Arcana Coelestia #3386
3386. 'And he said, She is my sister' means rational truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a sister' as rational truth, dealt with in 1495, 2508, 2524, 2556. By rational truth is meant, as stated just above, that which is seen as the truth, in whatever form people grasp it mentally or see it rationally. Isaac's saying that Rebekah was his sister, as Abraham on a previous occasion in Egypt had said that Sarah was his sister, Genesis 12:11-13, 19, and after that in Gerar, Genesis 20:2, 5, 12, embodies a similar arcanum, as may be seen from the explanation given at those two points. And because a like event took place on three occasions, and also these are recorded in the Word, it is clear that it holds an arcanum of supreme importance within it which cannot possibly be known to anyone except from the internal sense. What this arcanum is however is evident from what follows.
Genesis 20
1
Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
2
Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3
But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."
4
Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
5
Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself, said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
6
God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her.
7
Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours."
8
Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
9
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!"
10
Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you have done this thing?"
11
Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'
12
Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13
It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"
14
Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
15
Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you."
16
To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."
17
Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
18
For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
