Genesis 20:15 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 Abimelech said, behold, my whole land is before thee,.... Instead of bidding him be gone, and sending him away in haste out of his country, as the king of Egypt did in a like case, he solicits his stay in it; and to encourage him to it, makes an offer of his whole kingdom to him, to choose which part of it he would to dwell in: dwell where it pleaseth thee; if there was anyone part of it better than another, or more convenient for him, his family and his flocks, he was welcome to it.

Do you see, dearly beloved, God’s inventive wisdom? I mean, the man who was fearful of death and took every means to be able to avoid it, not only did avoid it but was granted as well great confidence and became immediately famous. This, you see, is the way things are with God. Not only does he deliver from distress those who make every effort to strive boldly against the onset of temptation, but also he guarantees them such serenity in this very distress that we have complete tranquillity and achieve great material prosperity. See now the attention of the king to the just man. Not only does he show his regard with so many gifts, but also he grants him the right to occupy the land. “ ‘Behold,’ he said, ‘my land is before you; settle wherever you please.’ ” You see, once he had learned that it was on his account and through his prayers that his life had been spared, he was anxious now to shower attention in this way on him, as a benefactor and champion, the man who was a stranger, a vagabond, one completely unknown.

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.

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.

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.