That sneaky little serpent isn't the only one lying in Genesis. Pretty much all of the patriarchs in this book know how to tell a good fib. And usually, their lies pay off. Does God want them to lie? Is lying is just a means to an end? And wait a second—isn't "thou shalt not lie" (kind of) one of the Ten Commandments? How do we reconcile all of this?
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- Do any of the women in the text lie? Do their lies have different motivations than the men's?
- Are any these lies just there spice things up? You know, to get a good laugh? Is there kind of a pleasure or joy in hearing about someone's clever ruse?
- When does deceit further God's plans? Oh, and is this cool?
- Does the text go so far as to valorize lying?