GEN1242 Even in instances where lying can be justified, untruth still introduces deceit into our relationships.  Thus, although the text offers no criticism of the lie Jacob tells his blind father, Isaac, that he is Esau, Isaac’s firstborn son, it does not seem to be a coincidence that no other biblical character finds himself on the receiving end of so many deceptions. His father-in-law, Laban, tricks him into marrying Leah instead of Leah’s younger sister, Rachel, whom Jacob loves and who has been promised him Genesis 29:21-30. Many years after this deception, Jacob’s sons sell their brother Joseph, Jacob’s favorite, into slavery. But first they remove the beautiful coat Jacob had given Joseph, dip it into the blood of a slaughtered goat, and show Jacob the bloody garment Genesis 37:31-33, leading him to believe that Joseph had been killed by a savage beast.   He who deceived his father is now deceived by his sons.  The narrative seems to suggest that sin and telling mistruths, even if they can be justified, bring an element of deceit into our relationships. Thus, if we find ourselves in a relationship, or a society, in which we must often lie, it is best to remove ourselves from such an environment as soon as possible. Even justifiable lies, if we tell them often enough, become a bad habit and can lead to a lack of truthfulness in all our relationships.   TELVOL1 401-2