Abraham and Abimelech

Genesis 20

1 And Abraham journeyed from a there to the South, and dwelt between b Kadesh and Shur, and c stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, d "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and e took Sarah. 3 But f God came to Abimelech g in a dream by night, and said to him, h "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is 1 a man's wife." 4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, i 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.' j In the 2 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 k I also withheld you from sinning l against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 "Now therefore, restore the man's wife; m for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, n know that you shall surely die, you o 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 3 offended you, p that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me q 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 r the fear of God is not in this place; and s they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 "But indeed t 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 u 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, v say of me, "He is my brother." '

14 Then Abimelech w 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, x 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; y indeed this 4 vindicates you z before all who are with you and before everybody." Thus she was 5 rebuked. 17 So Abraham a prayed to God; and God b healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the LORD c had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 18:1
    Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 12:9
    So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
    Genesis 16:7
    Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
    Genesis 16:14
    Therefore the well was called Beer La-hai' Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 26:1
    There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
    Genesis 26:6
    So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 12:11 - 13
    And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance.
    Genesis 26:7
    And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, " She is my wife," because he thought, "lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 12:15
    The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 105:14
    He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes.
  7. Cross References
    Job 33:15
    In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 20:7
    "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."
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 18:23 - 25
    And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
    Numbers 16:22
    Then they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?
  10. Cross References
    1 Kings 9:4
    Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments.
    2 Kings 20:3
    Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
    Psalms 7:8
    The LORD shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.
    Psalms 26:6
    I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O LORD.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 31:7
    Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
    Genesis 35:5
    And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
    Exodus 34:24
    For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year.
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, since the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal.
    1 Samuel 25:34
    "For indeed, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!"
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 39:9
    " There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
    2 Samuel 12:13
    So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:5
    And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.
    2 Kings 5:11
    But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.
    Job 42:8
    "Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has."
    James 5:14
    Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
    James 5:15
    And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 2:17
    "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 16:32
    And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.
    Numbers 16:33
    So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 26:10
    And Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.
    Genesis 39:9
    " There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
    Exodus 32:21
    And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?
    Joshua 7:25
    And Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 34:7
    And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, a thing which ought not to be done.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 42:18
    Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God:
    Nehemiah 5:15
    But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
    Psalms 36:1
    An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.
    Proverbs 16:6
    In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 12:12
    Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.
    Genesis 26:7
    And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, " She is my wife," because he thought, "lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 11:29
    Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah.
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 12:1 - 9
    Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.
    Genesis 12:11
    And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance.
    Hebrews 11:8
    By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
  22. Cross References
    Genesis 12:13
    "Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you."
    Genesis 20:5
    "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."
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 12:16
    He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 13:9
    " Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."
    Genesis 34:10
    "So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it."
    Genesis 47:6
    "The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock."
  25. Cross References
    Genesis 26:11
    So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, "He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
  26. Cross References
    Malachi 2:9
    "Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base Before all the people, Because you have not kept My ways But have shown partiality in the law."
  27. Cross References
    Numbers 12:13
    So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "Please heal her, O God, I pray!
    Numbers 21:7
    Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
    Job 42:9
    So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job.
    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.
  28. Cross References
    Genesis 21:2
    For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
  29. Cross References
    Genesis 12:17
    But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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