Genesis 12:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does it signify to be ‘smitten’? It conveys the idea of being punished for severe arrogance and wicked intentions. ‘With heavy blows’ indicates that the penalty was not merely a light reprimand but a significant consequence. Given the gravity of the offense, the punishment mirrored its seriousness. Moreover, it is noted that ‘his house’ was involved; thus, the punishment extended beyond him alone. This raises the question of why, when one ruler sins, the entire household suffers alongside him. This approach is purpose-driven, intended to deliver a much heavier blow, compelling the king to turn away from sin. Is it just, one might ask, to punish others along with him?

Just as the entire household of Pharaoh faced destruction for the liberation of Sarah, so too will all of Egypt suffer for the salvation of her offspring. The household of Pharaoh was chastised for their pride in Sarah's beauty, which incited the king's longing to possess her, while Pharaoh himself was held accountable for seizing her by force and compelling her to be his wife against her wishes.

This significant passage of Scripture serves as a reminder and instruction on how to uphold chastity, encouraging everyone to remain pure and to avoid desiring another man's wife under the false belief that actions can remain hidden and without consequence. It warns against exploiting the negligence, folly, or prolonged absence of a husband. God, the Guardian of marriage, sees all and is never deceived; no one can evade Him or take His authority lightly. He vigilantly watches over the husband who is away, and without needing sentinels, He reveals the guilty before the sin is committed. In every soul and every mind, He discerns sin.

Some assert that Pharaoh had relations with Sarah. What then can we infer about Abraham's faith in the God of all creation, if He permitted Abraham's wife to be implicated in adultery? Why did He afflict Pharaoh and his household with severe and dreadful plagues (Genesis 12:17) if He intended to prevent this immoral union? Pharaoh, justifying his actions and exhibiting ignorance, confronts Abraham for referring to his wife as his sister and insists that he took Sarah not with ill intent, but with the intention of making her his own wife. He inquires, "What have you done to me? Why did you say she is my sister? I took her as my wife. Now here is your wife; take her and go" (Genesis 12:18-19).

He struck them with severe afflictions. Moses does not detail the nature of these plagues or how Pharaoh became aware of the wrongdoing behind his suffering. In a comparable situation, the household of Abimelech faced consequences by being rendered barren, and Abimelech received insight about this through a dream. Flavius asserts that Pharaoh gained understanding through illness and anger, which the priests helped him interpret. Was it not possible for him to have received this understanding from Sarah herself? Pharaoh's transgression lay in his rampant immorality, which is especially blameworthy in a ruler, given the influence his actions have on the populace. Furthermore, it is evident that Pharaoh’s household did not remain guiltless.