1And AbrahamH85 journeyedH5265 from thence toward the southH5045 countryH776, and dwelledH3427 between KadeshH6946 and ShurH7793, and sojournedH1481 in GerarH1642. 2And AbrahamH85 saidH559 ofH413 SarahH8283 his wifeH802, She is my sisterH269: and AbimelechH40 kingH4428 of GerarH1642 sentH7971, and tookH3947 SarahH8283. 3But GodH430 cameH935 to AbimelechH40 in a dreamH2472 by nightH3915, and saidH559 to him, Behold, thou art but a dead manH4191, for the womanH802 which thou hast takenH3947 ; for she is a man'sH1167 wifeH1166 . 4But AbimelechH40 had not come nearH7126 her: and he saidH559, LordH136, wilt thou slayH2026 also a righteousH6662 nationH1471? 5SaidH559 he not unto me, SheH1931 is my sisterH269? and sheH1931, evenH1571 sheH1931 herself saidH559, He is my brotherH251: in the integrityH8537 of my heartH3824 and innocencyH5356 of my handsH3709 have I doneH6213 this. 6And GodH430 saidH559 unto him in a dreamH2472, YeaH1571, I knowH3045 that thou didstH6213 this in the integrityH8537 of thy heartH3824; for I also withheldH2820 thee from sinningH2398 against me: therefore sufferedH5414 I thee not to touchH5060 her. 7Now therefore restoreH7725 the manH376 his wifeH802; for he is a prophetH5030, and he shall prayH6419 for theeH1157, and thou shalt liveH2421 : and if thou restoreH7725 her not, knowH3045 thou that thou shalt surelyH4191 dieH4191, thou, and all that are thine. 8Therefore AbimelechH40 rose earlyH7925 in the morningH1242, and calledH7121 all his servantsH5650, and toldH1696 all these thingsH1697 in their earsH241: and the menH582 were soreH3966 afraidH3372 . 9Then AbimelechH40 calledH7121 AbrahamH85, and saidH559 unto him, What hast thou doneH6213 unto us? and what have I offendedH2398 thee, that thou hast broughtH935 on me and on my kingdomH4467 a greatH1419 sinH2401? thou hast doneH6213 deedsH4639 unto me that ought not to be doneH6213 . 10And AbimelechH40 saidH559 unto AbrahamH85, WhatH4100 sawest thouH7200, that thou hast doneH6213 this thingH1697? 11And AbrahamH85 saidH559, Because I thoughtH559, SurelyH7535 the fearH3374 of GodH430 is not in this placeH4725; and they will slay meH2026 for my wife'sH802 sakeH1697. 12And yet indeedH546 she is my sisterH269; she is the daughterH1323 of my fatherH1, but not the daughterH1323 of my motherH517; and she became my wifeH802. 13And it came to pass, when GodH430 caused me to wanderH8582 from my father'sH1 houseH1004, that I saidH559 unto her, This is thy kindnessH2617 which thou shalt shewH6213 unto me; at every placeH4725 whither we shall comeH935, sayH559 of me, He is my brotherH251. 14And AbimelechH40 tookH3947 sheepH6629, and oxenH1241, and menservantsH5650, and womenservantsH8198, and gaveH5414 them unto AbrahamH85, and restoredH7725 him SarahH8283 his wifeH802. 15And AbimelechH40 saidH559, Behold, my landH776 is before theeH6440: dwellH3427 where it pleasethH2896 H5869 thee. 16And unto SarahH8283 he saidH559, Behold, I have givenH5414 thy brotherH251 a thousandH505 pieces of silverH3701: behold, he is to thee a coveringH3682 of the eyesH5869, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reprovedH3198 . 17So AbrahamH85 prayedH6419 unto GodH430: and GodH430 healedH7495 AbimelechH40, and his wifeH802, and his maidservantsH519; and they bareH3205 children. 18For the LORDH3068 had fastH6113 closed upH6113 all the wombsH7358 of the houseH1004 of AbimelechH40, becauseH1697 of SarahH8283 Abraham'sH85 wifeH802.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Here is, 1. Abraham's removal from Mamre, where he had lived nearly twenty years, into the country of the Philistines:
He sojourned in Gerar, Gen 20:1. We are not told upon what occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or because the country round was for the present prejudiced by it, or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at Lot's incest with his daughters, and the reproach which the Canaanites cast upon him and his religion, for his kinsman's sake: doubtless there was some good cause for his removal. Note, In a world where we are strangers and pilgrims we cannot expect to be always in the same place. Again, Wherever we are, we must look upon ourselves but as sojourners. 2. His sin in denying his wife, as before (
