In ancient times, it was common among nomads to offer a woman to their guests as a token of hospitality. Polygamy counterbalanced the surplus of women in the tribe and provided offspring despite frequent sterility. Immolation of children affected mainly girls and helped maintain demographic balance. Back then, a number of sexual behaviours were not taboo as they are today and pagan festivals often ended in orgies.
In the Torah, Moses established the rules for all kinds of abuse. He fixed a rating scale in “Sanctuary Shekels” several centuries before the shekel was created. Sexual relationships with unmarried women were taxed 50 to 100 shekels according to their status of virginity. Adulterous women were sentenced to death by lapidation. Here, our subject deals with some facts that took place before Moses' law, more precisely in Abraham’s family.

Of DINA, JACOB’s daughter

In those days, the society was firmly committed to family honor. Thus, virginity of a "free" girl was required for marriage. Slaves only were exempt from that restriction.
The violent reaction to the kidnapping of Dina, Jacob’s daughter, illustrates that commitment. In love with her, Shechem abducted her.

Genesis 34 / 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

For the sake of peace, his father, King Hamor, came to Jacob and asked for her hand in marriage, in order to legalize the situation and save the honor of the family.
Gen 34 / 8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
Genesis 34 / 11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised

The condition was accepted by the whole city before the alliance.

Ge 34 / 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

To punish love, the trap was fatally tied and ended in a bloodbath. Because of love, the lover died in the massacre. Endings are not always happy in the Bible. It appears that respect for the given word was not part of the honor code.

Deuteronomy 22 / 22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

In order to preserve social peace, adultery was condemned by all civilizations. Incest was a different case.

Of LOT’s two daughters

Genesis 14 / 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

Sodom and Gomorrah land was bituminous and emitted gas. Archaeologists have been able to locate the two cities and provided a plausible explanation for their destruction. A strong earthquake struck them releasing masses of flammable gases that sublimed the region. Moral theology based on geological calamities, like the Deluge, gives irrational explanations to the facts. Two angels came to tell Lot, Abraham's nephew, about the catastrophy to come. As a token of hospitality, Lot offered them his two daughters.

Ge 19 / 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes...

Lot escaped the disaster with his daughters.

Ge 19 / 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

During their escape, the daughters committed incest with their father.

Ge 19 / 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Ge 37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

However, they were not persecuted by the angels. Although Sodom was a standard for debauchery, incest was tolerated and probably was not the cause of collective punishment. Later, Mosaic Law prohibited such practices:

Leviticus 18:7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
Leviticus 18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
Bible Segond: " Genesis gives a chronology of domestic and personal life of Abraham.
He has been called by God to Haran at age of 75 (12.4), he was 86 years old at Ishmael birth (16:16); 99 years old at the circumcision covenant, (17.1); 100 years at Isaac birth (21.5) and Sarah were about 90 years. Sarah died at 127 years old (23.1) ... afterwards Abraham married Keturah. (GE. 25). At 175 years, Abraham died and was entombed in the cave of Machpelah. "

Incest was part of traditions and customs of many civilizations in those days, the most famous incestuous couple being probably Isis and Osiris. We will give special attention to the case of Abraham and Sarah, as they are important characters in the dogma.

Ge 20 /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.

The Bible presents their relationship as a fact, probably dating back to their young age despite their ten year difference in age. The text insists on Sarah's sterility without any mention of her marriage, while Isaac's and Jacob's weddings are widely reported.

Of SARAH, ABRAHAM’s sister and wife

Ge 12/10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

The Bible does not describe a mass migration on this occasion. During famine, people of modest condition are first to suffer from hunger, not the rich.

Ge 12 / 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Tactfully enough, Abraham explained to Sarah – before any Egyptian had ever seen her – that he was going to pawn her beauty to get some favours in Egypt. He avoided to inform his followers about his plan. Why did not he fear any kidnapping of other women?

14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Well prepared, Sarah was taken without resistance to Pharaoh's harem.

16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.

