Genesis 20

Chap. XX. Ver. 1—18. Abraham’s visit to Gerar.—It seems most unaccountable, that a man whose character for integrity stood so high as Abraham’s did, should the second time be guilty of a prevarication, by which he had already been involved in so much danger, and for which he was so severely reproved. But it appears by Abraham’s explanation to Abimelech, that he acted systematically wrong; for he had enjoined on Sarah, before he left his father’s house, (ver. 13.) “at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.” This, though literally true, was practically false, because it led to the idea that she was a single woman. It was also more criminal in the second instance than in the former; not only as a repetition of

Notes on the verses

Chap. XX. Ver. 1. Gerar.—[Gerar was a city of Arabia Petrea, under a king of the Philistines, 25 miles from Eleutheropolis, beyond Daroma, in the south of Judah. From chapter x. 19. it appears to have been situated in the angle where the south and west sides of Canaan met, and to have been not far from Gaza. Jerome, in his Hebrew Traditions on Genesis, says, from Gerar to Jerusalem was three days’ journey. There was wood near Gerar, spoken of by Theodoret; and a brook, ((Genesis 26:26).) on which was a monastery, noticed by Sozomen.]—Bagster.

Ver. 7. Prophet.—(The word navî, rendered a prophet, not only signifies one who foretells future events, but also an intercessor, instructer. See (1 Samuel 10), (1 Kings 18), and (1 Corinthians 14:4). The title was also given to men eminent for eloquence and literary abilities: hence Aaron, because he was the spokesman of Moses to the Egyptian king, is called a prophet, (Exodus 4:16). vii. 1. and Epimenides, a heathen poet, is also so styled by St. Paul, Tit. j. 11.)—