Genesis 20

Genesis 20:1-18

Abraham and Abimelech – Genesis 20:1-18 gives the account of Abraham and Abimelech. This king took his wife Sarah, and God judged him as He did Pharaoh. As a result the king returned Sarah to Abraham along with an abundance of wealth in order to make amends to Abraham and to his God. Genesis 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. Genesis 20:1 — “from thence” - Comments - That is, from Mamre (Genesis 18:1). Genesis 18:1, “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;” Genesis 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. Genesis 20:2 — “She is my sister” - Comments - According to Genesis 20:12, Sarai was Abram’s half-sister. Genesis 20:12, “And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.” We also see Isaac calling Rebekah his sister when she was in fact not (Genesis 26:7). So, Abraham was not necessarily telling the truth. Genesis 26:7, “And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.” Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife. Genesis 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Genesis 20:4 — Comments - The fact that Abimelech called God by the Hebrew word “Adoni” (àֲ ?ãׂ ?ðָ ?é) (H136) implies that he did not know “YHWH” by name as Abraham knew Him. The TWOT says “Adoni” is used in the Scriptures in a broad sense, such as when a servant refers to his master, or servants to the Pharaoh of Egypt, and to Joseph, or Hanni to the priest Eli, Ruth to Boaz, or servants to King Saul, etc. In contrast, YHWH was a very personal name by which Abraham addressed God. Genesis 20:5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. Genesis 20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Genesis 20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Genesis 20:7 — “and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live” - Comments - Note how God asked Job to pray for his friends in a similar manner (Job 42:8). Job 42:8, “Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.” Genesis 20:8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. Genesis 20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. Genesis 20:10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? Genesis 20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. Genesis 20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. Genesis 20:12 — Scripture References – Note a references verse: Genesis 11:29, “And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.” Genesis 20:13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. Genesis 20:14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. Genesis 20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. Genesis 20:16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. Genesis 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. Genesis 20:17 — Comments - Genesis 20:17 is an example of intercession. Note a similar prayer from Job (Job 42:10): Job 42:10, “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Genesis 20:18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife. Genesis 20:18 — Comments - Genesis 20:18 is a good example of God opening and closing the womb. Also, God opened Sarah’s womb in Genesis 18:10. Genesis 18:10, “And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.”