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The Abimelech

Chapter 20

Abraham left the promised land again, after living in Mamre for about 20 years, went to the southwest, the way of Egypt and established his residence in Gerar: a region inhabited by the Philistines, whose kings were called Abimelech ( my-father-a king , or father-of-a king). Reportedly, it was an area of good pasture at the time.

Between Abraham and Sarah there was an agreement, imposed by Abraham before they left  Ur (v.13): everywhere they went, Sarah was to say that she was the sister of Abraham - which was true, because they had the same father. The fact that they were husband and wife should not be disclosed, so as not to incur the risk of Abraham being killed because of Sarah (she was evidently very beautiful and desirable). As she was childless, she could pass for a spinster, and being sterile, there was no danger of bearing children outside her marriage.

In the opinion of Abraham, this would be a necessary sacrifice to save his own life. It happened in Egypt, and they did well (although Pharaoh and his house had suffered great plagues because of them - 12:17). But let us remember that, during all this time, God did not give them the promised son: could it possibly be because of this deal? Sara was now almost ninety years old but she was still attractive, and out of fear Abraham again used this ruse to protect them from Abimelech.

This was not, however, pleasing to God and when Abimelech sent for Sarah to make her his wife, God immediately intervened, warning him in dreams at night that Sarah was a married woman, and that therefore he was a dead man (some translations read you will be put to death): before God, he was already dead. It is the situation of the sinner who has not been redeemed, before God.

The Abimelech protested his innocence and sincerity, and asks “Lord, will you slay a righteous nation also?” He knew, no doubt, what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah and now feared for his own people, because people suffer the consequences of the acts of their leaders (2 Samuel 24:10-17).

God, being compassionate, then showed him that this was why He was warning him before he touched her. Abimelech's life was at stake: if he restored Sarah, Abraham would intercede for him as a prophet and he would live. But if he did not return her, he would die, with all that was his.

This is the first occurrence of the word prophet (Hebrew nabi originates from a verb meaning bubbling, like a fountain) in the Bible: the prophet proclaimed the message given to him by a superior, speaking as an intermediary; this means, in the Bible, a person who transmits a message from God, speaking in His name and with His authority (Exodus 7:1); it is the mouth through which God speaks to men (Jeremiah 1:9), so what he says does not come from him but from God (2 Peter 1:20-21). All writers of the books of the Bible, therefore, were prophets, and this ministry ceased to exist when the last book, Revelation, was written (Revelation 22:18-19, I Corinthians 13:8-10).

The Abimelech acted immediately, at dawn, waking up all his servants and telling them everything, and calling Abraham before him and berating him for bringing great sin on him and his kingdom. Even Abimelech knew that adultery is a very grave sin, and the sinner is one who commits it with a wife of another man: her husband, Abraham in this case, is not guilty.

Abraham then confessed to Abimelech that he feared there was no fear of God in that place and that they would kill him because of his wife. (He had not been trusting God!). He must have been surprised to discover that Abimelech had a good understanding of what is right and what is wrong.

The Abimelech not only returned Sarah to her husband, but also gave him servants and animals and allowed him to live anywhere in the land, showing how Abraham had been mistaken as to his person - perhaps also frightened by the intervention of the LORD. Abimelech also gave him a thousand pieces of silver (at the time this was the price of 33 slaves) as compensation for that had happened to Sara, thus justifying her (it was proof to everyone that she was innocent).

It was customary, when returning something that had been stolen, to add compensation. This was incorporated in the Mosaic Law that required compensation equivalent to one fifth of the value of what  is restored (Leviticus 6:5).

Abraham, as the LORD had foretold, then prayed for Abimelech, and he was healed, and his wife and servants, who He had made sterile because of Sarah. The justice of God demanded that Abraham, from whom Abimelech had taken Sarah, to forgive him for this outrage and to intercede for him before God would remove the punishment.

Likewise God healed Miriam, punished because she had defied Moses, after Moses interceded and forgave her for it (Numbers 12:13). So also God reconciled himself with Job's friends when he, the victim, prayed for them (Job 42:8-10). As we read in James 5:16: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

 

R David Jones

 

1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

 

2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife."
4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
5 Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this."
6 And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid.
9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I offended 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."
10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?"
11 And Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.
12 But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, "He is my brother."
14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him.
15 And Abimelech said, "See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you."
16 Then to Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody." Thus she was rebuked.
17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;
Gen 20:18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Genesis chapter 20