by Lynda Phillips

Created on: February 24, 2010   Last Updated: February 26, 2010

Most Christians are familiar with the story of Abraham and Sarah, but many do not know she was his half sister, and that he had two concubines that gave him sons. Abraham had two known sons, Ishmael by the Egyptian slave Hagaar, and Isaac by Sarah. In Genesis, it tells us he had a concubine named Reu'mah, who bore him Himte'bah, Ga'Ham, Thahas, and Maachah . He also had a second concubine or wife after Sarah's death. Her name was Keturah, and she bore him six sons ; Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shu'ah.

Specifically, Genesis chapter 20, verse 12, gives Abraham's response to Pharaoh, who had taken Sarah for himself. When asked why he lied and said she was his sister, to avoid being murdered for being her husband, he replies, "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."

Moses was not yet born, nor had laws of incest been given to them, so don't be alarmed. It is known that Abraham was born in Ur, a town 40 miles outside of Baghdad, Iraq. One could assume he looked more like an Iraqi, than a European or Russian Jew. When he left to go to the Promised Land, he fathered Ishmael by Hagaar.  Egypt is on the continent of Africa, so be Hagaar, black or brown, she was African.

Abraham's son Isaac married a cousin named Rebecca from his home land. This was and is an acceptable practice in the Bible, as laws against marrying cousins is not outlawed in the book of Leviticus. It is doubtful Rebecca looked European with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Isaac and Rebecca had twins, Esau and Jacob. Esau married mostly women from the Canaanite tribes, which his mother hated. To please his parents, Genesis Chapter 28 vs. 9 tells us, "then went Esau unto Ishmael, (the half brother of Isaac), and took unto the wives which he had, Ma'halath, the daughter of Ishmael."

Jacob, who was later named Israel, by God, was sent to what is now Syria and married his Uncle Laban's two daughters, Leah and Rachel. He also had two sons each by their hand maidenns, Zilpah and Bilhah. Their sons' names are Dan and Nephtali; Gad and Asher. Six whole brothers and a daughter Dina were born to Leah, and whole brothers Joseph and Benjamin born to Rachel. These twelve sons by four different women make up the twelve tribes of Israel. Leah, the principle wife had Reuben, Simeon, Levy from which Moses is a descendant, and Judah. The tribe of Judah is from which Kings David and Solomon and Jesus descend. 

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