Genesis 20: Abraham's Fear and God's Faithfulness
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
Then 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 a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
And it came to pass, when God 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 every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
Genesis 20 recounts a familiar and unsettling episode in the life of Abraham, echoing the events of Genesis 12. After the significant events and promises of the preceding chapters, Abraham moves south of Gaza to Gerar, finding himself in a situation that tests his faith and reveals God's unwavering commitment to His covenant.
A Repetition of History (Genesis 20:1-2)
Just as he did in Egypt years prior (Genesis 12:10-20), Abraham, driven by fear, resorts to deception. He tells Abimelech, the king of Gerar, that Sarah is his sister, a half-truth rooted in the fact that they shared the same father but different mothers (Genesis 20:12). Perhaps Abraham believed that presenting Sarah as his sister would allow him to control any marriage proposals, but this plan backfires. Despite her advanced age of ninety, Sarah’s beauty still captivates Abimelech, who takes her into his household (Genesis 20:2).
This act mirrors Abraham's earlier lack of faith in God's protection in Egypt. It highlights a recurring pattern in Abraham's life where fear overrides his trust in God's promises.
God's Intervention and Abimelech's Integrity (Genesis 20:3-8)
God, in His faithfulness and mercy, intervenes to protect His promise to Abraham and Sarah of a natural-born heir. He appears to Abimelech in a dream, revealing the truth about Sarah's marital status and warning him of the consequences of taking another man's wife (Genesis 20:3). Furthermore, God "closed the wombs" of all the women in Abimelech's household (Genesis 20:18), demonstrating His power and control over the situation.
Abimelech responds with integrity, asserting that he was unaware of Sarah's true relationship with Abraham and had not yet approached her (Genesis 20:4-5). God acknowledges Abimelech's innocence and instructs him to return Sarah to Abraham. God also tells Abimelech that Abraham is a prophet who can intercede on his behalf. If Abimelech complies, Abraham will pray for them, and Abimelech and his household will live. Otherwise, they will all face dire consequences (Genesis 20:7).
It's noteworthy that Abraham is referred to as a prophet here (Genesis 20:7). Despite his sin, he remains God's chosen spokesman. However, the contrast between Abraham's deceptive actions and Abimelech's upright behavior is striking. An "unbelieving king" rebukes God's prophet, which should have been a humbling experience for Abraham.
Abraham's Explanation and Abimelech's Response (Genesis 20:9-16)
Abimelech confronts Abraham about his deception, demanding an explanation for his actions (Genesis 20:9-10). Abraham defends himself by claiming that he feared for his life, believing that someone would kill him to take Sarah (Genesis 20:11). He then reveals the "half-truth" about their familial connection (Genesis 20:12). This answer exposes Abraham's continued lack of trust in God's ability to protect him and Sarah, despite God's repeated demonstrations of faithfulness.
Abimelech, acting with generosity and a desire to right the wrong, returns Sarah to Abraham, along with gifts of livestock, servants, choice land, and a substantial sum of silver (Genesis 20:14-16). These gifts serve as a testament to Sarah's innocence and an attempt to restore her reputation.
Healing and Restoration (Genesis 20:17-18)
Abraham, in his role as a prophet, prays to God on behalf of Abimelech and his household. God answers Abraham's prayer, healing Abimelech, his wife, and the other women in his household, restoring their ability to bear children (Genesis 20:17-18). This act of healing underscores God's mercy and His commitment to restoring what was broken.
God's Unwavering Covenant
Abraham's actions before Abimelech were more dangerous than he probably realized. God had just promised to open Sarah’s womb and let her conceive. The promise of a child, which Abraham and Sarah had been waiting on for twenty-five years, was on the cusp of fulfillment, but Abraham nearly threw it away. God himself had to intervene dramatically, threatening death to Abimelech (Genesis 20:7) and closing the wombs of Abimelech’s entire household (Genesis 20:18) to keep his covenant intact. Soon, just as promised (Genesis 17:15–16), Sarah will bear a child of her own (Genesis 21:1–2).
Genesis 20 highlights the tension between human fallibility and divine faithfulness. Despite Abraham's repeated failures, God remains committed to His covenant. This chapter serves as a reminder that God's promises are not contingent upon our perfect obedience but are grounded in His unwavering character and His sovereign plan. It is a testament to God's mercy, grace, and power to work through flawed individuals to accomplish His purposes.
