Abraham introduces Sarah as his sister, and king Abimelech takes her In this way God proved to the Philistine king, on the one hand, that He suffers no harm to befall His prophets (Psalm 105:15), and to Abraham, on the other, that He can maintain His covenant and secure the realization of His promise against all opposition from the sinful desires of earthly potentates. God’s promise to bring a child had been compromised, unwittingly, by Abimelech, and until Abimelech righted the situation, he and his house would not be able to do the very thing God had promised to Abraham and Sarah. (Genesis 20:17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Abimelech then had Abraham brought to him and asked him why he told people Sarah was his sister, thus bring him so much trouble. _____ Should Abraham have done what he did (v.9)? Genesis 20:14-18: Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. Abraham's life would have been as well protected without the fraud as with it: and what shame to himself, what distrust to God, what dishonor to religion might have been prevented! Then Abraham prays, and God heals Abimelech and his household. - The Birth of Isaac7. Abraham prays to God, and He lifts the plague that had affected Abimelech’s people. Abimelech desires Sarah, who is preserved by the Lord—Abraham prays for Abimelech, and the Lord blesses him and his household. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary20:14-18 We often trouble ourselves, and even are led into temptation and sin, by groundless suspicions; and find the fear of God where we expected it not. Then Abraham interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants so they could bear children, JPS Tanakh 1917. And Abraham prays to God, and God heals Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bear: return to 'Jump List' Contextual Overview 17 Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants, and they started having babies again. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare. Agreements to deceive generally end in shame and sorrow; and restraints from sin, though by suffering, should be thankfully acknowledged. Then Abraham prays for Abimelech, his wife and his concubines, and they are healed of their infertility. In king Abimelech we meet with a totally different character from that of Pharaoh. Today, we are going to read about Abraham’s encounter, with King Abimelech, while he is traveling between southern Palestine and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. Outline. He speaks directly to Sarah, saying that he has given Abraham 1000 pieces of silver for her exoneration and vindication. Abraham lies to Abimelech about Sarah, and Abimelech takes her. Map of the City of Gerar The Torah never explains why Abraham and Sarah travel to Gerar. If he gives her back and Abraham prays for him, he shall live. Because his wife and half-sister, Sarai (later called Sarah), is very beautiful, Abram asks her to say that she was only his sister lest the Egyptians kill him so that they can take her. The statement absolved him from the charge of direct and absolute falsehood, but he had told a moral untruth because there was an intention to deceive (compare Ge 12:11-13). It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. Abram (later called Abraham) moves to ancient Egypt in order to evade a famine. It is said that God had closed up the wombs of Sarah and the female slaves while Sarah was with the king, and now that Sarah has return the wombs are returned to normal. It was in this respect that the event possessed a typical significance in relation to the future attitude of Israel towards surrounding nations. God will lead you out of sin if you are truly seeking to avoid it. Abimelech does as he is directed. 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children. (17) Abraham prayed . The thoroughly distinctive character of this event is a decisive proof of the fallacy of any such critical conjecture. Abraham & Abimelech 1-20-16, Cont. ", 22. 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his family to be healed (Gen. 20:1-7) after the latter had unwittingly taken Abraham’s wife Sarah into his harem. 14. “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live.” (Gen 20:7) Often I am amazed and perplexed by the awesome power God has attributed and given to prayer. חמת chêmet "bottle," akin to חמה chāmâh, "surround, enclose," and הוּם chûm "black. Abraham then prays for Abimelech (17–18) 4. אשׁל 'êshel "grove;" ἄρουρα aroura, Septuagint. This precedes, we observe, his possession of even a foot-breadth of the soil, and is long antecedent to the entrance of his descendants as conquerors into the land of promise. Sarai thus becomes part of "Ph… אשׁל 'êshel "grove;" ἄρουρα aroura, Septuagint. ", 23. God warns Abimelech in a dream. The LORD had afflicted Abimelech’s household with infertility. נכד neked "progeny," perhaps "acquaintance," cognate with נגד ngd, "be before" (the eyes) and נקד nqd, "mark.". Before considering the prayers of these three great patriarchs, it might be helpful to discuss the parameters used to determine what is meant by a Abimelech gives Abraham many gifts (Gen 12.3) and Abraham prays for Abimelech. "They bare" means that they were again rendered capable of procreating children, and in the natural course of things did so. ; אילבה 'ı̂ylābâh, "a tree," Onkelos. This is the beginning of the fulfillment of the second part of the covenant with Abraham - that concerning the seed. He fears Abimelech and hides his marriage to Sarah with a lie. