something more, and listen carefully, Bemelech.
00:20:36
Speaker 6: My hand is on this man Abraham. The nations who
00:20:41
Speaker 6: bless him will be blessed in return. But the nations
00:20:45
Speaker 6: who curse him will be cursed. I will now give
00:20:52
Speaker 6: you a choice. If you return Abraham's wife, he will
00:20:57
Speaker 6: pray for you and you will live. He is a
00:21:01
Speaker 6: prophet and he speaks with my voice. Or you can
00:21:07
Speaker 6: choose not to return Abraham's wife, and not only will
00:21:11
Speaker 6: you die, but your entire household will end with you.
00:21:16
Speaker 6: You will see that I have already set that in motion.
00:21:21
Speaker 6: But remember, if Abraham has my prophet prays for you,
00:21:26
Speaker 6: it will be reversed. The choice is yours.
00:21:34
Speaker 1: Adn let work with a start. His body was covered
00:21:37
Speaker 1: in a cold sweat, and he rubbed his eyes furiously.
00:21:41
Speaker 1: It was a dream, only a dream, but it was
00:21:44
Speaker 1: so real He would need to consult his oracles and
00:21:48
Speaker 1: advises immediately. One thing was for certain. The God had
00:21:53
Speaker 1: made his options very clear, but he wasn't sure what
00:21:56
Speaker 1: this God had already set in motion. Whatever could them mean?
00:22:01
Speaker 1: He felt fine, a little shaken, but overall in good health.
00:22:05
Speaker 1: He didn't seem to be in immediate danger of keeling
00:22:08
Speaker 1: over and dying. By now, it was the early morning,
00:22:12
Speaker 1: and despite the household mostly being asleep, Abe Male called
00:22:16
Speaker 1: his servants and advisers to report to him. Immediately, he
00:22:20
Speaker 1: told them of the dream he had and demanded that
00:22:22
Speaker 1: they interpret it.
00:22:24
Speaker 9: Your majesty, I fear that what you've experienced maybe more
00:22:29
Speaker 9: than a.
00:22:30
Speaker 2: Dream, your meaning.
00:22:32
Speaker 9: There have been strange reports from the women of your household.
00:22:36
Speaker 9: We don't know how this is possible, but it seems
00:22:39
Speaker 9: that those who are pregnant are no longer pregnant. They
00:22:45
Speaker 9: have miscarried. No, it's as if their wombs have been
00:22:49
Speaker 9: closed or emptied. The babies Nordy to be found swollen
00:22:55
Speaker 9: bellies suddenly flat.
00:22:57
Speaker 10: How could that be?
00:22:59
Speaker 2: What are the priests?
00:23:00
Speaker 10: Have you consulted the oracles.
00:23:03
Speaker 9: We have, my King, They are confounded. They have no answers,
00:23:07
Speaker 9: but some of them are concerned that this is a harbinger.
00:23:11
Speaker 9: Perhaps all the women are no longer fertile, Your majesty.
00:23:15
Speaker 9: It pains me to say this, but it appears that
00:23:18
Speaker 9: Dagan has abandoned us.
00:23:22
Speaker 1: Abimelek was stunned at this assessment, but then Abi Malek
00:23:26
Speaker 1: suddenly realized if his wives and relatives were no longer
00:23:30
Speaker 1: able to carry children, his line would end. The god
00:23:34
Speaker 1: in the dream spoke true, this would be the death
00:23:37
Speaker 1: of him. Abraham had not slept to win as he
00:23:42
Speaker 1: was tormented by how to rescue Sarah. He eventually gave
00:23:47
Speaker 1: up and paced back and forth until dawn. Still nothing
00:23:51
Speaker 1: came to him that would not provoke open war. The
00:23:54
Speaker 1: sun was just starting to climb in the sky when
00:23:57
Speaker 1: an out of breath messenger from Abi Malek arrived and
00:24:00
Speaker 1: demanded that Abraham come with him immediately. He didn't know
00:24:04
Speaker 1: what to think when he was hauled before Abemlec in
00:24:07
Speaker 1: his receiving hall. Sarah stood bewildered at his side, and
00:24:11
Speaker 1: seeing that whatever was about to happen was a mystery
00:24:14
Speaker 1: to her as well, he was apprehensive, but resolved to
00:24:17
Speaker 1: play the hand that was delt to him. He waited
00:24:20
Speaker 1: for a bee malech to.
