Genesis 20:7

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 20:7

"Now therefore restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt die, thou, and all that are thine.""For he is a prophet ..." "This is the first time that the word prophet appears in the Scripture,"[8] and we are unwilling to assign any lesser meaning of this term here than the meaning usually understood in the term throughout the Bible. The critical allegation that "prophet" was a term that did... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 20:7

Genesis 20:7. For he is a prophet, and shall pray for thee, &c.— This is the first place in Scripture where the word prophet occurs; and Abraham is the first to whom that appellation is given. It is evident, as Houbigant remarks, that, as it is added, he shall pray for thee, the word prophet contains the idea of a person acceptable to God, who can ask and obtain favours for men. In Exodus 7:1 a prophet is a person who speaks for another as his interpreter, as his mouth. The foretelling of... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:1-18

Abraham at Gerar1. Abraham leaves Mamre (Hebron) for Gerar, SW. of Philistia. It seems from Genesis 21:34 that he remained in that district for some years. 2. She is my sister] Twenty years earlier Abraham had used the same device in Egypt and now again he incurs a rebuke from one outside the Covenant. See Genesis 12:11-20 and notes. Abimelech] perhaps, ’Molech is my father,’ in honour of the false god. Cp. Abijah, ’Jehovah is my father.’4. Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation] Abimelech’s... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 20:7

(7) He is a prophet.—This is not said as an aggravation of Abimelech’s sin, but as an encouragement to him to restore Sarah. It is therefore rightly joined with the words “He shall pray for thee.” For the word prophet is used here in its old sense of spokesman (comp. Exod. Genesis 7:1, with Genesis 4:16), and especially of such an one as mediates between God and man. There was a true feeling that God in His own nature is beyond the reach of man (Job 9:32-33; Job 16:21; 1 Timothy 6:16); and this... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Genesis 20:1-18

CHAPTER 20 Abraham in Gerar 1. Abraham in Gerar (Genesis 20:1 ) 2. Second denial of Sarah (Genesis 20:2 ) 3. God’s dealing with Abimelech (Genesis 20:3-7 ) 4. Abimelech and Abraham (Genesis 20:8-18 ) Note Abraham’s going down to Egypt in chapter 12 and now going to Gerar and denying again Sarah. In chapter 26 Isaac goes also to Gerar and denies Rebekah. It shows what the flesh is. But Abraham is greatly honored by the Lord. The Lord called him a prophet. Abraham prayed and God healed... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 20:7

20:7 Now therefore restore the man [his] wife; for he [is] a {h} prophet, and he {i} shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore [her] not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that [are] thine.(h) That is, one to whom God reveals himself familiarly.(i) For the prayer of the godly is of force towards God. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:1-18

ABRAHAM EXPOSED AND REPROVED Now we return to Abraham's history. He journeyed toward the south, which is typical of pleasant circumstances, but nearly always having danger in it. He dwelt between Kadesh and Shur. Kadesh means "set apart for a purpose," which beautifully describes God's work with Abraham, and is true also of all Christians. However, Shur means "point of observation." Does this not tell us that, though we know we are set apart for God, we sometimes look the other way to observe... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:1-18

ABRAHAM AT GERAR Why Abraham took the journey in Genesis 20:1 is not stated, but perhaps to better his pasturage, for he remained in the vicinity for some time (Genesis 21:34 ). Why he employed the same subterfuge about Sarah as before also is not stated except in a general way (Genesis 20:12 ), but it resulted as it did then (Genesis 20:2 ). The chapter illustrates certain principles of God’s dealings with different men: 1. Imputed righteousness, while instantaneously giving man a right... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Genesis 20:1-18

Abraham and Abimelech Genesis 20:0 Abraham went from Mamre to the south, and found a fertile country lying between two deserts, the desert of Kadesh and the desert of Shur. The earth is not all fertile, or we should think little of it; neither is it all desert, or we should be driven into despair. Abraham, the great man and prophet of the Lord, once more shows his littleness by giving way to a cowardly fear that strangely divided his heart with the noblest faith found in the ancient world. His... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Genesis 20:4-7

Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Numbers 22:32 ; Psalms 105:14-15 . Abraham is the first person called a prophet in the Scriptures, and that on account of his immediate intercourse with God by way of divine revelation. read more