Genesis Chapter 20
(verse 20:1 [KJV])
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
- The last thing Abraham was seen doing is watching Sodom and Gomorrah burn to ashes.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
- Abraham: Suffers from R.K.S. Repetitive Knucklehead Syndrome
- Apparently Sarah is still a very good looking woman, even at her age!
- Some things never change. This is a repeat of Egypt.
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.
- This is where we get the phrase, "Yer a dead man!"
- This time God does not plague the household. He simply threatens Abimelech with death
- God does not even tell Abimelech whose wife she is. Because in adultery it does not matter whose wife, just that it is someone's
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
- Abimelech talks right to the LORD
- This is the same sort of plea that Abraham did with Sodom and Gomorrah
- He knew that his death was the end of Gerar, or God also meant and said that afterwards, the consequences of this sin would spread to all of Gerar.
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.
- This time it appears that Sarah is conspiring in this lie also, not considering that perhaps Abimelech would take her to be his wife.
- The last time we are told only Abraham said she was his sister
(Genesis 12:19 [KJV])
Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
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.
- Mercy is extended to Abimelech
- It shows that there was no way of knowing outside of the LORD telling him that Sarah was Abraham's wife
- The Glory is all God's, again.
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.
- Abraham is called a prophet here. He never told the future, which indicates that this is simply one who speaks the Word of God.
- Abraham is also being called to pray for Abimelech, even though God promised that he would not die if he returned Sarah to Abraham
- We are called to prayer to talk to God and agree with Him and His Will.
- This is why in verse 4 he said, "wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?"
He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
(verse 20:8 [KJV])
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.
- The fear of death has a way of waking people up sometimes.
- This conversation with God apparently was at night, when he would have laid down with Sarah to have relations
- He probably did not sleep well through the night.
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?
- Very similar to Pharaoh's response
- The What and the Why, and then the "Get out!"
- God is rebuking Abraham through Abimelech. He can use anyone!
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
(verse 20:11 [KJV])
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.
- He basically tells Abimelech that he knows the culture of stealing the wife, killing the husband.
- This was apparently a widespread custom and common knowledge then.
- Last time he was simply caught and told to leave.
- This time he has to explain his reasoning to his accuser-then leave!
- His reason is at least the same as the first time
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
(verse 20:12 [KJV])
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.
- "You're right! She is my sister, but only my half sister."
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.
- The kindness is that Sarah is to lie and (if God does not intervene) expose herself to Abimelech's advances
- The kindness of Abraham is to ask this of her........
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
- The same end result as with Egypt.
- Mercifully, God in His Sovereign Future Plan for Israel lets Abraham go unscathed............again.
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
- Again, this has to be from God, since Abraham has done so much damage to his own reputation that, without God, he himself would be "a dead man"
(verse 20:16 [KJV])
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.
This is not turned down by Abraham, maybe because he felt so bad, or was embarrassed or ashamed or even afraid.
(verse 20:17 [KJV])
So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
- God is merciful and gracious. He healed Abimelech's house and gave him children. This may have been an additional reason why Abimelech took Sarah as his wife. He could not have children with his current wife.
- This shows that Abimelech was obedient and either did ask Abraham to pray for him, or God simply laid it upon Abraham's heart to pray for him. " and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live" (v.7)
For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
- The consequences of sin are often widespread to others innocent of that sin.
- This model is throughout Scripture, cover to cover.
