Abram Hides Sarah in a Chest at the Border of Egypt

"And it came to pass, when Abram came into Egypt" (Genesis 12:14). He brought Sarah into a chest, so that the Egyptians would not see her. The tax collectors came to take a tax on what was in the chest. They said to him, "Give us a tax on what is inside the chest." He said to them, "Take a tax of gold and silver." They said to him, "It is nothing but precious stones and pearls." He said to them, "Take a tax of precious stones and pearls." They said to him, "The whole matter is this: we will not let you go until you open the chest and we see what is inside it." Immediately they opened the chest and saw her, that she was beautiful of appearance. They said, "It is not fitting for a commoner to make use of her; she is fit for none but a king." Another interpretation: "And the princes of Pharaoh saw her" (Genesis 12:15). This one says, "I will give a hundred dinars and I will go in with her," and this one says, "I will give a hundred dinars and I will go in with her." And out of these words, "the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house" (Genesis 12:15). And since she said to Pharaoh, "He is my brother," and did not acknowledge that he was her husband, immediately "he dealt well with Abram for her sake" (Genesis 12:16). And concerning her the Sage said, "The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he shall lack no spoil" (Proverbs 31:11).