1Abraham sojourneth at Gerar, and denieth his wife; Abimelech taketh her, but is reproved of God in a dream, and commanded to restore her. 9He rebuketh Abraham, who excuseth himself. 14Sarah is restored with presents after a gentle reproof. 17Abimelech and his house are healed at Abraham's prayer.
1AND Abraham journeyed 1from thence 2toward the south country, and dwelled between 3Kadesh and 4Shur, and sojourned in 5Gerar.
1 Namely, from the oak-bushes or the plains of Mamre, by Hebron. See Gen. 13:18 and 14:13 and 18:1.
2 Hebron and Mamre were indeed situated in the south end of Palestine, but Abraham removed more southerly for reasons not mentioned in the Holy Scriptures.
3 See Gen. 14:7.
4 See Gen. 16:7.
5 A city situated in the south borders of Canaan, not far from Beer-sheba and Ziklag. See Gen. 10:19; 26:1 and 2 Chron. 14:13.
2And Abraham 6said of Sarah his wife, Sheais my sister: and 7Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
6 Namely, out of the same fear, as had seized on him before in his travel to Egypt. See Gen. 11:29; 12:13, and below in verse 12.
a Gen. 12:13; 26:7.
7 This name is held to have been common to the kings of that country; even as the name of Pharaoh in Egypt. See Gen. 12:15. Compare Gen. 26:1 and see Psalm 34 in the title.
3But God came to Abimelech 8in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, 9thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
8 God revealed Himself in former times by dreams, not only to His own, but also to those who were none of His people, and that in the behalf and for the good of His people. See Gen. 28:12; 31:24, 40:8; 41:1; Dan. 2:1; 4:2.
9 Other, thou goest to die, that is, thou shalt die presently, if thou doest not immediately restore this woman untouched. Compare verse 7 and see the like phrase, Gen. 30:1; 48:21 and 50:24.
4But Abimelech had not 10come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a 11righteous 12nation?
10 That is, he had not lain with her. This phrase is synonymous with knowing a woman, Gen. 4:1; going in to a woman, Gen. 6:4; or, to touch a woman, Prov. 6:29; 1 Cor. 7:1, and in verse 6. Understand that he was hindered by God through sickness. See verses 6, 17.
11 That is, innocent and guiltless in this matter. Compare 2 Sam. 4:11.
12 That is, not only those of my own family, as verse 17, but also others of my subjects, as verse 9.
5Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: 13in the integrity of my heart and innocency of 14my hands have I done this.
13 That is, in this matter my heart is clear from any adulterous purpose, and my body from any unchaste action. Thus the inward and outward innocence and sincerity, either in general of the whole behavior of the godly, or in particular of anything or any action is expressed elsewhere also, as 1 Kings 9:4; 1 Chron. 29:17; Psalm 24:4; 73:13; 78:72; 101:2.
14 Hebr. palms, or, the hollow of my hands. See Job 17:9.
6And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that 15thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee 16from sinning against me: therefore 17suffered I thee not to touch her.
15 Hereby God does not mean to pronounce him guiltless altogether in the taking of Sarah away, but only in regard of the purpose and act of adultery. Even a very single unfeigned purpose in a bad action, but proceeding out of inconsiderateness or ignorance, is expressed in such terms as in 2 Sam. 15:11; 1 Kings 22:34, and 2 Chron. 18:33.
16 The trespass against Sarah and Abraham God reckons as done to Himself. Compare Psalm 51:4; 105:14, 15; Acts 9:5.
17 Hebr. given.
7Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is 18a prophet, and 19he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and 20all that are thine.
18 That is, a man of God, of singular knowledge and piety, to whom I do freely reveal Myself, and whom I love and cherish very much.
19 Or, let him pray for thee.
20 Or, all that are thine.
8Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his 21servants, and told all these 22things 23in their ears: and the men 24were sore afraid.
21 Understand his counselors, officers, and principal courtiers. Also 1 Kings 1:2; 10:5; 2 Kings 6:8; 2 Chron. 24:25.
22 Or, matters, namely, that happened to him in the dream. Likewise verse 10 and Gen. 24:66, etc.
23 That is, that they heard them.
24 As having advanced the taking away of Sarah for their king’s service. Compare Gen. 12:15.
9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom 25a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me 26that ought not to be done.
