"Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me for your
sake, and that I may live on account of you." Genesis 12:13
Abraham’s statement "that it may go well with me" is referring to his desire that the Egyptians give
him gifts. At first glance this seems perplexing, since later on, we find that Abraham refused to take any gifts from the
king of Sodom so that he could not say "I made Abraham wealthy." (Genesis 14: 22-23).
Certainly, here too, Abraham should have refused gifts, so as not to make it appear as though he was bartering
his wife to immorality. The Rabbis teach that everything that happened to our forefathers was a picture of what was to happen
to the people of Israel in the future. Abraham knew that his offspring would be exiled to Egypt and ultimately be redeemed;
and if he took gifts from the Egyptians, then his offspring would also merit to receive gifts. This was his intent - to take
the gifts for the benefit of his children.