00:24:21
Speaker 10: Speak, Abraham, what have I done to you for you
00:24:25
Speaker 10: to deceive me? Sarah is not your sister, sees your wife.
00:24:31
Speaker 10: Your deception almost caused me to sin against your God.
00:24:35
Speaker 10: You have provoked his anger against me and my entire household.
00:24:39
Speaker 10: He has closed the wounds of all the women. The
00:24:42
Speaker 10: babes are gone, and there will likely be no more.
00:24:45
Speaker 10: Your God has rendered them all sterile. Your God means
00:24:50
Speaker 10: to end my line. I declared my own innocence on
00:24:52
Speaker 10: account of your deception. I beseeched him and asked if
00:24:56
Speaker 10: you would really sweep away the innocent with the wicked
00:24:59
Speaker 10: Femini of.
00:25:00
Speaker 1: This scene washed over Abraham and rebuke of this pagan
00:25:05
Speaker 1: king stam had Abraham not uttered similar words to his
00:25:09
Speaker 1: God when he heard of the impending doom for Sodom? Nevertheless,
00:25:14
Speaker 1: his anxiety ebbed as he realized his God was making
00:25:17
Speaker 1: a way for rescue. After all, the thought emboldened Abraham.
00:25:22
Speaker 2: Can you blame me for wanting to protect myself? I
00:25:25
Speaker 2: may be in the humble position of needing the provision
00:25:28
Speaker 2: of your lands, but I am not defenseless.
00:25:32
Speaker 10: Indeed, you are surely shrouded by a powerful God. Ever
00:25:37
Speaker 10: in my life have I seen such an act of judgment.
00:25:41
Speaker 10: I fear your God, Abraham, and I have a feeling
00:25:44
Speaker 10: I may fear him more than you do, considering your deception.
00:25:49
Speaker 2: My covenant with my God is none of your concern.
00:25:53
Speaker 10: None of my concern. My lineage is ruined because of you, Abraham.
00:25:59
Speaker 10: Who knows what worse things would have happened if I
00:26:01
Speaker 10: actually betted your wife. Luckily, for me and my loins,
00:26:05
Speaker 10: I don't have to find out.
00:26:07
Speaker 1: This admission flooded Abraham with relief, and he softened toward
00:26:11
Speaker 1: the king who had given his people shelter in his land.
00:26:17
Speaker 2: I saw that your people did not fear my god,
00:26:20
Speaker 2: or any god really, and I assumed rightly that my
00:26:25
Speaker 2: life would be in danger if you or one of
00:26:27
Speaker 2: your officials desired my wife. We've come across this in
00:26:31
Speaker 2: Canaan before. I have long had this agreement with Sarah,
00:26:35
Speaker 2: where we tell everyone we are siblings. She is my wife,
00:26:40
Speaker 2: but she is also my half sister. We share the
00:26:43
Speaker 2: same father, but not the same mother. So you see
00:26:47
Speaker 2: it's not an outright lie. But she does belong to
00:26:50
Speaker 2: me and falls under my protection.
00:26:55
Speaker 10: And there she shall remain. I will return her to
00:26:58
Speaker 10: you gesture of my good faith in the reluctant friendship
00:27:02
Speaker 10: we have struck. I will also give you sheep and oxen,
00:27:06
Speaker 10: and that to the servants of your household. My land
00:27:09
Speaker 10: is before you. I would ask that you dwell wherever
00:27:12
Speaker 10: it pleases you. And to you, Sarah, I will give
00:27:17
Speaker 10: your husband a thousand shekels of silver. Let this serve
00:27:21
Speaker 10: as a sign of your innocence and the eyes of all.
00:27:24
Speaker 10: With this price, I pronounce you've vindicated and your honor
00:27:28
Speaker 10: is restored. Let all this be said right, and peace
00:27:32
Speaker 10: go between us.
00:27:34
Speaker 1: With that, Abimelek bowed his head to Sarah and gestured
00:27:38
Speaker 1: for her to join her husband before him. Abraham was stunned.
00:27:43
Speaker 1: A thousand pieces of silver, most only saw ten shekels
00:27:48
Speaker 1: a year if they were lucky. This exorbitant amount certainly
00:27:52
Speaker 1: served as proof that Abemelek did not touch Sarah. Abraham frowned.
00:27:58
Speaker 1: He believed that Abimelek was true to his word, but
00:28:00
Speaker 1: he also suspected that the payment was also a way
00:28:04
Speaker 1: to exolve himself of guilt and perhaps appease their fertility God.
