These historical descriptions, like everything else in the Word, embody Divine arcana. This becomes clear from the fact that now, for a second time, Abraham said that his wife was his sister; for the same thing had happened when he entered Egypt. On that occasion he said to Sarah, 'Say, now, you are my sister', Gen 12: 13. And not only Abraham but also Isaac did so, in that when he came to Gerar he said that Rebekah his wife was his sister - 'The men of the place asked about his wife, and he said, She is my sister', Gen 26: 6, 7. And in those two chapters further similarities occur, so that such historical incidents are described three times, which would never have been done but for some hidden reason in the internal sense.