Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/173

XXIV.] "I will pay for it as silver." "Nay, then it must contain gold." "I will pay for it as gold."

"Maybe it contains the most rare and costly gems."

"I will pay for it as for gems."

In the altercation the chest was violently broken open, and lo! in it was seated a beautiful woman, so beautiful that her countenance illumined all Egypt; and the news reached the ears of Pharaoh. All this occurred in the night of the 15th of the month Nisan.

Abraham and Sarah were sorely troubled, and prayed to God to protect them. Then the angel of the Lord was sent to watch over Sarah, and the angel comforted her with these words, "Fear not; God has heard thy petitions!" Pharaoh asked Sarah who that man was who accompanied her, and when she answered "My brother," Pharaoh bade him to be brought before him, and he gave him rich gifts. And Pharaoh asked Abraham, "Who is this woman?" He answered, "She is my sister." This, say the Mussulmans, is the third lie that Abraham told; but it was not a lie, but a justifiable falsehood. Pharaoh was filled with love for Sarah, and he offered her as his present for her hand, all his possessions of gold and silver and slaves, and the land of Goshen. And when he pressed his suit upon her with great vehemence, she cried to God and told him she was already married; then he was smitten with paralysis, and great plagues afflicted all his servants. But Pharaoh sent for Abraham, and returned him Sarah, his wife, and dismissed him with costly presents, and he gave to Sarah also his daughter, Hagar, to be her servant. "Truly, my daughter, it is better," said Pharaoh, "to be servant in a house which God has taken under His protection, than to command elsewhere." After a three months' sojourn in Egypt, Abraham returned to Canaan. According to Tabari, Hagar loved Sarah greatly. On their way back to Canaan, the provisions failed, and Abraham went out one day to get food, with a sack on his back; but the day was hot, so that he laid down and went to sleep. He did not awake till evening, and then he returned, but was ashamed to appear with the sack empty before his wife, so he filled it with