Lie Narratives in Genesis: Conclusion
At some point, it appears that the major characters in the Genesis account lie. Lying is not uncommon among people. On the contrary, lying is considered one of the most basic forms of human interaction. Children lie from infancy, and adults frequently do not tell each other the full truth. We have impersonation, and disguise, together with jokes and hoaxes based on falsehoods that are often condoned. Further, even in societies and/or churches where lying is considered to be a fault and/or sin, its violators will often seek to excuse their conduct, claiming that they were motivated by the wish to avoid causing embarrassment or by citing the fear that the speaking the truth might provoke a response that is harmful to its teller.
At a deeper level, as we have seen, the lie narratives in Genesis often conform to a common basic structure. Together, they form stages that assist us to analyze behavior. Finally, there are consequences as the price of deceit. No matter how righteous the person concerned may be, deception will sooner or later carry a price.