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Genesis 20:1-7

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Abraham and Abimelech

1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between 1Kadesh and Shur; and he 2sojourned in 3Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, 4ā€œShe is my sister. ā€ And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3 5But God came to Abimelech 6in a dream by night and said to him, ā€œBehold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a manā€™s wife. ā€
4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, 7ā€œLord, will you kill an innocent people?
5 Did he not himself say to me, ā€˜She is my sisterā€™? And she herself said, ā€˜He is my brother. ā€™ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this. ā€
6 Then God said to him in the dream, ā€œYes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning 8against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.
7 Now then, return the manā€™s wife, 9for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you 10and all who are yours. ā€
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Genesis 20:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
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Cross References 10

  • 1. 20:1 ch. 16:7, 14
  • 2. 20:1 ch. 26:3
  • 3. 20:1 ch. 26:6
  • 4. 20:2 See ch. 12:13-20; 26:7-11
  • 5. 20:3 Ps. 105:14
  • 6. 20:3 Job 33:15, 16; Matt. 1:20; 2:12
  • 7. 20:4 ch. 18:23; [1 Chr. 21:17]
  • 8. 20:6 ch. 39:9; Ps. 51:4
  • 9. 20:7 1 Sam. 7:5; Job 42:8
  • 10. 20:7 [Num. 16:32, 33]
The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionĀ® (ESVĀ®) Ā© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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