Genesis 20:11 Komentář

We are here returning to the story of Abraham; yet that part of it which is here recorded is not to his honour. The fairest marbles have their flaws, and, while there are spots in the sun, we must not expect any thing spotless under it. The scripture, it should be remarked, is impartial in relating the blemishes even of its most celebrated characters. We have here, I. Abraham's sin in denying his wife, and Abimelech's sin thereupon in taking her (Gen 20:1, Gen 20:2). II. God's discourse with Abimelech in a dream, upon this occasion, wherein he shows him his error (Gen 20:3), accepts his plea (Gen 20:4-6), and directs him to make restitution (Gen 20:7). III. Abimelech's discourse with Abraham, wherein he chides him for the cheat he had put upon him (Gen 20:8-10), and Abraham excuses it as well as he can (Gen 20:11-13). IV. The good issue of the story, in which Abimelech restores Abraham his wife (Gen 20:14-16), and Abraham, by prayer, prevails with God for the removal of the judgment Abimelech was under (Gen 20:17, Gen 20:18).

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 20 This chapter relates the removal of Abraham to Gerar, Gen 20:1; the king of Gerar's taking to him Sarah, whom Abraham had called his sister, Gen 20:2; who is rebuked of God for it in a dream, Gen 20:3; for which he makes an apology that is admitted, only he is ordered to restore to Abraham his wife, Gen 20:4; and accordingly early in the morning he called his servants, and acquainted them with what had happened, Gen 20:8; and then sent for Abraham, and expressed his resentment at his usage of him, Gen 20:9; which Abraham defended as well as he could, Gen 20:10; the issue of all which was, great kindness was shown to Abraham, and his wife restored to him, though with a reproof to her from the king, Gen 20:14; upon which Abraham prayed for the healing of Abimelech and his family, in which he was heard and answered, Gen 20:17.

And Abraham said,.... In defence of himself, as well as he could: because I thought; within himself, concluding from the general depravity of the Canaanites, that this was the case of the inhabitants of Gerar: surely the fear of God is not in this place; this is a certain truth, which he thought might be depended upon, and taken for granted, since so it was everywhere: or "only" (e), as the word used signifies; this was the only thing he had to plead, that he verily thought with himself that there was no true religion and godliness in Gerar: that the inhabitants of it were without any fear of God before their eyes, or in their hearts; and he knew, where this is the case, there is nothing to restrain from the commission of the grossest sins: and they will slay me for my wife's sake; that they might marry her, see Gen 12:12. (e) "tantum", Montanus; so Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Ben Melech.

Notice at this point, dearly beloved, the just man’s noble purpose in presenting them with a lesson in the knowledge of God under the guise of an explanation. “I said to myself, ‘Surely there is no respect for God in this place, and they will kill me on account of my wife.’ ” I was concerned, he is saying, that as a result of being still held in ignorance you would have no regard for justice, and so I made allowance for the fact that when you discovered she was my wife you would, out of lust, have wanted to kill me—that was the reason I did it. See how in a few words he takes them to task and at the same time teaches them that the person who has God uppermost in mind ought commit no crime but rather fear that unsleeping eye and in view of the heavy judgment impending from that source have regard for justice.

Abraham leaves Mamre, and, after having sojourned at Kadesh and Shur, settles in Gerar, Gen 20:1. Abimelech takes Sarah, Abraham having acknowledged her only as his sister, Gen 20:2. Abimelech is warned by God in a dream to restore Sarah, Gen 20:3. He asserts his innocence, Gen 20:4, Gen 20:5. He is farther warned, Gen 20:6, Gen 20:7. Expostulates with Abraham, Gen 20:8-10. Abraham vindicates his conduct, Gen 20:11-13. Abimelech restores Sarah, makes Abraham a present of sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves, Gen 20:14; offers him a residence in any part of the land, Gen 20:15; and reproves Sarah, Gen 20:16. At the intercession of Abraham, the curse of barrenness is removed from Abimelech and his household, Gen 20:17, Gen 20:18.

And Abraham said - The best excuse he could make for his conduct, which in this instance is far from defensible.

ABRAHAM'S DENIAL OF HIS WIFE. (Gen. 20:1-18) Abraham journeyed from thence . . . and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur--Leaving the encampment, he migrated to the southern border of Canaan. In the neighborhood of Gerar was a very rich and well-watered pasture land.

And Abraham said . . . I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place--From the horrible vices of Sodom he seems to have taken up the impression that all other cities of Canaan were equally corrupt. There might have been few or none who feared God, but what a sad thing when men of the world show a higher sense of honor and a greater abhorrence of crimes than a true worshipper!

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham removed from the grove of Mamre at Hebron to the south country, hardly from the same fear as that which led Lot from Zoar, but probably to seek for better pasture. Here he dwelt between Kadesh (Gen 14:7) and Shur (Gen 16:7), and remained for some time in Gerar, a place the name of which has been preserved in the deep and broad Wady Jurf el Gerr (i.e., torrent of Gerar) about eight miles S.S.E. of Gaza, near to which Rowland discovered the ruins of an ancient town bearing the name of Khirbet el Gerr. Here Abimelech, the Philistine king of Gerar, like Pharaoh in Egypt, took Sarah, whom Abraham had again announced to be his sister, into his harem, - not indeed because he was charmed with the beauty of the woman of 90, which was either renovated, or had not yet faded (Kurtz), but in all probability "to ally himself with Abraham, the rich nomad prince" (Delitzsch). From this danger, into which the untruthful statement of both her husband and herself had brought her, she was once more rescued by the faithfulness of the covenant God. In a dream by night God appeared to Abimelech, and threatened him with death (מת הנּך en te moriturum) on account of the woman, whom he had taken, because she was married to a husband.