וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחֹתִי הִיא לֹא הָיָה זֶה כְּמוֹ בְּמִצְרַיִם, כִּי שָׁם בְּבוֹאָם מִצְרָיְמָה וַיִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרִים אֶת הָאִשָּׁה כִּי יָפָה הִיא וַיְהַלְלוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל הַשָּׂרִים וְאֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ, כִּי אַנְשֵׁי זִמָּה הֵם, אֲבָל הַמֶּלֶךְ הַזֶּה תָּם וְיָשָׁר, גַּם אֲנָשָׁיו טוֹבִים, רַק אַבְרָהָם חָשַׁד אוֹתָם וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר לַכֹּל אֲחוֹתִי הִיא: AND ABRAHAM SAID OF SARAH HIS WIFE, SHE IS MY SISTER. This was not like what happened in Egypt. There, when they entered the land, it is said that the Egyptians saw that the woman was beautiful, and they praised her to the lords and to Pharaoh,275Above, 12:14-15. as they were an immoral people but this king was perfect and upright, and his people were likewise good. However Abraham suspected them, and he told everyone that she was his sister.
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וַיִּקַּח וְגוֹ' הִנֵּה זֶה פֶּלֶא שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה אַחֲרֵי בְּלוֹתָהּ יָפָה עַד מְאֹד, יִקָּחוּהָ הַמְּלָכִים, כִּי בְּהִלָּקְחָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה אִם הָיְתָה בַּת שִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהָיָה עָלֶיהָ תָּאֳרָהּ, אֲבָל אַחֲרֵי בְּלוֹתָהּ וְחָדַל מִמֶּנָּה הָאֹרַח פֶּלֶא הוּא. וְאוּלַי חָזְרָה לְנַעֲרוּתֶיהָ כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּשְּׂרָהּ הַמַּלְאָךְ כְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ב"מ פז): AND ABIMELECH, KING OF GERAR, SENT AND TOOK SARAH. It is wondrous that Sarah, after being worn with age, was extremely beautiful, fit to be taken by kings. When she was taken to Pharaoh, though she was sixty-five276According to the Seder Olam, the famine occurred in Egypt in the year in which Abraham left Haran, and that is when Abraham went there (Chapter 1). Now Scripture states that when he left Haran, Abraham was seventy-five years old (12:4); Sarah who was ten years younger (17:17) was thus sixty-five. years old, it is possible that she still had her beautiful appearance, but after being worn with age and the manner of women had ceased with her, that is a wonder! Perhaps her youthfulness returned to her when the angel brought her the tidings, as our Rabbis have said.277Baba Metzia 87 a: “Her skin became smooth, and the wrinkles straightened, and beauty returned to its form.”