And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her.
Parallel translations
- WEB Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
- KJV And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
- BSB Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.
- NKJV But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
- NASB Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife;
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abraham notes Sarah is truly his half-sister, sharing a father but not a mother. He defends the statement as a technical truth used to deceive.
Overview
Abraham explains the factual basis of his claim, that Sarah was indeed a close relative, yet this half-truth was used precisely to mislead. A statement partly true but intended to deceive remains a failure of faith and honesty. The episode teaches that technically accurate words can still be deceptive, and that God's people are called to transparent integrity rather than clever evasion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Gen 11:29Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah.
- Gen 12:13Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”
- 1 Th 5:22Abstain from every form of evil.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 20:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.