Komentaryo sa Genesis 12:11: Rashi, Chizkuni, Da'at Zekenim & Ramban

הנה נא ידעתי BEHOLD NOW I KNOW — The Midrashic explanation is: Until now he had not perceived her beauty owing to the extreme modesty of both of them; now, however, through this event, he became cognisant of it (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 5). Another explanation: Usually, because of the exertion of travelling a person becomes uncomely, but she had retained her beauty (Genesis Rabbah 40:4). Still, the real sense of the text is this: Behold, now the time has come when I am anxious because of thy beauty. I have long known that thou art fair of appearance: but now we are travelling among black and repulsive people, brethren of the Ethiopians (Kushim), who have never been accustomed to see a beautiful woman. A similar example is, (Genesis 19:2) “Behold, now, my lords, turn aside I pray you.”).

כאשר הקריב, “as he brought his camp closer.” We find a sample of a similar construction, [instead of כאשר קרב “as he approached,” as we would have expected. Ed.] in Exodus 14,10: ופרעה הקריב, “and Pharaoh brought his army closer to the camp of the Israelites.”

הנה נא ידעתי כי אשה יפת מראה את, “I am well aware that you are a physically attractive woman;” according to the interpretation of Rabbi Joseph Kara, the Torah abbreviated what Avraham said to Sarah, the full sentence including what is reported here as a separate sentence: “I know that because you are a beautiful –white skinned – woman as soon as they see you they will kill me and take you to the king’s palace to be part of his harem. In order to save my life, say that you are my sister, instead of my wife.” Although the Egyptians were idolaters, they observed the law of not sleeping with someone else’s wife. As a result, they resorted to murder instead. This sounds strange, as the same lawgiver that prohibited adultery also prohibited murder. Their reasoning was-presumably, that it is better to murder and commit that sin once, than to commit the sin of adultery day after day. Besides, they were afraid that any husband, whose wife had been kidnapped, would complain to their respective kings about this. Once the original husband was dead, no restitution could be made.