Genesis chapter 20
Abraham and Sarah at Gerar. The LORD God appears in a dream. Abraham ministers as a prophet. Abraham administers healing.
ABRAHAM AND SARAH AT GERAR
VERSE 1. Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
VERSE 2. Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
THE LORD GOD APPEARS IN A DREAM
VERSE 3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.”
in a dream of the night. In ancient times, the LORD God sometimes made his guidance known to people in their dreams. Even today, this is still possible for the all-powerful LORD God. Read more »
VERSE 4. Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
VERSE 5. Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
VERSE 6. God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her.
ABRAHAM MINISTERS AS A PROPHET
VERSE 7. Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”
prophet. The Hebrew word is נָבִיא (“nabi”). It means one who speaks on behalf of another.
In this verse, it is Abraham who is a prophet. As a prophet, he will pray for Abimelech.
This is the first time the Bible mentions a prophet. Perhaps prophets had not existed until this point in the narrative.
Genesis 24:7. The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
VERSE 8. Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
VERSE 9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against 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!”
VERSE 10. Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”
VERSE 11. Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’
VERSE 12. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
VERSE 13. When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”
VERSE 14. Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
VERSE 15. Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.”
VERSE 16. To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”
a thousand pieces of silver. That is, about 25 pounds.
ABRAHAM ADMINISTERS HEALING
VERSE 17. Abraham prayed to God. So God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
God healed Abimelech. This is the first instance of the ministry of healing.
Abraham prayed on behalf of Abimelech, and then the healing was granted.
VERSE 18 For the LORD had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
GENESIS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.