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Genesis 20:6

Listen to Genesis 20:6
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 1against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.

Genesis 20:6 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 20:6

And God said unto him in a dream
The same dream continued: yea,
or "also" I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart;
not only thou knowest, but I, who know all things, know and acknowledge that this was so done by thee. Abimelech's plea is admitted, and a very great testimony borne to his integrity in this matter; and throughout the whole account he appears to be a man of great honour and uprightness, especially in this affair, if not a good man: for I also withheld thee from sinning against me;
for had he committed adultery with her, it had been not only a sin against her, and against her husband, but against God being contrary to his will revealed in the minds of men by the law and light of nature, before the law of Moses was given: and indeed all sin against the neighbour is ultimately against God, see ( Psalms 51:4 ) ; and now from the commission of this sin God restrained Abimelech, either by some impulse upon his mind not to take her to be his wife as yet, or by throwing some thing or other in the way of it, in his providence, or by inflicting some disease upon him, which rendered him incapable of it, ( Genesis 20:17 ) ; therefore suffered I thee not to touch her;
that is, to have carnal knowledge of her, see ( 1 Corinthians 7:1 ) ; as there is nothing done but what is done by divine permission, so many more evils would be committed than there are, were it not that men are restrained from them by the power and providence of God, not suffering them to do them; and in particular this sin was prevented, that it might not in any respect be a doubtful point whether Isaac, whom Sarah had now conceived, was a legitimate son of Abraham; and these expressions of Abimelech not coming near her, ( Genesis 20:4 ) ; and not touching her as here, are used for that purpose.

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Genesis 20:6 In-Context

4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, ā€œLord, will you kill an innocent people?
5 Did he not himself say to me, ā€˜She is my sister’? And she herself said, ā€˜He is my brother. ’ 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 against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.
7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for 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 and all who are yours. ā€
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 20:6 ch. 39:9; Ps. 51:4
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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