Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Genesis 20

World English Bible

WEB

1Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar. 2Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.” 4Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.” 6God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.” 8Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?” 11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” 14Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him. 15Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.” 17Abraham prayed to God. So God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children. 18For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Genesis Chapter 20 recounts a significant episode in the life of Abraham, where he once again encounters a situation that tests his faith and integrity. In this chapter, Abraham travels to Gerar, where he introduces Sarah, his wife, as his sister. This act of deception stems from Abraham's fear that the men of Gerar would kill him to take Sarah, who was beautiful. This mirrors a previous incident in Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20), highlighting Abraham's recurring struggle with fear and trust in God's protection. The chapter emphasizes the importance of honesty and the consequences of deceit, even when motivated by fear.

God intervenes by revealing the truth to Abimelech, the king of Gerar, in a dream. God warns Abimelech that he is a dead man because he has taken Sarah, who is already married. Abimelech, who had not approached Sarah, pleads his innocence, and God acknowledges his integrity, allowing him to return Sarah to Abraham. This divine intervention underscores God's sovereignty and His commitment to protecting the covenant promise made to Abraham.

After returning Sarah, Abimelech confronts Abraham about his deception, leading to a moment of accountability. Abraham explains his actions, citing fear for his life. In response, Abimelech provides Abraham with sheep, cattle, and servants, and allows him to settle in the land. The chapter concludes with God healing Abimelech and his household, which had been afflicted due to the situation with Sarah. This narrative illustrates God's faithfulness to His promises and His ability to work through human failures to fulfill His divine plan. The chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of trust in God and the consequences of our actions, even when we may feel justified in our fears.

#Abraham #Sarah #Abimelech #Gerar #DivineIntervention #Faith #Deception

Study

12 of 14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. Genesis 12:13v2Genesis 12:13 shows Abram asking Sarai to say she is his sister, a situation that repeats in Genesis 20:2 with Abimelech, illustrating themes of fear and protection.
  2. Genesis 31:24v3In Genesis 31:24, God warns Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob. Similarly, in Genesis 20:3, God warns Abimelech in a dream regarding Sarah, showing God's intervention to protect His chosen ones.
  3. Psalms 105:15v3Psalm 105:15 refers to God's protection of His anointed, as seen when God warns Abimelech in a dream not to harm Abraham in Genesis 20:3.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights