Q2. Judgment upon Pharaoh

[Craig]

Q2. (12:17-20) Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? What effect did this have? What was God seeking to accomplish through this affliction? Did it have the desired effect?

 

 

Pharaoh and his household got sick because Pharaoh had taken Sarai into his house as one of his wives.  This had the effect of Pharaoh enquiring into what was truly causing the sickness within his household.  Upon finding out that Sarai was really Abram's wife Pharaoh give Sarai back to Abram and told him to keep what Pharaoh had given him and leave. 

 

God has seeking the release of Sarai from Pharaoh's household and it did have the desired effect.

 

 

[Ernie's Son]

A. "But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife" (Gen. 12:17).

 

B. Pharaoh learns that you cannot take another person's wife, and not be punished for it.

 

C. Pharaoh sends Abraham and Sarah out of Egypt.  The affliction of Pharaoh and his house would be the deliverance of Abraham and Sarah.

 

D. Yes.  Is this not the playing out of the future "Exodus" of Israel?

 

 

[lighthouse2014]

Q2. (12:17-20) Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? What effect did this have? What was God seeking to accomplish through this affliction? Did it have the desired effect?

Pharaoh and his household got sick because he had taken Abraham's wife for his own. Abraham had lied to Pharaoh that Sari was his sister.

God now punishes Pharaoh and his household for what he has done (taking Abraham's wife).

God had afflicted Pharaoh and his household so that they would realize that there was something wrong by taking Sari as his wife. The Lord kept Sari from being defiled.

God's punishment on Pharaoh had it's effect. Sari was returned to Abraham and Pharaohs household was restored back to normal, the women could now bear children again, for God caused the women of Pharaoh to become barren.    

[Rosesam]

Q2. (12:17-20) Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? What effect did this have? What was God seeking to accomplish through this affliction? Did it have the desired effect?

Pharaoh, even though he was not aware of the deception played upon him by Abraham, is struck in order to defend Sarah. God’s promises to Abraham depended on Sarah remaining as Abraham’s wife, not pharaoh’s wife. God’s promises will always prevail and so He acts on preserving His promises. Also we know God’s initial promise to Abraham was that all those who bless Abraham will be blessed and all those who curse Abraham will be cursed. We see that being proven true in Pharaoh’s case.

When pharaoh and his household became sick, probably Sarah didn’t fall sick along with them. This could have led pharaoh into finding out why he and his family became sick in the first place and came to the conclusion that it was because of Abraham and Sarah. He wanted to be free from it and hence blesses Abraham with a huge bounty and restores Sarah back to Abraham as his wife. So we can say that the plague had its desired effect.

[Godswriter]

Q2. (12:17-20) Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? What effect did this have? What was God seeking to accomplish through this affliction? Did it have the desired effect?

The main reason Pharoah got sick was because he knowingly took Sarah from Abraham thinking she was just his sister when Sarah was Abraham's wife instead. It brought about a change of attitude and a renewed conscience as well. Repentance. I believe it did to some effect however Pharoah then sent them out of Egypt to fend for themselves.

[Paula Price]

   THE EMBLEM OF A KING, CLOTHED IN MAJESTY, LET ALL THE EARTH REJOICE--HE WRAPS HIMSELF IN LIGHT AND DARKNESS TRIES TO HIDE. AND TREMBLES AT HIS VOICE-

"AGE TO AGE HE STANDS AND TIME IS IN HIS HANDS, BEGINNING AND THE END-.THE GOD HEAD THREE IN ONE. FATHER, SPIRIT AND SON-THE LION AND THE LAMB"

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD  HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD AND ALL THE WORLD WILL SEE--HOW GREAT HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!"

God is revealing Himself to a world of darkness, to a sinful people, to a sinful world. This is God proving to the world to a people that HE IS GOD!!  God is showing His supremacy in all things.  Abraham is just the instrument that He uses to fulfill His purpose.  Man can not stand in the physical presence of God, for no one has seen his face, but he wills his power through the spiritual part of man.  the heart, the mind , the body .those are the parts that man can identify with. .At this point the world is in darkness, full of sin...God is reaching out to save them from themselves and bring them back to the light and the love he is offering.  Everyone God deals with in these scriptures will spread the word of a powerful, awesome God, who can do wonders and miracles. They have never witness a god such as this.. Abraham's God..  The only true living God with power and majesty unknown until now ..  This is about Abraham's faith in being obedient to God and doing what God has told him to do.  But the main point is God!! Showing the world who He is so that they will see and witness and believe!!!  Everyone will believe a king who is in power over them when he tells them of his experiences with the God of Abraham!!!...God used them to make Abraham wealthy.  They unknowingly helped fulfill God's promise to Abraham..    " MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD, HE IS TRAMPLING OUT THE VINTAGE WHERE THE GRAPES OF WRATH ARE STORE, HE HAS LOOSED THE FAITHFUL LIGHTING OF HIS POWERFUL SWIFT SWORD,  OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON..GLORY,  GLORY, HALLELUJAH, HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON..

"EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS KING".

                                             

[Irmela]

Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick?

Pharaoh had taken Sarai into his harem with the objective of marrying her. Now Sarai was not just already a man's wife, she was Abram's wife and God had made a promise that He would bless those who bless Abram and 'afflict' those who 'afflict' him. So Pharaoh and his household were being afflicted. 

What effect did this have?

It obviously made Pharaoh think about his actions and stopped him short of taking Sarai as his wife. He must have recognized God as a sureme Being/Power under whose protection Abram was moving. 

What was God seeking to accomplish through this affliction?

He was seeking to stop Pharaoh from doing something that was not right. 

Did it have the desired effect?

Yes

[Krissi]

I wonder how well Abraham knew God even though he had heard God's voice. He understood that Yahweh was the one and the only God, and had specific instructions from Him, but beyond that, he doesn't seem to understand much about God. He jettisoned his wife to protect himself because he didn't believe, or it didn't occur to him, that God would protect him. Later, he was willing to sacrifice his son because he thought God would ask this of him.

Without precedence, Abraham was the first real believer. It's understandable, given his polytheistic background, that he'd "get it wrong." What amazes me is that he gets it wrong so often, and is yet the patriarchal father of the Jews, and the human line for Jesus.

I keep returning, intellectually, to the original command by God to leave Ur without his family, a command which he disobeyed. Had Sarah not been with him, this problem would not have arisen. In a way, her abduction and his fear are both a consequence of his prior disobedience.

The fact that Abraham was blessed by God in spite of his disobedience and that he is considered the father of faith, encourages me.

God didn't expect perfection. And Abraham kept trying ... 

To answer your questions specifically: first, the sickness of Pharoah's household seems to be God's way of getting Pharoah to release Sarah. God could have chosen other ways. I have no idea why he chose sickness as opposed to simply releasing her, for example. The effect was both to release her and to increase Abraham's wealth in a time of famine.

[Bianca]

Pharaoh was being punished for taking another man's wife which was Abraham's wife. The affliction had the desired effect because Pharaoh realize he was being punished for taking Sarah. God was wanting Pharaoh to see the error in his ways.