Chuàngshìjì 20

1 Yàbólāhǎn cóng nàli xiàng nā dì qiā qù , jìjū zaì Jiādīsī hé Shūĕr zhōngjiān de Jīlāĕr .

2 Yàbólāhǎn chēng tāde qì Sǎlā wéi meìzi , Jīlāĕr wáng Yàbǐmǐlè chāi rén bǎ Sǎlā qǔ le qù .

3 Dàn yè jiān shén lái zaì mèng zhōng duì Yàbǐmǐlè shuō , nǐ shì gè sǐ rén nǎ , yīnwei nǐ qǔ le nà nǚrén lái . tā yuán shì biérén de qīzi .

4 Yàbǐmǐlè què hái méiyǒu qīnjìn Sǎlā . tā shuō , Zhǔ a , lián yǒu yì de guó , nǐ yĕ yào huǐmiè ma .

5 Nà rén qǐbù shì zìjǐ duì wǒ shuō , tā shì wǒde meìzi ma . jiù shì nǚrén yĕ zìjǐ shuō , tā shì wǒde gēge . wǒ zuò zhè shì shì xīn zhèng shǒu jié de .

6 Shén zaì mèng zhōng duì tā shuō , wǒ zhīdào nǐ zuò zhè shì shì xīn zhōng zhèngzhí . wǒ yĕ lánzǔ le nǐ , miǎndé nǐ de zuì wǒ , suǒyǐ wǒ bùróng nǐ zhān zhe tā .

7 Xiànzaì nǐ bǎ zhè rén de qīzi guī hái tā . yīnwei tā shì xiānzhī , tā yào wéi nǐ dǎogào , shǐ nǐ cún huó . nǐ ruò bù guī hái tā , nǐ dàng zhīdào , nǐ hé nǐ suǒyǒude rén dōu bìyào sǐ .

8 Yàbǐmǐlè qīngzǎo qǐlai , shào le zhòng chénpú lái , jiāng zhèxie shì dōu shuō gĕi tāmen tīng , tāmen dōu shén jùpà .

9 Yàbǐmǐlè shào le Yàbólāhǎn lái , duì tā shuō , nǐ zĕnme xiàng wǒ zhèyàng xíng ne . wǒ zaì shénme shì shàng de zuì le nǐ , nǐ jìng shǐ wǒ hé wǒ guó lǐ de rén xiàn zaì dà zuì lǐ . nǐ xiàng wǒ xíng bùdàng xíng de shì le .

10 Yàbǐmǐlè yòu duì Yàbólāhǎn shuō , nǐ jiàn le shénme cái zuò zhè shì ne .

11 Yàbólāhǎn shuō , wǒ yǐwéi zhè dìfang de rén zǒng bú jùpà shén , bì wèi wǒ qīzi de yuángù shā wǒ .

12 Kuàngqiĕ tā yĕ shízaì shì wǒde meìzi . tā yǔ wǒ shì tóng fǔ yì mǔ , hòulái zuò le wǒde qīzi .

13 Dàng shén jiào wǒ líkāi fǔ jia , piāoliú zaì waì de shíhou , wǒ duì tā shuō , wǒmen wúlùn zǒu dào shénme dìfang , nǐ kĕyǐ duì rén shuō , tā shì wǒde gēge . zhè jiù shì nǐ daì wǒde ēndiǎn le .

14 Yàbǐmǐlè bǎ niú , yáng , pú bì cìgĕi Yàbólāhǎn , yòu bǎ tāde qīzi Sǎlā guī huán tā .

15 Yàbǐmǐlè yòu shuō , kàn nǎ , wǒde dì dōu zaì nǐ miànqián , nǐ kĕyǐ suíyì jūzhù .

16 Yòu duì Sǎlā shuō , wǒ gĕi nǐ gēge yī qiā yínzi , zuòwéi nǐ zaì hé jia rén miànqián shào xiū de ( xiū yuánwén zuò yǎn ) , nǐ jiù zaì zhòngrén miànqián méiyǒu bú shì le .

17 Yàbólāhǎn dǎogào shén , shén jiù yī hǎo le Yàbǐmǐlè hé tāde qīzi , bìng tāde zhòng nǚ pú , tāmen biàn pǎo shēngyù

18 Yīn Yēhéhuá wéi Yàbólāhǎn de qīzi Sǎlā de yuángù , yǐjing shǐ Yàbǐmǐlè jia zhōng de fùrén bùnéng shēngyù .

Chuàngshìjì 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

Abraham's sojourn at Gerar, Sarah is taken by Abimelech. (1-8) Abimelech's rebuke to Abraham. (9-13) Abimelech restores Sarah. (14-18)

Verses 1-8 Crooked policy will not prosper: it brings ourselves and others into danger. God gives Abimelech notice of his danger of sin, and his danger of death for his sin. Every wilful sinner is a dead man, but Abimelech pleads ignorance. If our consciences witness, that, however we may have been cheated into a snare, we have not knowingly sinned against God, it will be our rejoicing in the day of evil. It is matter of comfort to those who are honest, that God knows their honesty, and will acknowledge it. It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin; of this God must have the glory. But if we have ignorantly done wrong, that will not excuse us, if we knowingly persist in it. He that does wrong, whoever he is, prince or peasant, shall certainly receive for the wrong which he has done, unless he repent, and, if possible, make restitution.

Verses 9-13 See here much to blame, even in the father of the faithful. Mark his distrust of God, his undue care about life, his intent to deceive. He also threw temptation in the way of others, caused affliction to them, exposed himself and Sarah to just rebukes, and yet attempted an excuse. These things are written for our warning, not for us to imitate. Even Abraham hath not whereof to glory. He cannot be justified by his works, but must be indebted for justification, to that righteousness which is upon all and unto all them that believe. We must not condemn all as hypocrites who fall into sin, if they do not continue in it. But let the unhumbled and impenitent take heed that they do not sin on, thinking that grace may abound. Abimelech, being warned of God, takes the warning; and being truly afraid of sin and its consequences, he rose early to pursue the directions given him.

Verses 14-18 We often trouble ourselves, and even are led into temptation and sin, by groundless suspicions; and find the fear of God where we expected it not. Agreements to deceive generally end in shame and sorrow; and restraints from sin, though by suffering, should be thankfully acknowledged. Though the Lord rebuke, yet he will pardon and deliver his people, and he will give them favour in the sight of those with whom they sojourn; and overrule their infirmities, when they are humbled for them, so that they shall prove useful to themselves and others.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 20

This chapter relates the removal of Abraham to Gerar, Ge 20:1; the king of Gerar's taking to him Sarah, whom Abraham had called his sister, Ge 20:2; who is rebuked of God for it in a dream, Ge 20:3; for which he makes an apology that is admitted, only he is ordered to restore to Abraham his wife, Ge 20:4-7; and accordingly early in the morning he called his servants, and acquainted them with what had happened, Ge 20:8; and then sent for Abraham, and expressed his resentment at his usage of him, Ge 20:9; which Abraham defended as well as he could, Ge 20:10-13; the issue of all which was, great kindness was shown to Abraham, and his wife restored to him, though with a reproof to her from the king, Ge 20:14-16; upon which Abraham prayed for the healing of Abimelech and his family, in which he was heard and answered, Ge 20:17,18.