00:28:09
Speaker 1: But abe Malek again surprised Abraham. He stood from his
00:28:13
Speaker 1: throne and knelt before Abraham.
00:28:17
Speaker 10: Your God declared you a prophet, having the ability to
00:28:21
Speaker 10: speak with his voice. I ask you now to pray
00:28:26
Speaker 10: for me. You have access to this mighty God. I
00:28:32
Speaker 10: would ask you, on my behalf, to ask him to
00:28:34
Speaker 10: lift this curse from me and my household.
00:28:38
Speaker 1: Abraham was amazed. The God most High had told Abimelek
00:28:43
Speaker 1: that he was a prophet. Abraham had spoken with his God,
00:28:47
Speaker 1: but never before had he been given the responsibility of intercession.
00:28:51
Speaker 1: Abraham was moved beyond words of the honor his God
00:28:55
Speaker 1: had shown him, despite his missteps, despite his failure to
00:28:59
Speaker 1: protect his wife, despite his lack of trust in his
00:29:03
Speaker 1: God's ability to provide you honor me.
00:29:07
Speaker 10: And I will do what you ask.
00:29:09
Speaker 2: I will ask the God Most High to heal you
00:29:12
Speaker 2: and your household.
00:29:13
Speaker 1: And so Abraham prayed for Abimelek. Once he had finished
00:29:18
Speaker 1: praying and departed with Sarah their new possessions, and the
00:29:21
Speaker 1: silver reports reached their camp to the entirety of Abiemelek's
00:29:26
Speaker 1: household had indeed been healed. Abraham and Sarah were amazed.
00:29:34
Speaker 7: It's like deja vu. Abraham, our father and the faith
00:29:38
Speaker 7: repeated the very same mistake he'd already made. Didn't we
00:29:41
Speaker 7: already go through this in Egypt? But there was Abraham
00:29:45
Speaker 7: in a foreign land, once again, lying about Sarah being
00:29:49
Speaker 7: his sister again. We expect our heroes to grow, to evolve,
00:29:54
Speaker 7: to learn from their past mistakes. But here's Abraham showing
00:29:59
Speaker 7: the same old fear and making the same old choices.
00:30:02
Speaker 7: How often do we find ourselves cycling through the same mistakes,
00:30:07
Speaker 7: falling into the same traps, driven by the same fear
00:30:10
Speaker 7: insecurity or doubt. It's disheartening, to say the least, but maybe,
00:30:17
Speaker 7: just maybe there's grace in the repetition, a chance to
00:30:21
Speaker 7: see God's faithfulness shine through our failures. The Bible wasn't
00:30:26
Speaker 7: written in a vacuum. It was written in a specific
00:30:29
Speaker 7: cultural and historical context. But as we have seen so
00:30:34
Speaker 7: far in this series and will continue to see, it
00:30:36
Speaker 7: closely mirrors our own lives and actions today. And in
00:30:42
Speaker 7: this story, Abraham faces a problem that we all face today.
00:30:46
Speaker 7: He's in the city of gar where people do not
00:30:50
Speaker 7: fear God. Does that sound familiar? Very similar to our
00:30:54
Speaker 7: world and what we see in it. The groundbreaking idea
00:30:58
Speaker 7: that Abraham introduced to the world, as we know, was
00:31:02
Speaker 7: that all morality flows from the belief in one God.
00:31:06
Speaker 7: There's no belief and respect for God, then anyone can
00:31:11
Speaker 7: behave however he or she wants to. It's void of holiness,
00:31:17
Speaker 7: it's void of God. We see Abraham's belief on display
00:31:22
Speaker 7: when Abimelech asks him, what was your reason for doing this?
