Genesis 12:17-19

"And Jehovah plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 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? Why saidst thou, She is my sister, so that I took her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way."

There are many questions that rise with reference to this, but the Sacred Scriptures supply none of the answers. Josephus has this:

"God's plague upon Pharaoh was a serious physical disorder, a distemper, and also a sedition against his government. Whereupon, he inquired of the priests how he might be freed of such calamities, and they told him that they were due to the wrath of God caused by his taking the stranger's wife."[22]

Evidently, something of that nature happened, and, if so, it might account for the fact that Pharaoh took no vengeance against Abram nor did he take back the gifts.

"What is this that thou hast done ..." This is almost verbatim the same language used by the sailors to Jonah (Jonah 1:10). The mighty patriarch cuts a sorry figure indeed in this. He is rebuked and reprimanded and sent out of the country by the pagan Pharaoh. And to all of this Abram opposed not a single word of defense.