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 14:37 | Recorded on May 16, 2017. IV. 00:00 / 14:37. And Abraham, in spite of his natural weakness, and the consequent confusion which he manifested in the presence of the pious heathen, was exalted by the compassionate grace of God to the position of His own friend, so that even the heathen king, who seems to have been in the right in this instance, was compelled to bend before him and to seek the removal of the divine punishment, which had fallen upon him and his house, through the medium of his intercession. נכד neked "progeny," perhaps "acquaintance," cognate with נגד ngd, "be before" (the eyes) and נקד nqd, "mark."33. God tells him to go back to Abraham and have him offer a prayer on his behalf: an intercession. Abraham prays for Abimelech, and he is forgiven. Abraham prays for the king so that he will be forgiven, and leaves now a richer man. 3. Geneva Study BibleSo Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. "Let us speak truth every man to his neighbor" [Zec 8:16; Eph 4:25]. 1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. Maidservants.âNot the word rendered women-servants in Genesis 20:14, but one specially used of concubines. What will happen after Abraham prays for Abimelech (v.7)? (Colossians 1:17) OPENING THOUGHT . Abraham prays to God for Abimelech and his household to be healed. . Abraham’s group travels to Gerar. Abraham lied to Abimelech … Another Abimelech would later say to Abraham’s son Isaac, “We have certainly seen that the LORD is … As The Pulpit Commentary suggests, probably a sickness that was known to cause infertility had broken out in the king's palace. 1. The prophet of God, the great con man, Abraham, has swindled another king. פיכל pı̂ykol, Pikhol, "mouth or spokesman of all. _____ Who did Abimelech call (v.9)? 18 For The Lord had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah. ; אילבה 'ı̂ylābâh, "a tree," Onkelos.This chapter records the birth of Isaac with other concomitant circumstances. International Standard Version. [Today: Genesis 20] Abraham Deceives Abimelech. On arriving before the Pharaoh, the Egyptians recognise Sarai's beauty, and the Egyptian princes shower Abram with gifts of livestock and servants to gain her hand in marriage. Abraham’s intercessory prayer for Abimelech was a powerful testimony of the greatness of the One-true God. They are again able to bear children. This precedes, we observe, his possession of even a foot-breadth of the soil, and is long antecedent to the entrance of his descendants as conquerors into the land of promise.Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary12. READ: Genesis 20 . Abraham faces a renewed test of his trust in God's care when he migrates to the region controlled by King Abimelech. (14-18) Abimelech’s gift recompenses Sarah, and Abraham prays for him. In this situation, God did two things. "Honesty is always the best policy." and they bare children; cohabited and conceived, and bare and brought forth children, all which are comprehended in this expression. They honored the God of Abraham, altered their behavior, and were saved from judgment. Abraham prays for Abimelech. Yesterday, we saw how Abraham interceded for Lot and his family with the LORD; they were spared during the destruction of Sodom. Early in the morning, Abimelech told his servants of his vision and they became very afraid. The verb is in the masculine form, because both males and females were involved in this judicial malady. מלל mı̂lēl "speak," an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. This experience was not unique to Abraham. _____ What would happen to Abimelech if he did not restore her (v.7)? In chapter 20 of Genesis Abraham repeats the deception he perpetrated with Pharaoh in Egypt. Before we studied this passage in Genesis 20, I am going to spend a little time giving a you little biography of Abraham and his wife Sarah. Genesis 20 Images and Notes. If not, then he will die. 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and a Shur, and sojourned in b Gerar. Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. Though the Lord rebuke, yet he will pardon and deliver his people, and he will give them favour in the sight of those with whom they sojourn; and overrule their infirmities, when they are humbled for them, so that they shall prove useful to themselves and others.Barnes' Notes on the BibleThese verses record the fact of Abraham's intercession for Abimelek, and explain in what sense he was on the point of dying (Genesis 20:3). But if the divine names Elohim and Ha-Elohim indicate the true relation of God to Abimelech, and here also it was Jehovah who interposed for Abraham and preserved the mother of the promised seed, our narrative cannot be merely an Elohistic side-piece appended to the Jehovistic account in Genesis 12:14., and founded upon a fictitious legend. Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could have children. The prayer removes the curse (Gen 12.3). מלל mı̂lēl "speak," an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word.14. Episode 032: Genesis 20 – Abraham and AbimelechGenesis. 2017-05-16. This is the beginning of the fulfillment of the second part of the covenant with Abraham - that concerning the seed. — As Abimelech had now made very liberal compensation, it became the duty of Abraham to intercede for him. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the … Then they bore children; 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. 1X. healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Abimelech -- 'father is king', a Philistine name, also an Israelite name, Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Law: Genesis 20:17 Abraham prayed to God (Gen. Ge Gn). באר שׁבע beêr-sheba‛, Beer-sheba', "well of seven. The malady seems to have been one confined to Abimelech, as its object was to protect Sarah; but in some way it so affected the whole household as to produce general barrenness. _____ What did Abimelech accuse Abraham of bringing on his kingdom (v.9)? 