00:31:29
Speaker 7: Meaning why did you lie and say that Sarah's your sister,
00:31:32
Speaker 7: not your wife? And we see that Abraham replies, there
00:31:37
Speaker 7: is surely no fear of God in this place, Abraham,
00:31:43
Speaker 7: the first believer in one God, is dealing with the
00:31:47
Speaker 7: society with no God and therefore absolutely no morality. So
00:31:55
Speaker 7: perhaps in his answer to Abimelech, Abraham was trying in
00:31:58
Speaker 7: a very gentle way to teach the rule or how
00:32:00
Speaker 7: important the belief in God is in order for his
00:32:04
Speaker 7: kingdom to be a moral kingdom. He's showing him if
00:32:08
Speaker 7: you don't have any morals, if you don't have any God,
00:32:11
Speaker 7: then a word is not a word, a lie doesn't matter,
00:32:16
Speaker 7: And it's only through morality and belief in God that
00:32:19
Speaker 7: these values can shine through. And of course, what I
00:32:24
Speaker 7: feel is that this lesson is just as important for
00:32:28
Speaker 7: us today. But despite Abraham's reasons, let's also look at
00:32:33
Speaker 7: the ethical and moral implications of his actions. Abraham didn't
00:32:37
Speaker 7: just show a lapse in judgment. He failed to honor
00:32:40
Speaker 7: and protect his wife Sarah. Again, it wasn't just about
00:32:45
Speaker 7: the lie, it was about how he acted towards Sarah.
00:32:49
Speaker 7: Sarah woman of incredible patience who made the very tough
00:32:53
Speaker 7: decision to follow her husband away from safety and security
00:32:58
Speaker 7: into the unknown, and yet here Sarah is being put
00:33:02
Speaker 7: into harm's way again. Can you imagine the fear that
00:33:08
Speaker 7: Sarah must have felt the betrayal her husband, the one
00:33:13
Speaker 7: who should be her protector, instead exposes her to danger,
00:33:17
Speaker 7: to the whims of a foreign king twice. This isn't
00:33:22
Speaker 7: just a story of Abraham's failure. It's a story of
00:33:25
Speaker 7: Sarah's suffering. It's a stark reminder of the brokenness in
00:33:30
Speaker 7: our world, a world where those who should love and
00:33:34
Speaker 7: protect us can sometimes be the source of our greatest pain.
00:33:39
Speaker 7: And this brokenness isn't new. It stretches back to the beginning,
00:33:44
Speaker 7: to the Garden, to Adam and Eve. Their relationship. It
00:33:49
Speaker 7: was once marked by intimacy and unity, and after the sin,
00:33:53
Speaker 7: it became stained by blame and division, and that fracture
00:33:59
Speaker 7: ripples through the story of the Chosen People. Abraham and
00:34:04
Speaker 7: Sarah are caught in that very same brokenness of Adam
00:34:08
Speaker 7: and Eve, that very same lack of trust and protection.
00:34:12
Speaker 7: And it's heartbreaking to see. But it's also very telling
00:34:17
Speaker 7: because the Bible doesn't shy away from these stories of
00:34:21
Speaker 7: failure and pain. Instead, it weaves them into a larger narrative,
00:34:25
Speaker 7: one in which humanity fails, yes, but God intervenes each time,
00:34:32
Speaker 7: bringing hope and restoration again and again and again. To
00:34:39
Speaker 7: speak more about this and the Christian connection to this
00:34:43
Speaker 7: story is Bishop Paulineer.
00:34:47
Speaker 5: Can I tell you a quick story. I was on
00:34:49
Speaker 5: a plane flying to Israel. There was some significant meetings
00:34:53
Speaker 5: we were going to have because of the Fellowship, but
00:34:56
Speaker 5: the precious people of Israel, the Chosen people, and I
00:35:01
Speaker 5: was praying to my God before I landed, and I
00:35:04
Speaker 5: was about to have a meeting with ya El, who
00:35:08
Speaker 5: is the president, remarkable woman of God, and I said, Lord,
00:35:12
Speaker 5: don't let me mess this up. This is so important.
00:35:15
Speaker 5: What we're about to attempt and to pursue is a
00:35:19
Speaker 5: wonderful thing. Would you bless it? And don't let me
00:35:23
Speaker 5: mess this up. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by
00:35:27
Speaker 5: the challenges and the greatness of what God was going
00:35:30
Speaker 5: to do, and I just wasn't sure I was up
00:35:33
Speaker 5: with the challenge. And I and I'm telling you, I
00:35:37
Speaker 5: felt the Lord say to me, son, this is so
00:35:41
Speaker 5: important and it means so much to Heaven. Not even
00:35:48
Speaker 5: not even you can mess this up. Later on, maybe
00:35:54
Speaker 5: a couple of hours later, at dinner, I shared with
00:35:58
Speaker 5: ya Ell, this is it's an extraordinary, remarkable occasion, and
00:36:03
Speaker 5: God's will is going to be manifest. His power will
00:36:07
Speaker 5: be demonstrated, and he's assured me that not even I
00:36:12
Speaker 5: can miss this. Well, I believe as a Christian what
00:36:18
Speaker 5: the apostle Paul says that if you are a Christian,
00:36:23
Speaker 5: Abraham is also your father, and that the promises of
00:36:29
Speaker 5: God that he has spoken to the chosen people are
00:36:33
Speaker 5: also extended to you, not exclusively to you. You and
00:36:42
Speaker 5: we have not replaced the children of Israel, the so
00:36:47
Speaker 5: called replacement theology idea that is a hideous lie. What
00:36:53
Speaker 5: we are taught is that God has grafted us into
00:36:56
Speaker 5: the conversation. He's allowed us and additional seat at the table.