Gen 12:13), which was not only in itself such an equivocation as bordered upon a lie, and which, if admitted as lawful, would be the ruin of human converse and an inlet to all falsehood, but was also an exposing of the chastity and honour of his wife, of which he ought to have been the protector. But, besides this, it had here a two-fold aggravation: - (1.) He had been guilty of this same sin before, and had been reproved for it, and convinced of the folly of the suggestion which induced him to it; yet he returns to it. Note, It is possible that a good man may, not only fall into sin, but relapse into the same sin, through the surprise and strength of temptation and the infirmity of the flesh. Let backsliders repent then, but not despair,
Jer 3:22. (2.) Sarah, as it should seem, was now with child of the promised seed, or, at least, in expectation of being so quickly, according to the word of God; he ought therefore to have taken particular care of her now, as
Judg 13:4. 3. The peril that Sarah was brought into by this means:
The king of Gerar sent, and took her to his house, in order to the taking of her to his bed. Note, The sin of one often occasions the sin of others; he that breaks the hedge of God's commandments opens a gap to he knows not how many; the beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water.
3 It appears by this that God revealed himself by dreams (which evidenced themselves to be divine and supernatural) not only to his servants the prophets, but even to those who were out of the pale of the church and covenant; but then, usually, it was with some regard to God's own people as in Pharaoh's dream, to Joseph, in Nebuchadnezzar's, to Daniel, and here, in Abimelech's, to Abraham and Sarah, for he reproved this king for their sake,
Pss 105:14,
Pss 105:15.
I. God gives him notice of his danger (
Gen 20:3), his danger of
sin, telling him that the woman is a man's wife, so that if he take her he will wrong her husband; his danger of death for this sin:
Thou art a dead man; and God's saying so of a man makes him so. Note, Every wilful sinner ought to be told that he is a dead man, as the condemned malefactor, and the patient whose disease is mortal, are said to be so. If thou art a bad man, certainly thou art a dead man.
II. He pleads ignorance that Abraham and Sarah had agreed to impose upon him, and not to let him know that they were any more than brother and sister,
Gen 20:6. See what confidence a man may have towards God when his heart condemns him not,
1John 3:21. If our consciences witness to our integrity, and that, however we may have been cheated into a snare, we have not knowingly and wittingly sinned against God, it will be our rejoicing in the day of evil. He pleads with God as Abraham had done,
Gen 18:23.
Wilt thou slay a righteous nation? Gen 20:4. Not such a nation as Sodom, which was indeed justly destroyed, but a nation which, in this matter, was innocent.
III. God gives a very full answer to what he had said.
1. He allows his plea, and admits that what he did he did in the integrity of his heart:
Yea, I know it, Gen 20:6. Note, It is matter of comfort to those that are honest that God knows their honesty, and will acknowledge it, though perhaps men that are prejudiced against them either cannot be convinced of it or will not own that they are.
2. He lets him know that he was kept from proceeding in the sin merely by the good hand of God upon him:
I withheld thee from sinning against me. Abimelech was hereby kept from doing wrong, Abraham from suffering wrong, and Sarah from both. Note, (1.) There is a great deal of sin devised and designed that is never executed. As bad as things are in the world, they are not so bad as the devil and wicked men would have them. (2.) It is God that restrains men from doing the ill they would do. It is not from him that there is sin, but it is from him that there is not more sin, either by his influence upon men's minds, checking their inclination to sin, or by his providence, taking away the opportunity to sin. (3.) It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin; of this God must have the glory, whoever is the instrument,
1Sam 25:32,
1Sam 25:33.
