Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Shoshanna Walker <rosewalk AT concentric.net>]

In Gen 20:12, Avraham is purposely coloring the truth.  Avimelech had 
abducted Sarah, so Avraham told him that Sarah was his sister, his 
father's daughter, so the word daughter is used, not daughter-in-law 
(but he never said she was NOT his wife)

But here Rashi says that although Sarah was his BROTHER'S daughter 
and not his FATHER'S daughter, so that she was not his sister in the 
literal sense, Avrahams's statement was justified since 
"Grandchildren are considered as children"  Thus he could call Sarah 
his sister in the accepted FIGURATIVE sense of the word.

Shoshanna


> One possible example that comes to mind is where Naomi refers to Ruth
> and Orpah, her daughters-in-law as 'my daughters'. Ruth 1:11-13
>
> Blessings
> Brian

Also take a look at Gen 11:31 and compare to Gen 20:12. In the first
reference the text uses daughter in law to refer to Sarai then in the
latter reference it indicates she was his Terah's literal daughter as
well. If it was his literal daughter should this not be the best way
to reference her in the earlier verse?

See also 2 Sam 12:3 and Esther 2:7 for two other adoptive daugthter examples.
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