25 That is, you would by your inconsiderateness have brought over us all the great sin of adultery and the punishments thereof. It is remarkable that this heathen king, even in those days (before the time of the law), did hold adultery to be such an abominable sin, that his entire kingdom might have justly suffered for his sake. See Gen. 38:24; Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22; 2 Sam. 12:5, 10, 11; Jer. 29:22. 23; Ezek. 16:38, 40; 23:45, 47; John 8:5.
26 That is, which are unwarranted and improper. See the same manner of speech Gen. 34:7; Lev. 4:2, 13.
10And Abimelech said unto Abraham, 27What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
27 Or, what hast thou looked into, or, observed, that moved you thus to deal with me?
11And Abraham said, Because 28I thought, 29Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my 30wife’s sake.
28 Hebr. I said, that is, I thought. Thus the word say is taken for the word think, Exod. 2:14; Joshua 22:24; 1 Kings 5:5; 2 Chron. 2:1; Isa. 8:12; Acts 7:28.
29 As if he would have said, here is a goodly country indeed, and plenty of all things, but the fear of God is direly wanting. Other, sure there is no fear.
30 Hebr. for the matter of my wife.
12And yet indeed she is my sister; 31she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
31 See Gen. 11 on verse 29.
13And it came to pass, when 32God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at 33every place whither we shall come, sayb of me, He is my brother.
32 Although the name of God ELOHIM, being of the plural number, is commonly joined with a verb in the singular, signifying the unity of the Divine Essence, nevertheless here it is also joined with a plural verb, (as some scholars do judge) to signify the Trinity of the Persons. Hebr. when ELOHIM did me wander. See the same manner of speech, Gen. 35:7; Joshua 24:19; 2 Sam. 7:23; Psalm 58:11; Jer. 10:10.
33 Hereby Abraham seems to imply that, departing from his father’s house, he doubted much whether he would find any fear of God among any people where he was to come; so that those of Gerar should not be concerned themselves particularly with this remark.
b Gen. 12:13.
1434And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
34 This, together with the previous and following passages, is a remarkable courtesy in a heathen king, having proceeded from God’s discretion and government.
15And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is 35before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
35 That is, open for you, for your good. Pharaoh did otherwise, Gen. 12:19, 20. See Gen. 13 on verse 9.
16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given 36thy brother a 37thousand pieces of silver:c behold, he is to 38thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with 39all other: 40thus she was reproved.
36 Herewith he reminds Sarah covertly that she had given occasion herself to this mischief by saying that Abraham was her brother.
37 Hebr. a thousand silvers, that is, according to the common opinion, a thousand shekels of silver, or silverlings. And the shekel being two-fold: the civil, in value somewhat more than the fourth part of a rix-dollar, and the other, of the sanctuary, of double weight. It is perceived that here the common or civil shekel is to be understood; these thousand silverlings amounting, by that account to somewhat more than two hundred and fifty rix-dollars.
c (Heb. keseph; Gr. argurion) $0.16 or £0.11: (a different Hebrew word used in Joshua 24:32; different Greek word in Luke 15:8)
38 That is, acknowledge freely hereafter that he is your lawful husband and cover your face, in token that you are a married woman; and that consequently he is the shield and defense of your chastity. See of this covering of the face of women, Gen. 24:65; 1 Cor. 11:10. Other, let it be for a cover to thee, etc., namely, the money is given you to buy such a cover.
39 That is, not only with and among these who associate with you, but also among the strangers.
40 That is, let it be a lesson and a warning to you to be more circumspect hereafter; or, and all this, that thou mayest be taught. Some take this, as Moses’ words, in this way: thus she was reproved.
17¶So 41Abraham prayed unto God: and God 42healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; 43and they bare children.
41 See verse 7.
42 So that he did not die of this sickness, as God the LORD had threatened him, verses 3 and 7.
43 That is, were able to bear and bring forth children. See the next verse.
18For the LORD had 44fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, 45because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
44 Hebr. had shutting shut over every womb, that is, He had made them barren. See this phrase 1 Sam. 5:6; on the contrary the opening of the womb implies the gift of fruitfulness, Gen. 29:31.
45 Hebr. for the matter of Sarah.