seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 20:20 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
This is from the easy English commentary.
We do not know why Abraham went to live somewhere else. Maybe he felt too close to the place where the cities called Sodom and Gomorrah had been. God had destroyed those cities. The ash and other substances that came from there probably affected a large area. Maybe those substances spoiled the land where Abraham’s animals ate grass. He went south to live just outside Canaan.
Abraham was again afraid. So he said that Sarah was his sister. Abraham had done that in Egypt too (Genesis chapter 12). He did not think about the trouble that it might cause to other people. The punishment for adultery was death. Abimelech did not belong to the nation that God had specially chosen. But God showed his mercy to Abimelech. God spoke to him in a dream. God warned him in that way. Abimelech did not sin, because God prevented him. Therefore God did not make him die.
Abimelech acted very well. He said that he was innocent. He said that his people were innocent. He did not get angry and he did not blame Abraham too severely. Abimelech respected Abraham because Abraham was a prophet.
Although Sarah was now old, she was still beautiful. Abraham was afraid that someone might kill him in order to marry Sarah. So, Abraham and Sarah pretended that they were not married.
Abraham was again afraid. So he said that Sarah was his sister. Abraham had done that in Egypt too (Genesis chapter 12). He did not think about the trouble that it might cause to other people. The punishment for adultery was death. Abimelech did not belong to the nation that God had specially chosen. But God showed his mercy to Abimelech. God spoke to him in a dream. God warned him in that way. Abimelech did not sin, because God prevented him. Therefore God did not make him die.
Abimelech acted very well. He said that he was innocent. He said that his people were innocent. He did not get angry and he did not blame Abraham too severely. Abimelech respected Abraham because Abraham was a prophet.
Although Sarah was now old, she was still beautiful. Abraham was afraid that someone might kill him in order to marry Sarah. So, Abraham and Sarah pretended that they were not married.
