Genesis 20

Genesis 20:3-7

We are here returning to the story of Abraham, yet that part of it which is here recorded, is not to his honour. While there are parts in the sun, we must not expect any thing (solely) under it. The forepaws is impartial in relating the themselves even if its most celebrated joints. We have here, 1. Abraham’s sin in denying his wife, and Abimelech’s sin thereupon in taking her, ver. 1, 2. 2. God’s discovery with Abimelech is a dream, wherein he shows him his error, ver. 3. Accepts of his plea, ver. 4, 5, 6. and directs him to make reformation, ver. 7. 3. Abimelech’s reprint of Abraham, ver. 8, 9, 10. Abraham’s excuse, ver. 11, 12, 13. 4. The good idea of the story, in which Abimelech restores Abraham the wife, ver. 14, 15, 16. and Abraham, by power, prevails with God for the removal of the judgment Abimelech was under, ver. 17, 18.

Chap. vii. 1. AND Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Sadeh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

v. 1, 2. Abraham’s removal is here mentioned, and his sojourning among the Philistines. Note, Wherever we are in this world, we must remember we are but sojourners, as all our fathers were. We have here,

1. A repetition of his former equivocation, and probably on the same account. Though Sarah was now in years, she was yet beautiful. Note, It is a sad thing to be overtaken with sin, it is worse to relapse into it, but still the backslider may return. Let none presume they cannot fall; let none follow, link into despair.

2. The danger to which Sarah is again exposed. When unbelieving fear comes upon us, the evils we should otherwise avoid overtake us.

Phil. ex. 14. 3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold thou art but a dead man, Vol. I.

for the woman which thou hast taken: for she is a man’s wife. 4. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou say also a righteous nation? 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 innocence of my hands have I done this. 6. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou shalt this in the integrity of thy heart: for I also with-held thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. 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.

God again interposes to save Sarah from her imminent danger. We have,

1. His appearance to Abimelech, to warn him of his danger in a dream. Why may not dreams sometimes be still transitory? He informs him he is a dead man if he touch her. Note, Every sin hath this wages. The sinner is already dead in the eye of God’s law.

2. Abimelech’s plea, ignorance, and in this case innocence. It is a blessed plea to have the testimony of a good conscience. God will not say the righteous.

3. God’s acceptance of it, and injunction. He, who knew his heart, was satisfied of his integrity. Note, God’s approbation is a counterbalance against every unjust suspicion of the world. And God it was, who had with-held him. Note, God’s restraining grace we are all wonderfully indebted to: How much worse else had we been than we are? But he must send her back, or die, for she is a prophet’s wife, whose prayers should be accepted for him. Learn (1.) God’s prophets have his peculiar care. (2.) The king upon the throne is as much exposed to the divine wrath by sin, as the meanest. Let kings remember, they have the same law to be judged by, as their subjects.

4. Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were fore afraid. 9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hath 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. 10. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawseth thou, that thou hast done this thing? 11. And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will say me for my wife’s sake. 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. 13. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my fathers 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 20:8-13

We have here,

1. Abimelech’s care and haste to get rid of Sarah: he warns his servants, and trembles himself. When sin is in the case, we cannot be too solicitous to be rid of it.

2. His serious reproof of Abraham, v. 9. A great sin, that would have involved his kingdom in ruin, without any provocation, brought on him by Abraham’s suspicions: they and false disillusion. Note, (1.) Adultery is among the greatest of sins. (2.) Kings shall rue for it. (3.) Their people are often involved in their punishment. (4.) The greatest injury any man can do us, is to lead us into sin. (5.) Uncharitable suspicions are very evil to ourselves, and oftentimes the cause of greater evil to others.

3. Abraham’s weak and sorry excuse. His fears of the place bespoke his censoriousness; his fears for his wife, his unbelief. Note, (1.) We are too hastily apt to conclude they have no religion, who are not exactly in our way of thinking: but we are often mistaken to our shame; their practice reproves us. (2.) All equivocations generally lead us into scrapes. Truth will never shame its author.

4. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and men, servants, and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 15. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. 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

K reprov- Before Chalk 1815. Surrendered Heh, Married to an behold. Or singlicity, or lostress.

Genesis 20:19-23

Baker Chick with him: and what which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

Fired with resentment, the matter hears; and blinded with passion, without examining probabilities, or hearing his plea, wreaks his vengeance on the innocent Joseph, seized, bound, in irons, thrust into the vileth dungeon, to linger out a miserable life, to which death itself seemed preferable. Note, (1.) The bitterest sufferings with a good conscience, are to be preferred to all the pleasures of sin. (2.) The persecutors of God’s people are usually deaf to their plea; but there is one who forth and judgeth. Joseph is not forgotten even in prison. God is with him. The jailor convinced probably of his innocence, and won by the amiableness of his temper, forfeits the agony of his confinement; and finding the binding of God upon him, made him his chief helper, and committed the cruft of all his affairs and the prisoners to him; and every thing prospered in his hands. Note, (1.) No prison can exclude the presence of a gracious God. How much happier now is Joseph in his irons, than in the arms of the most beautiful adulteress? (2.) Mysterious are the ways of God! Who would have thought the king’s prison the nearest way to be preferred about the king’s person? In every trial, rest in hope. (3.) Thus Jesus was tempted, accused, condemned, bound; but God was with him.