Genesis 20:8-18

8 So Abim'elech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid.

9 Then Abim'elech 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 my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."

10 And Abim'elech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?"

11 Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.

12 Besides she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 And when God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.'"

14 Then Abim'elech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife to him.

15 And Abim'elech said, "Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you."

16 To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your vindication in the eyes of all who are with you; and before every one you are righted."

17 Then Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abim'elech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.

18 For the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abim'elech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20:8-18 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.