Génesis 20:11

11 Abraham contestó:
—Yo pensé: “Este es un lugar donde no hay temor de Dios. Ellos querrán tener a mi esposa y me matarán para conseguirla”.

Génesis 20:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 20:11

And Abraham said
In defence of himself, as well as he could: because I thought;
within himself, concluding from the general depravity of the Canaanites, that this was the case of the inhabitants of Gerar: surely the fear of God [is] not in this place;
this is a certain truth, which he thought might be depended upon, and taken for granted, since so it was everywhere: or "only" ^F5, as the word used signifies; this was the only thing he had to plead, that he verily thought with himself that there was no true religion and godliness in Gerar: that the inhabitants of it were without any fear of God before their eyes, or in their hearts; and he knew, where this is the case, there is nothing to restrain from the commission of the grossest sins: and they will slay me for my wife's sake;
that they might marry her, see ( Genesis 12:12 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (qr) "tantum", Montanus; so Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Ben Melech.

Génesis 20:11 In-Context

9 Entonces Abimelec mandó llamar a Abraham.
—¿Qué nos has hecho? —preguntó—. ¿Qué delito he cometido que merezca un trato como este, que nos haces culpables a mí y a mi reino de este gran pecado? ¡Nadie debería hacer jamás lo que tú has hecho!

10 ¿Qué te llevó a cometer semejante acto?

11 Abraham contestó:
—Yo pensé: “Este es un lugar donde no hay temor de Dios. Ellos querrán tener a mi esposa y me matarán para conseguirla”.

12 Ella de verdad es mi hermana, pues ambos tenemos el mismo padre, aunque diferentes madres; y yo me casé con ella.

13 Cuando Dios me llamó a abandonar la casa de mi padre y a viajar de lugar en lugar, le dije a ella: “Hazme un favor, por donde vayamos, dile a la gente que yo soy tu hermano”.