5 Said H559 he not unto me, She H1931 is my sister? H269 and she, H1931 even H1571 she H1931 herself said, H559 He is my brother: H251 in the integrity H8537 of my heart H3824 and innocency H5356 of my hands H3709 have I done H6213 this.
The LORD H3068 shall judge H1777 the people: H5971 judge H8199 me, O LORD, H3068 according to my righteousness, H6664 and according to mine integrity H8537 that is in me.
Who G3588 was G5607 before G4386 a blasphemer, G989 and G2532 a persecutor, G1376 and G2532 injurious: G5197 but G235 I obtained mercy, G1653 because G3754 I did G4160 it ignorantly G50 in G1722 unbelief. G570
Ye G5210 are witnesses, G3144 and G2532 God G2316 also, how G5613 holily G3743 and G2532 justly G1346 and G2532 unblameably G274 we behaved ourselves G1096 among you G5213 that believe: G4100
For G1063 our G2257 rejoicing G2746 is G2076 this, G3778 the testimony G3142 of our G2257 conscience, G4893 that G3754 in G1722 simplicity G572 and G2532 godly G2316 sincerity, G1505 not G3756 with G1722 fleshly G4559 wisdom, G4678 but G235 by G1722 the grace G5485 of God, G2316 we have had our conversation G390 in G1722 the world, G2889 and G1161 more abundantly G4056 to G4314 you-ward. G5209
My God H426 hath sent H7972 his angel, H4398 and hath shut H5463 the lions' H744 mouths, H6433 that they have not H3809 hurt H2255 me: forasmuch as H3606 H6903 before H6925 him innocency H2136 was found H7912 in me; and also H638 before H6925 thee, O king, H4430 have I done H5648 no H3809 hurt. H2248
The LORD H3068 God H410 of gods, H430 the LORD H3068 God H410 of gods, H430 he knoweth, H3045 and Israel H3478 he shall know; H3045 if it be in rebellion, H4777 or if in transgression H4604 against the LORD, H3068 (save H3467 us not this day,) H3117
Let integrity H8537 and uprightness H3476 preserve H5341 me; for I wait H6960 on thee.
I know H3045 also, my God, H430 that thou triest H974 the heart, H3824 and hast pleasure H7521 in uprightness. H3476 As for me, in the uprightness H4339 of mine heart H3824 I have willingly offered H5068 all these things: and now have I seen H7200 with joy H8057 thy people, H5971 which are present H4672 here, to offer willingly H5068 unto thee.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 20
Commentary on Genesis 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Ge 20:1-18. Abraham's Denial of His Wife.
1. Abraham journeyed from thence … and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur—Leaving the encampment, he migrated to the southern border of Canaan. In the neighborhood of Gerar was a very rich and well-watered pasture land.
2. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister—Fear of the people among whom he was, tempted him to equivocate. His conduct was highly culpable. It was deceit, deliberate and premeditated—there was no sudden pressure upon him—it was the second offense of the kind [see on Ge 12:13]—it was a distrust of God every way surprising, and it was calculated to produce injurious effects on the heathen around. Its mischievous tendency was not long in being developed.
Abimelech (father-king) … sent and took Sarah—to be one of his wives, in the exercise of a privilege claimed by Eastern sovereigns, already explained (see on Ge 12:15).
3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream—In early times a dream was often made the medium of communicating important truths; and this method was adopted for the preservation of Sarah.
9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said … What hast thou done?—In what a humiliating plight does the patriarch now appear—he, a servant of the true God, rebuked by a heathen prince. Who would not rather be in the place of Abimelech than of the honored but sadly offending patriarch! What a dignified attitude is that of the king—calmly and justly reproving the sin of the patriarch, but respecting his person and heaping coals of fire on his head by the liberal presents made to him.
11. And Abraham said … I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place—From the horrible vices of Sodom he seems to have taken up the impression that all other cities of Canaan were equally corrupt. There might have been few or none who feared God, but what a sad thing when men of the world show a higher sense of honor and a greater abhorrence of crimes than a true worshipper!
12. yet indeed she is my sister—(See on Ge 11:31). What a poor defense Abraham made. The statement absolved him from the charge of direct and absolute falsehood, but he had told a moral untruth because there was an intention to deceive (compare Ge 12:11-13). "Honesty is always the best policy." Abraham's life would have been as well protected without the fraud as with it: and what shame to himself, what distrust to God, what dishonor to religion might have been prevented! "Let us speak truth every man to his neighbor" [Zec 8:16; Eph 4:25].