Genesis 20
DOYLY— toward the south country.] Towards Egypt. Bp. Patrick. — Gerar.] Gerar was a regal city situated not far from the angle, where the south and west sides of Palestine meet: and the country, to which it gave the name, extended itself pretty far into Arabia Petrea. Beer-sheba signifies the well of the oath, because here Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech, king of Gerar, concerning a well which he had digged hard by: here he likewise planted a grove, and instituted an oratory, or place of divine worship; and here in process of time was a city or considerable town built, takes notice of by heathen authors under the name of Bersemans, or Bersabe. Kadesh was a city, lying on the edge of the land of Canaan, to the south of Hebron. Shur was the name of that part of Arabia Petrea, which joins Egypt and the Red Sea; and somewhere between these two was the well, near which Abraham, when he led Manure, fixed his habitation. Stackhouse.
— thou art but a dead man.] That is, thou shalt certainly die. But then there is a condition implied in this as in other threats; namely, “If he did not restore Abraham his wife.” See Jonah iii. 4; Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 15. Besides, the words imply what punishment adultery deserves in God’s account. Bp. Kidder. 5. Said he not unto me, She is my sister: Abimelech, an heathen man, who had not the knowledge of the true God of heaven to direct him in the right way; and withal a King, who had therefore none upon earth above him, to controul him if he should transgress; would yet have abhorred to have defiled himself knowingly by adultery with another man’s wife, although the man were but a stranger, and the woman exceeding beautiful. Certainly Abimelech shall one day rise up in judgment, and condemn thy filthiness and injustice, whosoever thou art, that committeest, or causeest another to commit, adultery: “who knowing the judgment of God, that they which do such things are worthy of death, either dost the same thyself, or hast pleasure in them that do them;” or being in place and office to punish incontinent persons, dost at once both criminate thy own conscience, and embolden the adulterer to commit that sin again without fear, from which he hath once escaped without shame. Bp. Sanderson. — in the integrity of my heart] Not with any intention to defile her, but to make her my wife: and innocency of my hands; I did not take her by violence from Abraham, but he and she consented to it. Bp. Patrick.
Genesis 20:2
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And Abraham said of Sarah &c.] See the note on chap. xii. 13. It is still more extraordinary, that Abraham failed under the same trial twenty-three years after his former failure: when he again denied his wife to Abimelech, whose character and that of his people was the reverse of that of the Egyptian court; for he took her “in the integrity of his heart,” and his nation was then “righteous.” God therefore dealt more gently with him than with the Egyptians; and removed the plague of barrenness from him and his household, on Abraham’s intercession. Dr. Hales. — Abimelech] The name of all the kings of Paleatine, as Pharaoh was of the kings of Egypt. Bp. Patrick.
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— Sarah conceived,] That the posterity of Abraham might be disposed hereafter more readily to receive the promised Seed it pleased God to make Isaac, the heir of that promise, a most exact type and figure of Jesus Christ. His birth was miraculous, as was that of Christ; for it was as much out of the common course of nature for Sarah to bear at ninety, as for a virgin to bear a child. He disputed not his father’s
Genesis 20:3
- — is a dream] God revealed Himself and His will frequently in old times, especially before the sealing of the Scripture-canon, in sundry manners: as by visions, prophecies, ecstasies, oracles, and other supernatural means; among the rest by dreams. By such supernatural revelations He imparted His will, not only to the godly and faithful, though more frequently and especially to them; but sometimes also to hypocrites within the church, as to Saul and others; and sometimes even to heathens out of the church, as to Pharaoh, Balsam, Nebuchadnezzar, &c. and here to Abimelech. But since the writings of the Prophets and Apostles were made up, the Scripture-canon sealed, and the Christian church by the preaching of the Gospel because universal; dreams, and other supernatural revelations, as also other things of like nature, as miracles, and all the more immediate and extraordinary manifestations of the will and power of God, have ceased to be of ordinary and familiar use: so that now, we ought rather to suspect delusion in them, than to expect direction from them. Bp. Sanderson.
Genesis 20:6
- — I also withheld thee from sinning] It was God’s great mercy to all the three parties, that He did not suffer this evil to be done: for by this means He graciously preserved Abimelech from the sin, Abraham from the wrong, and Sarah from both. And it is to be acknowledged the great mercy of God, when at any time He doth (and He doth often more or less) by His gracious and powerful restraint withhold any man from running into those extremities of sin and mischief, whereunto his own corruption would carry him headlong, especially when it is inflamed by the cunning persuasions of Satan, and the manifold temptations that are in the world through lust. Bp. Sanderson.
Genesis 20:7
- — he is a prophet.] This is the first time we meet with the word Prophet; and Abraham is the first that is honoured with this name. It signifies one admitted to a nearer intercourse with God; so as to be allowed to consult Him, and to declare His mind and will to others; and also to prevail with Him by prayer to confer blessings upon them. Bp. Patrick. See note on Numb. xi. 25. — he shall pray for thee.] Though God can give His blessing without the intercession of any of His servants, yet it is plain that He has otherwise ordered it. Abimelech rebuketh Abraham. Isaac is born.
live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Genesis 20:11
- — the fear of God is not in this place.] This fear of God being the great restraint upon men’s lusts and passions. “By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil,” Prov. xvi. 6. It appears however that Abimelech and his court were not so corrupt as Abraham suspected. Bps. Kidder and Patrick.
Genesis 20:16
- And unto Sarah he said,] In this speech Abimelech tells Sarah, she was at liberty to return to her brother, as she called him; and might live with him without fear: for that he was so far from designing any injury to him, or resenting what had passed, that he had made him a present of great value, as a token of esteem for a virtuous and good man. But by way of gentle reproof, he advised her not to use any more artifices by disowning Abraham for her husband; but to place herself under his care, which would be a protection to her; or (as the words may signify) wear her veil over her face, as she ought to do, that every body might know her to be a married woman, to prevent such misfortunes for the future. Pyle.
Genesis 20:18
- — because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.] God here restrained Abimelech, as elsewhere he did Laban, and Esau, and Balaam, and others; not so much for their own sakes, though sometimes perhaps that also; as for
the sake of those, whom they would have injured by their sins, if they had committed them. As here Abimelech for his chosen Abraham’s sake; and Laban and Esau for his servant Jacob’s sake; and Balaam for his people Israel’s sake. As it is said in the 105th Psalm, and that with special reference, as I conceive, to this very story of Abraham, “He suffered no man to do them wrong, but reproved even kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm:” He reproved “even kings,” by restraining their power, as here Abimelech: but it was “for their sakes” still; that so Sarah “His anointed might not be touched,” nor “His prophet” Abraham sustain “any harm.” Bp. Sanderson.
Chap. XXI. ver. 1. — the Lord visited Sarah &c.] Bestowed on her the promised blessing. The word “visit” signifies, either, in a bad sense, to inflict punishment, (Exod. xx. 5;) or, in a good sense, as here, to confer blessings, (Exod. iii. 16; Ps. viii. 4.) Bp. Patrick.