Both did.
- Abraham lied twice: Genesis 12: 10-20 and Genesis 20:1-18
- Isaac lied once. Genesis 26: 6-11
How did the rabbis address this problem? The fact that two foundational patriarchs, Abraham and Isaac, both lied made many rabbis uncomfortable and often led them to offer defensive explanations.
Let’s take a look at some of those arguments.
First, commentators such as Rashi, Rashbam, and Ibn Ezra, who sought to preserve Abraham’s reputation, focused on Genesis 12:13: “that it may go well with me.” They argued that Abraham asked Sarah to claim she was his sister so that he might receive gifts, since it was customary to give presents to a woman’s relatives (cf. Genesis 24:53; Rashbam on Genesis).
Second, Kimhi and Nahmanides took a more direct approach, arguing that Abraham acted out of fear for his life, believing he might be killed because of Sarah’s beauty.
While many rabbinic commentators accepted that Sarah was Abraham’s sister or half-sister, Nahmanides expressed doubt. He noted that when Pharaoh confronted Abraham with, “Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?” (Gen. 12:18), Abraham did not reply, “She really is my sister.” Even when Pharaoh said, “Here is your wife” (v.19), Abraham remained silent. Nahmanides concludes that Abraham’s silence confirmed Pharaoh’s suspicion that deception had taken place.
As for Isaac, one commentator, Abarbanel, went to great lengths to protect Isaac’s moral standing, arguing that when he said, “she is my sister,” he meant, “she is my relative,” and therefore was not technically lying (Abarbanel, Commentary on Genesis 26:7).
What can we learn from this repeated failure? From the Brit Chadashah, we may first conclude that Abraham and Isaac failed not because they were Jewish, but because they were human (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11).
More importantly, within the broader biblical context, these two episodes demonstrate that God’s covenant with Abraham and Isaac is unconditional, grounded in divine faithfulness rather than human character. In the same way, salvation is by grace, not by merit.
Finally, these accounts quietly highlight the steadfast character of Sarah and Rebekkah, who stood with their husbands without protest, publicity, or fanfare.