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
Then 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 a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
And it came to pass, when God 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 every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
Genesis 20 recounts a familiar and unsettling episode in the life of Abraham, echoing the events of Genesis 12. After the significant events and promises of the preceding chapters, Abraham moves south of Gaza to Gerar, finding himself in a situation that tests his faith and reveals God's unwavering commitment to His covenant.
A Repetition of History (Genesis 20:1-2)
Just as he did in Egypt years prior (Genesis 12:10-20), Abraham, driven by fear, resorts to deception. He tells Abimelech, the king of Gerar, that Sarah is his sister, a half-truth rooted in the fact that they shared the same father but different mothers (Genesis 20:12). Perhaps Abraham believed that presenting Sarah as his sister would allow him to control any marriage proposals, but this plan backfires. Despite her advanced age of ninety, Sarah’s beauty still captivates Abimelech, who takes her into his household (Genesis 20:2).
This act mirrors Abraham's earlier lack of faith in God's protection in Egypt. It highlights a recurring pattern in Abraham's life where fear overrides his trust in God's promises.
God's Intervention and Abimelech's Integrity (Genesis 20:3-8)
God, in His faithfulness and mercy, intervenes to protect His promise to Abraham and Sarah of a natural-born heir. He appears to Abimelech in a dream, revealing the truth about Sarah's marital status and warning him of the consequences of taking another man's wife (Genesis 20:3). Furthermore, God "closed the wombs" of all the women in Abimelech's household (Genesis 20:18), demonstrating His power and control over the situation.
Abimelech responds with integrity, asserting that he was unaware of Sarah's true relationship with Abraham and had not yet approached her (Genesis 20:4-5). God acknowledges Abimelech's innocence and instructs him to return Sarah to Abraham. God also tells Abimelech that Abraham is a prophet who can intercede on his behalf. If Abimelech complies, Abraham will pray for them, and Abimelech and his household will live. Otherwise, they will all face dire consequences (Genesis 20:7).
It's noteworthy that Abraham is referred to as a prophet here (Genesis 20:7). Despite his sin, he remains God's chosen spokesman. However, the contrast between Abraham's deceptive actions and Abimelech's upright behavior is striking. An "unbelieving king" rebukes God's prophet, which should have been a humbling experience for Abraham.
Abraham's Explanation and Abimelech's Response (Genesis 20:9-16)
Abimelech confronts Abraham about his deception, demanding an explanation for his actions (Genesis 20:9-10). Abraham defends himself by claiming that he feared for his life, believing that someone would kill him to take Sarah (Genesis 20:11). He then reveals the "half-truth" about their familial connection (Genesis 20:12). This answer exposes Abraham's continued lack of trust in God's ability to protect him and Sarah, despite God's repeated demonstrations of faithfulness.
Abimelech, acting with generosity and a desire to right the wrong, returns Sarah to Abraham, along with gifts of livestock, servants, choice land, and a substantial sum of silver (Genesis 20:14-16). These gifts serve as a testament to Sarah's innocence and an attempt to restore her reputation.
Healing and Restoration (Genesis 20:17-18)
Abraham, in his role as a prophet, prays to God on behalf of Abimelech and his household. God answers Abraham's prayer, healing Abimelech, his wife, and the other women in his household, restoring their ability to bear children (Genesis 20:17-18). This act of healing underscores God's mercy and His commitment to restoring what was broken.
God's Unwavering Covenant
Abraham's actions before Abimelech were more dangerous than he probably realized. God had just promised to open Sarah’s womb and let her conceive. The promise of a child, which Abraham and Sarah had been waiting on for twenty-five years, was on the cusp of fulfillment, but Abraham nearly threw it away. God himself had to intervene dramatically, threatening death to Abimelech (Genesis 20:7) and closing the wombs of Abimelech’s entire household (Genesis 20:18) to keep his covenant intact. Soon, just as promised (Genesis 17:15–16), Sarah will bear a child of her own (Genesis 21:1–2).
Genesis 20 highlights the tension between human fallibility and divine faithfulness. Despite Abraham's repeated failures, God remains committed to His covenant. This chapter serves as a reminder that God's promises are not contingent upon our perfect obedience but are grounded in His unwavering character and His sovereign plan. It is a testament to God's mercy, grace, and power to work through flawed individuals to accomplish His purposes.