Genesis 20:8-18 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:16

And unto Sarah he said, behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver ,.... Or shekels of silver, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, which, if two shillings and sixpence of our money, amount to one hundred and twenty five pounds; though perhaps little pieces of silver, current in this country, may be meant, that were not worth so much. Some think that the sheep, oxen, &c.; Abimelech had given to Abraham, were worth so many pieces of silver: but it rather seems... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:17

So Abraham prayed unto God ,.... As the Lord had told Abimelech be would, Genesis 20:7 ; he might pray for the forgiveness of him and his wife, and might give thanks that Sarah had been restored to him; but chiefly it was on account of Abimelech and his family: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants : who by reason of some disease were rendered unfit for and incapable of cohabitation with their husbands, and they with them; but upon Abraham's prayer for them, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:18

For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech ,.... With large tumours probably, so that they could not cohabit with their husbands and conceive; nor could those that had conceived bring forth: and this disorder they were smitten with: because of Sarah Abraham's wife ; who was taken into the house of Abimelech, in order to be his; to rebuke and punish for which, and to convince of the evil of it, and cause to abstain from it, this disorder was inflicted on them. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:8

Abimelech rose early, etc. - God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and we find as the day broke he arose, assembled his servants, (what we would call his courtiers), and communicated to them what he had received from God. They were all struck with astonishment, and discerned the hand of God in this business. Abraham is then called, and in a most respectful and pious manner the king expostulates with him for bringing him and his people under the Divine displeasure, by withholding from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:11

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:12

She is my sister - I have not told a lie; I have suppressed only a part of the truth. In this place it may be proper to ask, What is a lie? It is any action done or word spoken, whether true or false in itself, which the doer or speaker wishes the observer or hearer to take in a contrary sense to that which he knows to be true. It is, in a word, any action done or speech delivered with the intention to deceive, though both may be absolutely true and right in themselves. See note on Genesis... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:13

When God caused me to wander - Here the word אלהים Elohim is used with a plural verb, ( התעו hithu , caused me to wander), which is not very usual in the Hebrew language, as this plural noun is generally joined with verbs in the singular number. Because there is a departure from the general mode in this instance, some have contended that the word Elohim signifies princes in this place, and suppose it to refer to those in Chaldea, who expelled Abraham because he would not worship... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:16

And unto Sarah he said - But what did he say? Here there is scarcely any agreement among interpreters; the Hebrew is exceedingly obscure, and every interpreter takes it in his own sense. A thousand pieces of silver - Shekels are very probably meant here, and so the Targum understands it. The Septuagint has χιλια διδραχμα , a thousand didrachma, no doubt meaning shekels; for in Genesis 23:15 , Genesis 23:16 , this translation uses διδραχμα for the Hebrew שקל shekel . As shakal... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:17

So Abraham prayed - This was the prime office of the נביא nabi ; see Genesis 20:7 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:18

For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs - Probably by means of some disease with which he had smitten them, hence it is said they were healed at Abraham's intercession; and this seems necessarily to imply that they had been afflicted by some disease that rendered it impossible for them to have children till it was removed. And possibly this disease, as Dr. Dodd conjectures, had afflicted Abimelech, and by this he was withheld, Genesis 20:6 , from defiling Abraham's bed. 1. On the... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:18

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