Genesis 20:17-18 NIV

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

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 20:17

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 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 20:18

For the Lord ( Jehovah ; vide supra on Genesis 20:3 ) had fast closed up all the wombs— i.e. prevented conception, or produced barrenness (cf. Genesis 16:2 ; Isaiah 66:9 ; 1 Samuel 1:5 , 1 Samuel 1:6 ; for the opposite, Genesis 29:31 ; Genesis 30:22 ); " poena convenientissima; quid enim convenientius esse poterat, quam ut amittat, qui ad se rapit aliena " (Musculus). Vide Havernick, § 19— of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife— the motive... 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

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

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 20:17

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

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

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 20:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 20:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 20:18

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

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