3. He charges him to make restitution:
Now therefore, not that thou art better informed,
restore the man his wife, Gen 20:7. Note, Ignorance will excuse no longer than it continues. If we have entered upon a wrong course through ignorance this will not excuse our knowingly persisting in it,
Lev 5:3-
Lev 5:5. The reasons why he must be just and kind to Abraham are, (1.) Because
he is a prophet, near and dear to God, for whom God does in a particular manner concern himself. God highly resents the injuries done to his prophets, and takes them as done to himself. (2.) Being a prophet,
he shall pray for thee; this is a prophet's reward, and a good reward it is. It is intimated that there was great efficacy in the prayers of a prophet, and that good men should be ready to help those with their prayers that stand in need of them, and should make, at least, this return for the kindnesses that are done them. Abraham was accessory to Abimelech's trouble, and therefore was obliged in justice to pray for him. (3.) It is at thy peril if thou do not restore her:
Know thou that thou shalt surely die. Note, He that does wrong, whoever he is, prince or peasant, shall certainly receive for the wrong which he has done, unless he repent and make restitution,
Colos 3:25. No injustice can be made passable with God, no, not by Caesar's image stamped upon it.
8 Abimelech, being thus warned of God in a dream, takes the warning, and, as one truly afraid of sin and its consequences, he rises early to obey the directions given him.
I. He has a caution for his servants,
Gen 20:8. Abraham himself could not be more careful than he was to command his household in this matter. Note, Those whom God has convinced of sin and danger ought to tell others what God has done for their souls, that they also may be awakened and brought to a like holy fear.
II. He has a chiding for Abraham. Observe,
1. The serious reproof which Abimelech gave to Abraham,
Gen 20:9,
Gen 20:10. His reasoning with Abraham upon this occasion was very strong, and yet very mild. Nothing could be said better; he does not reproach him, nor insult over him, does not say, Is this your profession? I see, though you will not swear, you will lie. If these be prophets, I will beg to be freed from the sight of them: but he fairly represents the injury Abraham had done him, and calmly signifies his resentment of it. (1.) He calls that sin which he now found he had been in danger of a great sin. Note, Even the light of nature teaches men that the sin of adultery is a very great sin: be it observed, to the shame of many who call themselves Christians, and yet make a light matter of it. (2.) He looks upon it that both himself and his kingdom would have been exposed to the wrath of God if he had been guilty of this sin, though ignorantly. Note, The sins of kings often prove the plagues of kingdoms; rulers should therefore, for their people's sake, dread sin. (3.) He charges Abraham with doing that which was not justifiable, in disowning his marriage. This he speaks of justly, and yet tenderly; he does not call him a liar and cheat, but tells him he had done
deeds that ought not to be done. Note, Equivocation and dissimulation, however they may be palliated, are very bad things, and by no means to be admitted in any case. (4.) He takes it as a very great injury to himself and his family that Abraham had thus exposed them to sin:
What have I offended thee? If I had been thy worst enemy, thou couldst not have done me a worse turn, nor taken a more effectual course to be revenged on me. Note, We ought to reckon that those do us the greatest unkindness in the world that any way tempt us or expose us to sin, though they may pretend friendship, and offer that which is grateful enough to corrupt nature. (5.) He challenges him to assign a cause for his suspecting them as a dangerous people for an honest man to live among:
What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? Gen 20:10. What reason hadst thou to think that if we had known her to be thy wife thou wouldst have been exposed to any danger by it? Note, A suspicion of our goodness is justly reckoned a greater affront than a slight upon our greatness.