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. פיכל pı̂ykol, Pikhol, "mouth or spokesman of all."23. and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants: who by reason of some disease were rendered unfit for and incapable of cohabitation with their husbands, and they with them; but upon Abraham's prayer for them, who was heard, they were healed, and the disorder removed; the Targum of Jonathan is,"his wife and concubines;". healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 7. Just as the Lord said, Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his household. Abimelech Restores sarah to Abraham (Genesis 20:14-16) Abraham Prays for Abimelech (Genesis 20:17-18) Summary 1 Abraham sojourneth at Gerar 2 Abraham denieth his wife, and loseth her 3 Abimelech is reproved for her in a dream 9 Abimelech rebuketh Abraham 14 Abimelech restoreth Sarah to Abraham 16 Abimelech reproveth Sarah 17 Abimelech is healed by Abraham's prayer. Abraham Sins to Save Himself. באר שׁבע beêr-sheba‛, Beer-sheba', "well of seven."22. 33. The first episode appears in Genesis 12:10–20. 17-18: Abraham then prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his slave girls, so that they bore children; for the LORD had closed fast every womb of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. 5. Abraham prays and God heals Abimelech and his whole house, which God had caused not to be able to bear children. And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” ḏū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralStrong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineageJump to PreviousAbimelech Abim'elech Abraham Bare Bore Children Female Girls Healed Healeth Maids Maidservants Maid-Servants Prayed Prayer Servants Slave Slaves Wife Women-ServantsJump to NextAbimelech Abim'elech Abraham Bare Bore Children Female Girls Healed Healeth Maids Maidservants Maid-Servants Prayed Prayer Servants Slave Slaves Wife Women-ServantsLinksGenesis 20:17 NIVGenesis 20:17 NLTGenesis 20:17 ESVGenesis 20:17 NASBGenesis 20:17 KJVGenesis 20:17 BibleApps.comGenesis 20:17 Biblia ParalelaGenesis 20:17 Chinese BibleGenesis 20:17 French BibleGenesis 20:17 Clyx QuotationsOT Law: Genesis 20:17 Abraham prayed to God (Gen. Ge Gn). Abraham is a blessing to this non-Jewish leader, in keeping with God’s people’s vocation: “through you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen 12:3). Story of Israel Click to enlarge. Matthew Poole's Commentary No text from Poole on this verse. Apart from the one point of agreement-the taking of Abraham's wife into the royal harem, because he said she was his sister in the hope of thereby saving his own life (an event, the repetition of which in the space of 24 years is by no means startling, when we consider the customs of the age) - all the more minute details are entirely different in the two cases. In auditory message dreams, God appears and sometimes startles the person awake. חמת chêmet "bottle," akin to חמה chāmâh, "surround, enclose," and הוּם chûm "black. Abraham prays for Abimelech’s wife and maids, who God had kept from getting pregnant until things were resolved with Sarah—and their wombs are opened. From this earlier encounter with Abraham, Abimelech had his own special insight into God’s blessing Abraham in everything that Abraham did. נין nı̂yn "offspring, kin;" related: "sprout, flourish." Here we see Abraham could not preach to Abimelech . Brief Summary: Abraham journeys to Gerar, Abimelech King of Gerar desires Sarah and she is preserved and protected by the Lord, Abraham intercedes for Abimelech, the Lord blesses Abimelech and his household. yet indeed she is my sister—(See on [8]Ge 11:31). What are we to learn from this […] . God forced Abimelech to acknowledge His sovereignty while underscoring His unique relationship with Abraham. We see in him a heathen imbued with a moral consciousness of right, and open to receive divine revelation, of which there is not the slightest trace in the king of Egypt. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSo Abraham prayed unto God,.... As the Lord had told Abimelech be would, Genesis 20:7; he might pray for the forgiveness of him and his wife, and might give thanks that Sarah had been restored to him; but chiefly it was on account of Abimelech and his family: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants: who by reason of some disease were rendered unfit for and incapable of cohabitation with their husbands, and they with them; but upon Abraham's prayer for them, who was heard, they were healed, and the disorder removed; the Targum of Jonathan is,"his wife and concubines;" and they bare children; cohabited and conceived, and bare and brought forth children, all which are comprehended in this expression. God had placed some form of curse on them, and his wife and the women of his slave girls could not have children. We see that sin was still sin in the … _____ What was the emotional reaction of the men (v.8)? He takes numerous gifts to Abraham and asks him to pray for his family. 2. _____ Who did Abimelech call (v.8)? From a cursed, pagan to the epitome of a faithful believer: that is the heart of Abraham’s story. And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please.”. In Matthew 5 : 44 , Jesus says pray for your enemies. Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. What a poor defense Abraham made. God heard Abraham’s pray and the household of Abimelech was healed. This chapter records the birth of Isaac with other concomitant circumstances. 18 For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. Maidservants. Genesis Chapter 20 . The name Yahweh is employed at the end of the chapter, because the relation of the Creator and Preserver to Sarah is there prominent. נין nı̂yn "offspring, kin;" related: "sprout, flourish." At the same time, God defends Abraham even in the midst of this moral failure. Then Abimelech takes sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves and gives them to Abraham, and also to Sarah. Genesis 20:14-18 Abraham Prays for Abimelech.