Genesis 20

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Recap.… Last week we looked at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the issue of Lot’s wife looking back and she became a pillar of salt.

Verses 1-2 Genesis 20: 1-2

Genesis 20:1–2 ESV

1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

Ok verse 1 tells us the events that take place in the moments after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham journeyed toward the terrority of Negeb, and lived between Kadesh and Shur and he sojourned in Gerar.

The Negeb, is to the South of where he has been in the past and this is also the area where Hagar had fled back in chapter 16. Now we know that Gerar, is about 9 miles southeast of what we would know as Gaza today.

Gerar would traditionally be the southern boundary of Canaan in chapter 10.

And here in verse 2, we find that Abraham repeats his little play that Sarah is his sister. The idea was to hopefully protect them both, if someone thought Abraham was a husband, they might kill him to take Sarah.

This also credit’s Sarah’s beauty even at here age at around 90 years old.. But the King whose name is Abimelech sends for and takes Sarah which we would assume by force.

Verse 3 Gen 20:3

Genesis 20:3 ESV

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

And here it is interesting that Abraham is not the one who speaks of fighting for Sarah, God is already working on their behalf.

And here God confronts Abimelech in a dream that you are about to die, and the reason is that he has taken a woman who is already someone else wife..

Now, in verse 7 in a bit, God is going to give him a way of escape for this grave sin that the has committed, even if he wasn’t really aware of it.

Now this is a great sin because it is a sin against God primarily. Now we know Abimelech wasn’t too bothered be the fact of taking a beautiful woman for his wife, even if he kidnaps her.

But he was innocence of knowing she was someone’s wife, but God is going to make sure he knows now.

Verses 4-5 Gen 20:4-5

Genesis 20:4–5 ESV

4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”

Now verses 4 and 5 gives us some more information, Now Abimelech had not approached her yet, meaning he has not taken her and slept with her and here is what is interesting..

Abimelech speaks to the Lord, will you will an innocent people?

Now he might consider himself innocent, in that he hasn’t known her yet, but he had taken her by force. And then He reasons with the Lord… Did he not say this is my sister… which is kind of like, Abraham is to blame for this...

And it is here that he tells the Lord In my heart I am innocent of any wrong done at this moment… So Abimelech asserts his innocence.

Verse 6 Gen 20:6

Genesis 20:6 ESV

6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.

Then the Lord responds to him and to his remarks, Yes, I know that you are one who has acted as best you knew. But look at this, but it is I who had kept you from sinning against me.

God has kept him alive by keeping him from her, but he would still end his life if he did not return her to Abraham..

Now look at verse 7 Gen 20:7

Genesis 20:7 ESV

7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

So the Lord tells him to returns the man’s wife but look at this, for he is a prophet. God calls him a prophet, which is the first time this word has been used to describe the office of God’s man in Scripture. He is not the founder of this office but he will be one who will testify and proclaim the word of the Lord.

But here he will also pray for Abimelech that he might have life, So here we see Abraham mediate on behalf of another.

And in fact he is the first one in Scripture to intercede with God on behalf of another.

Now if he had not returned her and if Abraham doesn’t intercede for him. Not only will he die but all who are yours will perish as well.

Now lets look at verses 8-10 Gen 20:8-10

Genesis 20:8–10 ESV

8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?”

So here, we see Abimelech actions in light of all that the Lord has said to him at this time .

He arose early in the morning and called his servants to him and told them what he had heard and they were very much afraid.

Abimelech called for Abraham and confronted him, what had you done to us? that you have brought upon us a great sin. That is the first point that he brings to Abraham, what did you do.. Why were you not truthful with me.. I think it is intersting that even though he took Sarah, he is charging Abraham with a greater problem, you lied to us causing us to sin.

He brings another accusation upon Abraham, it was a sense, Did you see something in this kingdom that you wanted so you miss led us to accquire it?

So we see a lot of questions being asked but, we know that he is confused, hurt and afraid at this time.

Now lets look at verses 11-13 Gen 20:11-13

Genesis 20:11–13 ESV

11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”

What Abraham does next is truthful but it will cast a bad light on Abimelech and his kingdom.

Abraham says you know, I didn’t think that you, our this people feared God. So essentially saying, that he thought the people of this area did not have very high morals, and you could see this perhaps after just coming from Sodom and Gomorrah.

So Abraham is saying you all, well if you would just as soon un alive a person as easily as you would take a woman to be your life.

And in verse 12 Abraham says she is indeed my sister, the daughter of his father but not of his mother. So he is focusing on a technicality, if you will,

Now this sounds wild, that families were marrying so close in thier families but I think the gene pool is very high there. Why we are only a few generations into this world.

finally this note of verse 13, this is what we must do since we are traveling in a new land or area, this ruse was a way to stay alive and they thought it would work,. But in both cases we see it really backfired, but they kept on with it hree.

Verses 14-16 Gen 20:14-16

Genesis 20:14–16 ESV

14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.”

Abimelech sought to make his wrong, right. He returned Sarah to Abraham and with her as a form of payment for the wrong he brought upon them.

So he gave over tothem sheep and oxen, manand female servant and in verse 16 he says to Sarah that he has given her brother and husband a 1000 pieces of silver.

these gifts were just another way to show his innocence in the matter,

It ( this gift) was an outward sign of his innocence and also to make right any inconviences he has caused to him.

Now the last two verses, 17-18 Gen 20:17-18

Genesis 20:17–18 ESV

17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

So here we see that Abimelech death has already started upin his life, the word of the Lord is faithful but, and here is a big one..Abraham prayed to God..

Remember Abraham was to mediate in a way that would heal Abimelech, he was to pray for him.

And as Abraham prayed for Abimelech, we find that God healed him, took away what ever it was that bringing death upon him. But not just him but his wife, his man and woman servants and allowed them to even continue to bear children

For the Lord had closed all their wombs, becasue of Sarah.

and this will bring us up to the borth of Isaac the next time we meet.

Next week we will not be here, but we will pick up the Wed after Thanksgiving.