Abraham's Intercessory Prayer for Abimelech (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday September 10, 2025

Prayer Series: Abraham’s Intercessory Prayer for Abimelech

Lesson # 18

Genesis 20:17-18 gives us an example of Abraham’s prayer life.

This passage records the intercessory prayer Abraham offered on behalf of Abimelech.

Genesis 20:1-2 records Abraham’s half-lie to Abimelech, saying that Sarah was his sister, which was true, but a half-sister.

Abraham failed to tell Abimelech that Sarah was also his wife because he was afraid that Abimelech would kill him in order to secure Sarah for himself.

This half-lie endangered both Sarah and Abimelech.

Although not mentioned in the passage, Satan is the invisible enemy of God’s people, who was behind the scenes influencing Abraham and tempting him to enter into fear, worry, and anxiety.

Satan’s purpose for doing this was so he could prevent the birth of Christ by preventing the birth of Isaac, Abraham’s future son, who was to be in the line of Christ.

Genesis 20:1 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. (NIV84)

We see in verses 3-7, God intervened by speaking to Abimelech in a dream and prohibiting him from keeping Sarah in his harem and, thus, having sexual intercourse with her.

Consequently, this thwarted Satan’s attempt to prevent the birth of Isaac.

Ultimately, Jesus Christ would come from the line of Isaac.

Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” 4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die.” (NIV84)

Then in Genesis 20:14-16, we have the record of Abimelech compensating Abraham and Sarah.

Abimelech was motivated to do this for fear of God killing him.

Genesis 20:8 Early the next morning Abimelech summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.” 10 And Abimelech asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?” 11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” 14 Then Abimelech brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.” 16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.” (NIV84)

Genesis 20:17-18 presents the record of Abraham interceding in prayer for Abimelech.

We see that Abraham’s prayer certainly did its part in healing Abimelech and his household.

God heard Abraham’s intercessory prayer and answered it.

Genesis 20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again, 18 for the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household because of Abraham’s wife Sarah. (NIV84)

“Prayed” is the verb pā·lǎl (פָּלַל) and refers to “intercessory prayer,” which includes both the temporal and spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers (Luke 23:34; Eph 1:16-23; 3:14-19; 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-4).

Notice that Abraham prayed for Abimelech, who was an unbeliever.

Remember, the Word of God commands the believer to enter into intercessory prayer on behalf of all men, since God desires all men to be saved (1 Jo 2:2; 1 Ti 2:1-8; 2 Pe 3:9; Jo 3:16-17).

The principle, therefore, of Genesis 20:18 is the power of intercessory prayer, since Abraham’s prayer of faith appropriated the power of God, which healed Abimelech and his family.

Abraham’s intercession for Abimelech manifests his love for Abimelech and his obedience to intercede for all men as an expression of the love of God.

Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ expressed His love for those who mocked, scourged, vilified, and crucified Him by interceding for them before the Father (Luke 23:33-34).

Since Abraham was a beneficiary of God’s mercy, he sought mercy for others.

The fact that God heard and answered Abraham’s intercessory prayer for Abimelech in Genesis 20:18 clearly proves that Abraham was in fellowship with God because God does not hear the prayers of believers with un-confessed sin (Psa 66:18).