Genesis 20:14

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave [them] unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Avimelekh took sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Avraham; and he returned to him Sarah his wife.

Berean Standard Bible:

So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.

American Standard Version:

And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Abimelech^{H40} took^{H3947} sheep^{H6629}, and oxen^{H1241}, and menservants^{H5650}, and womenservants^{H8198}, and gave^{H5414} them unto Abraham^{H85}, and restored^{H7725} him Sarah^{H8283} his wife^{H802}.

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Commentary for Genesis 20:14

Genesis 20:14 is part of the narrative involving Abraham, his wife Sarah, and King Abimelech of Gerar. The historical context of this verse is set within the patriarchal narratives of the Book of Genesis, which recount the stories of the ancestors of Israel.

**Themes:**

1. **Hospitality and Restitution:** The verse reflects the cultural value of hospitality, which was highly esteemed in the ancient Near East. Abimelech's actions show respect for Abraham and a desire to make amends for inadvertently taking Abraham's wife, Sarah, into his harem. By returning Sarah and providing Abraham with livestock and servants, Abimelech acknowledges the wrong and seeks to restore his relationship with Abraham.

2. **Divine Intervention:** The broader context of Genesis 20 reveals that God intervened by preventing Abimelech from touching Sarah and then informing him through a dream that Sarah was a married woman. This theme underscores the idea that God protects His people and ensures justice.

3. **Marriage and Covenant:** The incident highlights the sanctity of marriage and the importance of covenantal relationships. Sarah is restored to Abraham, emphasizing the inviolability of their marital bond, which is central to the unfolding covenantal narrative between God and Abraham's descendants.

4. **Leadership and Integrity:** Abimelech's actions demonstrate a leader's integrity and responsibility. Despite being deceived by Abraham and Sarah (who had presented themselves as siblings rather than husband and wife), Abimelech responds with generosity and respect once the truth is known.

**Historical Context:**

The events in Genesis 20 are set in the context of the early second millennium BCE, during the time of the patriarchs. This period is characterized by nomadic lifestyles and the movement of tribes and clans in the region of Canaan and its surrounding areas. The narrative reflects the interactions between these semi-nomadic peoples and the settled city-states of the time, such as Gerar, which was likely a Canaanite city-state.

The story also reflects legal customs of the time, including the practice of a king providing compensation for wrongs committed against a visitor under his protection. The exchange of livestock and servants as restitution was a common practice in the ancient Near East.

In summary, Genesis 20:14 encapsulates themes of hospitality, divine intervention, the sanctity of marriage, and the integrity of leadership, set against the backdrop of early second millennium BCE society in the ancient Near East.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H40
   There are 1102 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ
   Transliteration: ʼĂbîymelek
   Pronunciation: ab-ee-mel'-ek
   Description: from אָב and מֶלֶךְ; father of (the) king; Abimelek, the name of two Philistine kings and of two Israelites; Abimelech.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3947
   There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָקַח
   Transliteration: lâqach
   Pronunciation: law-kakh'
   Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
   
3. Strong's Number: H6629
   There are 247 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: צֹאן
   Transliteration: tsôʼn
   Pronunciation: tsone
   Description: or צאוֹן; (Psalm 144:13), from an unused root meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men); (small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).
   
4. Strong's Number: H1241
   There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּקָר
   Transliteration: bâqâr
   Pronunciation: baw-kawr'
   Description: from בָּקַר; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd; beeve, bull ([phrase] -ock), [phrase] calf, [phrase] cow, great (cattle), [phrase] heifer, herd, kine, ox.
   
5. Strong's Number: H5650
   There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עֶבֶד
   Transliteration: ʻebed
   Pronunciation: eh'-bed
   Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.
   
6. Strong's Number: H8198
   There are 58 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שִׁפְחָה
   Transliteration: shiphchâh
   Pronunciation: shif-khaw'
   Description: feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see מִשְׁפָּחָה); a female slave (as a member of the household); (bond-, hand-) maid(-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
8. Strong's Number: H85
   There are 1159 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַבְרָהָם
   Transliteration: ʼAbrâhâm
   Pronunciation: ab-raw-hawm'
   Description: contracted from אָב and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram; Abraham.
   
9. Strong's Number: H7725
   There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שׁוּב
   Transliteration: shûwb
   Pronunciation: shoob
   Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
   
10. Strong's Number: H8283
    There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׂרָה
    Transliteration: Sârâh
    Pronunciation: saw-raw'
    Description: the same as שָׂרָה; Sarah, Abraham's wife; Sarah.
    
11. Strong's Number: H802
    There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אִשָּׁה
    Transliteration: ʼishshâh
    Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
    Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.