00:37:02
Speaker 5: But who are certainly not sitting at the head of
00:37:07
Speaker 5: the table. And I choose to believe that even when
00:37:10
Speaker 5: you and I say too much, too little, go too far,
00:37:15
Speaker 5: someway or another, and then we start worrying. Oh God,
00:37:20
Speaker 5: your will is so great, your power is so strong,
00:37:23
Speaker 5: and there's so much good stuff that you intend to do.
00:37:27
Speaker 5: Please don't let me mess this up. I'm telling you,
00:37:31
Speaker 5: the hand of Heaven is so great on your life.
00:37:35
Speaker 5: Not even you, not even we, can mess this up.
00:37:41
Speaker 7: Today's dramatized Bible story happens before the birth of Isaac.
00:37:46
Speaker 7: Before this miracle, Abraham prayed on behalf of King Abimelech
00:37:50
Speaker 7: and his wife, who were barren. Jewish tradition teaches us
00:37:54
Speaker 7: that the proximity of these two events is no coincidence.
00:37:58
Speaker 7: You see, it may make sense, and I'm sure if
00:38:01
Speaker 7: you think about him, feel it, you'll believe it with
00:38:05
Speaker 7: all of your heart. When we pray for others, our
00:38:08
Speaker 7: own prayers find their answers. Let me say that again,
00:38:12
Speaker 7: because it's so important. When we pray for others, our
00:38:18
Speaker 7: own prayers find their answers. When we pray, we connect
00:38:22
Speaker 7: to God. And when we pray for a friend, we
00:38:25
Speaker 7: become the channel connecting them to God. And as God
00:38:30
Speaker 7: sends down blessings, we are touched by them too, because
00:38:36
Speaker 7: we are the signor we are the channel of connecting.
00:38:41
Speaker 7: What a profound way to give and receive. By praying
00:38:46
Speaker 7: for others, especially those with the same needs, we serve
00:38:49
Speaker 7: as conduits of God's blessings. It's like connecting the body
00:38:55
Speaker 7: of water with the spout that comes out. What do
00:38:59
Speaker 7: you have in them? The pipes? They're touched by the
00:39:02
Speaker 7: water as well. That's us. When we pray for others
00:39:07
Speaker 7: and God goes through us to answer their prayers. When
00:39:11
Speaker 7: we become aware of someone in need, it's a privilege
00:39:14
Speaker 7: to pray for them. Our prayers can bring countless blessings
00:39:19
Speaker 7: to others and to ourselves. In the story of Sarah
00:39:24
Speaker 7: and Abraham, we might see his repeated mistakes reflecting our
00:39:29
Speaker 7: own flawed humanity. But we also learn that prayer isn't
00:39:34
Speaker 7: just a ritual. It's a sacred channel through which God's
00:39:39
Speaker 7: blessings flow, and when we pray for others, we are
00:39:43
Speaker 7: part of that divine cycle, touching and being touched by
00:39:49
Speaker 7: His blessings. And here is a final blessing for you.
00:39:56
Speaker 7: Ivar Hashem wischmerechra yeah ersh shempanave ileha virocher ye sampanave
00:40:04
Speaker 7: lechra vi Salon. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
00:40:09
Speaker 7: May the Lord make his face shine upon you. May
00:40:12
Speaker 7: he be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his
00:40:15
Speaker 7: face towards you and give you peace.
00:40:18
Speaker 1: Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
00:40:22
Speaker 1: Eckstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey
00:40:26
Speaker 1: dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
00:40:31
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
00:40:35
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
00:40:39
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People with Yaile Eckstein. Edited by
00:40:43
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
00:40:48
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
00:40:53
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
00:40:57
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
00:41:01
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
00:41:06
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
00:41:11
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
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