Abimelech, a Veil, and a Token: A Note on the JST of Genesis 20

 

The Book of Genesis contains some of the most substantial inspired revisions of the Old Testament made by the Prophet Joseph Smith as he worked through his New Translation. One such instance reworks the whole of Genesis 20, save verse 10.

Genesis 20 includes the second instance of a king on earth taking Abraham’s wife to be his own, not knowing that Sarah was married to Abraham already. Significant changes to this event, however, are important, and draw upon the covenants made in the Temple (at least five years before Joseph had even dedicated a Temple in this dispensation as well):

KJV	JST[1]
(1) And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.	(1) And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
(2) And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.	(2) And Abraham said again of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
(3) But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.	(3) But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said unto him, Behold, thou hast taken  a woman which is not thine own, for she is Abraham’s wife. And the Lord said unto him, Thou shalt return her unto Abraham, for if thou do it not thou shalt die.
(4) But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?	(4) And Abimelech had not come near her, for the Lord had not suffered him. And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay me and also a righteous nation?
(5) Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.	(5) Behold, said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother. And in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
(6) And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.	(6) And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I not thee to touch her.
(7) Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.	(7) Now therefore restore the man’s wife to him, for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live. And if thou restore her not to him, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
(8) Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.	(8) Therefore Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
(9) Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.	(9) Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And in what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done things unto me that ought not to be done.
(10) And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?	(10) And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
(11) And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.	(11) And Abraham said, Because I thought, assuredly the fear of God was not in this place, and they would slay me for my wife’s sake.
(12) And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.	(12) And yet indeed she was my sister. She was the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
(13) And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.	(13) And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This shall be thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
(14) And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.	(14) And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham and restored unto him Sarah his wife.
(15) And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.	(15) And Abimelech said, Behold my land lieth before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
(16) And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.	(16) And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold he shall give unto thee a covering of the eyes, and it shall be a token unto all that thou mayest not be taken again from Abraham thy husband. And thus she was reproved.
(17) So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.	(17) So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare unto him children.
(18) For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.	(18) For because of Sarah Abraham’s wife, the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech.

This event closely follows a similar event that happened while in Egypt, where the Lord commanded Abraham to tell the Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister.[2] It appears that from this instance, Abraham was overly cautious while he was visiting other lands. In this instance, he was not aware that Abimelech may have worshipped the Lord and attempted to play his cards safely.

Abimelech, however, knew to respond to revelation in a timely manner. He confesses his innocence to the Lord (although he had failed to pay a dowry before he took Sarah, which is rectified in v. 14 to show his repentance) and we are informed that he and Sarah did not have intimate relations—a deliberate detail reiterated in vv. 4, 6, and 17–18 to show how Isaac must be Abraham’s child in the narrative that will follow. Abraham tells Abimelech that he and Sarah are half-siblings in an effort to extend an olive branch of sorts and explains his worries.

Having repented, Abimelech also speaks with Sarah, and a significant change in the JST is made that explicitly links a piece of clothing given to Sarah to the Temple: “And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold he shall give unto thee a covering of the eyes, and it shall be a token unto all that thou mayest not be taken again from Abraham thy husband. And thus she was reproved.”

That is, a veil (or “covering of the eyes”) was given to Sarah as a witness and a token that her marriage to Abraham was an eternal marriage, and she would never be taken wrongfully from her beloved husband again.

Veils in ancient times were symbols of power for women in various civilizations. In ancient Assyria, for example, women’s veils were status symbols giving them additional rights to separate them from concubines or slaves. This article of clothing is significant in temple contexts as well, both ancient and modern.[3] The veil is used to separate holy from profane, including when worn by individuals, such as Moses wearing a veil when his face shone with glory.[4]

Sarah, as a token for her eternal sealing to Abraham, is given a sacred article of clothing that acts as a token to remind her and others of her marriage covenants to Abraham and is thus designated as holy and pure.

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[1] For reference, variants in the JST are here marked as follows: bold text represents additions or substitutions of text, italics represent a reorganized word or phrase, and strikethrough represents a word or phrase removed by the Prophet.

[2] See Abraham 2:22–25. This detail, though absent in Genesis, is attested in other ancient sources such as Genesis Rabbah. A similar instance will happen with this same Abimelech and Abraham’s son Isaac, although Rebekah will not be taken away from Isaac.

[3] See Lynne Hilton Wolson, “Unveiling Women’s Veils of Authority,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 28 (2018): 133-154. I am aware of another scholarly book that will be released in the coming years regarding women and veils in the ancient world, the author of which has spoken to me in length regarding her findings.

[4] See Exodus 34:35. Mandaean priests similarly wear veils to avoid profanity. See Spencer Kraus, “A Preliminary Study of the Mandaean Temple: The Soul's Ascent to the Great Life,” Latter-day Light and Truth (blog), 27 September 2021.