Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 20:2/רמב"ן על בראשית כ׳:ב׳

אוַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחֹתִי הִיא לֹא הָיָה זֶה כְּמוֹ בְּמִצְרַיִם, כִּי שָׁם בְּבוֹאָם מִצְרָיְמָה וַיִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרִים אֶת הָאִשָּׁה כִּי יָפָה הִיא וַיְהַלְלוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל הַשָּׂרִים וְאֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ, כִּי אַנְשֵׁי זִמָּה הֵם, אֲבָל הַמֶּלֶךְ הַזֶּה תָּם וְיָשָׁר, גַּם אֲנָשָׁיו טוֹבִים, רַק אַבְרָהָם חָשַׁד אוֹתָם וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר לַכֹּל אֲחוֹתִי הִיא:

1AND ABRAHAM SAID OF SARAH HIS WIFE, SHE IS MY SISTER. This was not like what happened in Egypt. There, when they entered the land, it is said that the Egyptians saw that the woman was beautiful, and they praised her to the lords and to Pharaoh,²⁷⁵ as they were an immoral people but this king was perfect and upright, and his people were likewise good. However Abraham suspected them, and he told everyone that she was his sister.

בוַיִּשְׁלַח אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וַיִּקַּח וְגוֹ' הִנֵּה זֶה פֶּלֶא שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה אַחֲרֵי בְּלוֹתָהּ יָפָה עַד מְאֹד, יִקָּחוּהָ הַמְּלָכִים, כִּי בְּהִלָּקְחָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה אִם הָיְתָה בַּת שִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהָיָה עָלֶיהָ תָּאֳרָהּ, אֲבָל אַחֲרֵי בְּלוֹתָהּ וְחָדַל מִמֶּנָּה הָאֹרַח פֶּלֶא הוּא. וְאוּלַי חָזְרָה לְנַעֲרוּתֶיהָ כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּשְּׂרָהּ הַמַּלְאָךְ כְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ב"מ פז):

2AND ABIMELECH, KING OF GERAR, SENT AND TOOK SARAH. It is wondrous that Sarah, after being worn with age, was extremely beautiful, fit to be taken by kings. When she was taken to Pharaoh, though she was sixty-five²⁷⁶ years old, it is possible that she still had her beautiful appearance, but after being worn with age and the manner of women had ceased with her, that is a wonder! Perhaps her youthfulness returned to her when the angel brought her the tidings, as our Rabbis have said.²⁷⁷