2. The poor excuse that Abraham made for himself.
(1.) He pleaded the bad opinion he had of the place,
Gen 20:11. He thought within himself (though he could not give any good reason for his thinking so),
Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and then they will slay me. [1.] Little good is to be expected where no fear of God is. See
Pss 36:1. [2.] There are many places and persons that have more of the fear of God in them than we think they have: perhaps they are not called by our dividing name, they do not wear our badges, they do not tie themselves to that which we have an opinion of; and therefore we conclude they have not the fear of God in their hearts, which is very injurious both of Christ and Christians, and makes us obnoxious to God's judgment,
Matt 7:1. [3.] Uncharitableness and censoriousness are sins that are the cause of many other sins. When men have once persuaded themselves concerning such and such that they have not the fear of God, they think this will justify them in the most unjust and unchristian practices towards them. Men would not do ill if they did not first think ill.
(2.) He excused it from the guilt of a downright lie by making it out that, in a sense, she was his sister,
Gen 20:12. Some think she was own sister to Lot, who is called his
brother Lot (
Gen 14:16), though he was
his nephew; so Sarah is called his
sister. But those to whom he said,
She is my sister, understood that she was so his sister as not to be capable of being his wife; so that it was an equivocation, with an intent to deceive.
(3.) He clears himself from the imputation of an affront designed to Abimelech in it by alleging that it had been his practice before, according to an agreement between him and his wife, when they first became sojourners (
Gen 20:13):
When God caused me to wander from my father's house, then we settled this matter. Note, [1.] God is to be acknowledged in all our wanderings. [2.] Those that travel abroad, and converse much with strangers, as they have need of the wisdom of the serpent, so it is requisite that that wisdom be ever tempered with the innocence of the dove. It may, for aught I know, be suggested that God denied to Abraham to punish them for this sinful compact if they will not own their marriage, why should God own it? But we may suppose that, after this reproof which Abimelech gave them, they agreed never to do so again, and then presently we read (
Gen 21:1,
Gen 21:2) that
Sarah conceived. 14 Here is, I. The kindness of a prince which Abimelech showed to Abraham. See how unjust Abraham's jealousies were. He fancied that if they knew that Sarah was his wife they would kill him; but, when they did know it, instead of killing him they were kind to him, frightened at least to be so by the divine rebukes they were under. 1. He gives him his royal licence to dwell where he pleased in his country, courting his stay because he gives him his royal gifts (
Gen 20:14),
sheep and oxen, and (
Gen 20:16)
a thousand pieces of silver. This he gave when he restored Sarah, either, [1.] By way of satisfaction for the wrong he had offered to do, in taking her to his house: when the Philistines restored the ark, being plagued for detaining it, they sent a present with it. The law appointed that when restitution was made something should be added to it,
Lev 6:5. Or, [2.] To engage Abraham's prayers for him; not as if prayers should be bought and sold, but we should endeavour to be kind to those of whose spiritual things we reap,
1Cor 9:11. Note, It is our wisdom to get and keep an interest with those that have an interest in heaven, and to make those our friends who are the friends of God. [3.] He gives to Sarah good instruction, tells her that her husband (her
brother he calls him, to upbraid her with calling him so) must be to her for
a covering of the eyes, that is, she must look at no other, nor desire to be looked at by any other. Note, Yoke-fellows must be to each other for a covering of the eyes. The marriage-covenant is a covenant with the eyes, like Job's,
Job 31:1.
II. The kindness of a prophet which Abraham showed to Abimelech: he
prayed for him, Gen 20:17,
Gen 20:18. This honour God would put upon Abraham that, though Abimelech had restored Sarah, yet the judgment he was under should be removed upon the prayer of Abraham, and not before. Thus God healed Miriam, when Moses, whom she had most affronted, prayed for her (
Num 12:13), and was reconciled to Job's friends when Job, whom they had grieved, prayed for them (
Job 42:8-
Job 42:10), and so did, as it were, give it under his hand that he was reconciled to them. Note, The prayers of good men may be a kindness to great men, and ought to be valued.