Genesis 20:17 KJV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 20:14-18

Here is, I. The kindness of a prince which Abimelech showed to Abraham. See how unjust Abraham's jealousies were. He fancied that if they knew that Sarah was his wife they would kill him; but, when they did know it, instead of killing him they were kind to him, frightened at least to be so by the divine rebukes they were under. 1. He gives him his royal licence to dwell where he pleased in his country, courting his stay because he gives him his royal gifts (Gen. 20:14), sheep and oxen, and... 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

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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 20:17

Verse 17 17.So Abraham prayed. In two respects the wonderful favor of God towards Abraham was apparent; firsts that, with outstretched hand, He avenged the injury done to him; and, secondly, that, through Abraham’s prayer, He became pacified towards the house of Abimelech. It was necessary to declare, that the house of Abimelech had been healed in answer to Abraham’s prayers; in order that, by such a benefit, the inhabitants might be the more closely bound to him. A question, however, may be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 20:1-18

Abraham in Gerar, or two royal sinners. I. THE SIN OF THE HEBREW PATRIARCH 1. An old sin repeated . "Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister." Twenty years before the same miserable equivocation had been circulated in Egypt. A sin once committed is not difficult to repeat, especially if its legitimate consequences, as in the case of Abraham and Sarah, have been mercifully averted. One is apt to fancy that a like immunity will attend its repetition. 2. A ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 20:17

So Abraham prayed unto God . Literally, the Elohim, the personal and true God, and not Elohim, or Deity in general, to whom belonged the cure of Abimelech and his household (Keil), as the next clause shows. And God ( Elohim, without the art.) healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; — i.e. his concubines, as distinguished from the women servants ( Genesis 20:14 )— and they bare children. The verb may apply to both sexes, and the malady under which they suffered... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 20:1-18

- Abraham in Gerar2. אבימלך .2 'ǎbı̂ymelek, Abimelekh, “father of the king.”7. נביא nābı̂y' “prophet,” he who speaks by God, of God, and to God, who declares to people not merely things future, but also things past and present, that are not obvious to the sense or the reason; related: “flow, go forth.”13. התעוּ hı̂t‛û is plural in punctuation, agreeing grammatically with אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym. ו(w), however, may be regarded as the third radical, and the verb may thus really be singular.16. נכהת... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 20:1-18

Abraham deceives Abimelech (20:1-18)From Hebron Abraham moved into the territory of the Philistine king Abimelech. As a result of Abraham’s deceit concerning Sarah, Abimelech took Sarah as a wife and brought God’s threat of death upon him (20:1-7). Upon discovering the truth, Abimelech acted quickly and honourably. He restored Sarah’s honour in the eyes of the people, gave gifts to Abraham, and invited Abraham to settle in his land (8-16). Humbled by these events, Abraham turned again in faith... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 20:17-18

"And Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children. For Jehovah had fast closed up the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife."We are not told the nature of the illness with which God had afflicted the household of Abimelech, but Willis' comment is excellent: "God had smitten him with a serious disease which prevented him (and all the afflicted) from having sexual relations."[14]"And God healed Abimelech... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 20:17

Genesis 20:17. So Abraham prayed, &c.— See Gen 20:7 and God accepted his prayer: and the punishment, which he had graciously inflicted on Abimelech to deter him from guilt, was removed. Hence we learn, that affliction from the hand of Heaven is often so far from an evil, that it is the greatest good. The disease inflicted on Abimelech and his house was a mean of preventing him from a defilement of the marriage-bed, see Gen 20:6 and perhaps it might serve to other good and instructive... read more