“said to myself.” The Hebrew just has “said,” but it is clear from the context that this was what Abraham said to himself—what he was thinking, which he then told Sarah to get her to lie too. The conversations we have with ourselves are very important and they can be very wrong. That is one reason the Bible tells us there is safety in a multitude of counselors (Prov. 11:14). Everyone needs honest and godly people with whom they can confide.