Genesis 20:1-10

Abraham's Treachery

1 Now Abraham journeyed from ¹there toward the land of ²the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in ³Gerar.

2 Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "⁴She is my sister." So ⁵Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3 ⁶But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, ⁷you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married *."

4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, ⁸will You slay a nation, even though blameless?

5 "Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister '? And she ⁹herself said, 'He is my brother.' In ¹⁰the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."

6 Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also ¹¹kept you from sinning against Me; therefore * I did not let you touch her.

7 "Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for ¹²he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."

8 So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly frightened.

9 ¹³Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom ¹⁴a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."

10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What have you encountered, that you have done this thing?"

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Genesis 20:1-10 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

Cross References 14

1. Genesis 18:1
2. Genesis 12:9
3. Genesis 26:1, 6
4. Genesis 12:11-13; Genesis 20:12; Genesis 26:7
5. Genesis 12:15
6. Genesis 12:17, 18
7. Genesis 20:7
8. Genesis 18:23-25
9. Genesis 20:13
10. 1 Kings 9:4; Psalms 7:8; Psalms 26:6
11. 1 Samuel 25:26, 34
12. 1 Samuel 7:5; 2 Kings 5:11; Job 42:8
13. Genesis 12:18
14. Genesis 39:9

Footnotes 9

[a]. I.e. South country
[b]. Lit "dwelt"
[c]. Lit "married to a husband"
[d]. Lit "righteous"
[e]. Lit "palms"
[f]. Lit "restrained"
[g]. Lit "what"
[h]. Lit "deeds"
[i]. Lit "seen"