Genesis 26:11

11 So Abimelech warned all the people with these words: "Whoever harms this man or his wife will certainly die."

Genesis 26:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 26:11

And Abimelech charged all [his] people
All his subjects throughout his kingdom, and particularly the inhabitants of Gerar, and more especially his courtiers and servants about him: saying, he that toucheth this man or his wife;
that does any injury to one either by words or deeds, or behaves immodestly to the other, or attempts to ravish her; this being sometimes used as a modest expression carnal knowledge of a woman; or that does either of them any harm or hurt in any respect whatever: shall surely be put to death;
this severe edict he published, in order to deter his subjects from using them ill, to which they might be provoked by Isaac's dissimulation, and by his evil suspicions of them.

Genesis 26:11 In-Context

9 Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So she is really your wife! How could you say, 'She's my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might die on account of her."

10 Then Abimelech said, "What is this you've done to us? One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us."

11 So Abimelech warned all the people with these words: "Whoever harms this man or his wife will certainly die."

12 Isaac sowed seed in that land, and in that year he reaped a hundred times [what was sown]. The Lord blessed him,

13 and the man became rich and kept getting richer until he was very wealthy.