Abraham, brother and husband, agreed to the situation and gladly accepted Pharaoh's gifts. The tribe did not try to deliver Sarah and nobody protested, while they would have killed for a stolen animal. God knew better.

17. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Adultery was forbidden, even to Pharaoh. Sarah was sent back and Abraham was severely blamed, without any violence though. The length of the Egyptian episode can be estimated from 3 to 5 years. The relationship of Sarah and Pharaoh was consummated, otherwise the curse and the donations would not have been justified. The Bible overlooks the subject.

Ge 13 / 1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Sarah was a gift from heaven that made Abraham very rich. Was this the happy outcoming of a well – planned situation ? Or could it be attributed to chance ? Then another episode draws our attention. This time the protagonist and potential victim is king Abimelech.

GE 20 / 2 And Abraham said 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.
4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay 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.
So, the lie of Abraham misled the king. However, thanks to his dream, Abimelech does not seem to have sinned.

GE 20 / 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.
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.
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.

As Pharaoh, the king blamed Abraham, without any violence, and wondered about the trap. Abraham gave him the same excuse. However, Abimelech demonstrated to be very generous. Is this a coincidence? Are there other episodes of this kind?

GE 20/14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
20:16 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.
20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
20:18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
End of Genesis chapter 20.

For the second time the charm of Sarah was well rewarded. Abraham became richer than ever. He used to target the wealthiest and the Lords. The Bible specifies, against all logic, that the relationship was not consummated. Yet how to explain the compensatory gifts ? The misfortune that hit the royal family ?The fact is that after this episode, Sarah who was supposed to be sterile, returned home pregnant. The Bible provides an explanation in the immediate next verse.

Beginning of Genesis Chapter 21:

Ge 21 / 1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Theoretically sterile, Sarah ran no risk. However, Abraham's wish was granted, God be praised !
A possible problem of consanguinity did not allow Abraham to have children with his sister, while he had several with other women. Polygamy could have assured his offspring much earlier. On Sarah's death, Abraham was 137 years old. He remarried once more and had six children.
Ge 25 / 1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

Consanguinity of parents often prevented them from having descendance. However, we have our doubts about the use of the word "sterility". In royal courts, infertility struck one day and could disappear the next; the lapse of a few days is too short to identify the phenomenon. It could be a simple transmitted infection which ceased quickly.

Sarah attended at least two harems. This suggests two possibilities regarding the paternity of Isaac: son of Pharaoh or son of the Philistines’ king Abimelech.

Bible Segond: “If one accepts the long chronology, Abraham came to Canaan around 2100 or 1900 BC. Obviously the short chronology gives a different date for his entry into Canaan in 1750.
Abraham a mythical person? Those who admit his existence have trouble with dating, the range well covers over four centuries. The estimated age of Isaac at his sacrifice varies between seven and 25 years according to Flavius Josephus.”

Ge 25/21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Ge 26 / 1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

Starvation triggers the thirst for illicit profit. Isaac followed Abraham’s example.
Ge 26 / 7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

Less clever than Uncle Abraham, Isaac failed, as he was surprised by the king while kissing his wife. Thanks to his previous experience, Abimelech foiled the trap. Sixty years earlier, his affair with Sarah had cost him dearly. This time he did not approach Rebecca, so there no gifts. Isaac left empty – handed.

Ge 26 / 9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
Point of View

Sarah's docility was exemplary. Getting a married woman usually implied violence ( as he wanted the wife of his sergeant Uri, King David got him killed in a battle).
The sexual feudal right “ droit de cuissage” created kinship and helped maintain good relationships with neighbors. The era of platonic love had not come yet and in many societies the pleasures of the flesh were not despised. Till today, among Yézidites, festivals to celebrate Archangel Peacock ended in collective orgasm. Phoenician sacred prostitution turned into consecrated prostitution.
A beautiful sterile wife was manna for her husband. Any risk of pregnancy was excluded. Sarah's case demonstrates that the tactic was well – ironed out : delivered as a sister, recovered as a wife with material benefits as a bonus.

Etc…