Genesis 20:2

KJV

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She [is] my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Abraham {H85} said {H559} of {H413} Sarah {H8283} his wife {H802}, She is my sister {H269}: and Abimelech {H40} king {H4428} of Gerar {H1642} sent {H7971}, and took {H3947} Sarah {H8283}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Avraham was saying of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister"; so Avimelekh king of G'rar sent and took Sarah.

Berean Standard Bible

Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

American Standard Version

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Abraham's troubling repetition of a past deception, where he presents his wife, Sarah, as his sister to Abimelech, the king of Gerar. This act of fear-driven self-preservation, despite God's prior covenant promises, leads Abimelech to take Sarah into his royal household. The verse sets the stage for divine intervention, highlighting God's unwavering faithfulness to protect His covenant and the integrity of the lineage through which the promised heir would come, even in the face of human frailty.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Genesis 20:2 immediately follows Abraham's relocation from Mamre to Gerar, a Philistine city (Genesis 20:1). This verse initiates a narrative sequence that strikingly mirrors an earlier incident in Abraham's life, detailed in [Genesis 12:10-20](/genesis/12-10-20 "Abraham's deception in Egypt"). The repetition of this "sister-wife" deception underscores a persistent character flaw in Abraham, even after significant spiritual growth and the establishment of the Abrahamic covenant in [Genesis 17](/genesis/17 "The Abrahamic Covenant"). The narrative tension arises from the threat this deception poses to Sarah's purity and, by extension, to the promised lineage through which Isaac, the heir, is to be born (Genesis 18:10). The subsequent verses (Genesis 20:3-7) reveal God's direct intervention to protect Sarah and confront Abimelech, demonstrating divine oversight of the covenant plan.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is Gerar, a Philistine city-state in the Negev region, ruled by King Abimelech. In the ancient Near East, a king's household often included a harem, and taking a woman into it was a common practice, though typically with proper marital arrangements. The concern for a woman's beauty leading to the murder of her male relative (husband or father) was a real fear in a society where powerful rulers could act with impunity. Abraham's rationale, while morally questionable, was rooted in a pragmatic (though faithless) assessment of the dangers of his transient existence in foreign lands. The fact that Sarah was indeed Abraham's half-sister (Genesis 20:12) complicates the ethical dimension, turning it into a "half-truth" rather than a complete lie, a common form of deception.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes to several overarching themes in Genesis. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **human fallibility and imperfection**, even among God's chosen patriarchs. Abraham, despite being a man of great faith and recipient of divine promises (e.g., [Genesis 15:6](/genesis/15-6 "Abraham's faith credited as righteousness")), repeatedly struggles with fear and resorts to self-preservation tactics. Secondly, it powerfully illustrates **God's unwavering faithfulness and sovereign protection** of His covenant promises. Despite Abraham's failure, God actively intervenes to safeguard Sarah and the promised lineage, demonstrating that His plan is not contingent on human perfection but on His own steadfast character. Thirdly, the narrative implicitly reinforces the **sanctity of marriage** and the importance of sexual purity, as God intervenes to prevent an unwitting violation of the marital bond.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **said (Hebrew, _ʼâmar'_):** This primitive root (H559) signifies "to say (used with great latitude)," encompassing declaration, command, and communication. In this context, Abraham's "saying" is a deliberate, calculated utterance intended to deceive. It's not a mere statement of fact but a strategic half-truth designed to manipulate Abimelech's perception and protect Abraham's own life, revealing a profound lapse in trust in God's protective power.
* **sister (Hebrew, _ʼâchôwth'_):** This term (H269) refers to a female sibling, used broadly. While Sarah was indeed Abraham's half-sister (Genesis 20:12), Abraham's use of this term here is deceptive. It conceals the crucial fact of her marital status, allowing Abimelech to assume she was available for marriage without consequence. This highlights the dangerous nature of partial truths used with malicious or self-serving intent.
* **Abimelech (Hebrew, _ʼĂbîymelek'_):** Meaning "father of (the) king" (H40), this name denotes the reigning monarch of Gerar. His role in the narrative is crucial, as he becomes the unwitting recipient of Abraham's deception and the object of God's direct intervention. His actions, though problematic in outcome, are portrayed as being based on the information provided, contrasting with Abraham's deceptive intent.
* **took (Hebrew, _lâqach'_):** This primitive root (H3947) means "to take (in the widest variety of applications)," including to accept, seize, or acquire. Here, it describes Abimelech's action of taking Sarah into his household. This "taking" is a direct consequence of Abraham's deception and sets in motion the divine intervention that follows, demonstrating the immediate and serious repercussions of Abraham's faithless act.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She [is] my sister":** This opening clause reveals Abraham's deliberate act of deception. Despite Sarah being his wife, Abraham explicitly states she is his sister. This is a calculated half-truth, as Sarah was indeed his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), but the statement was intended to conceal her marital status and protect Abraham from potential harm, showcasing a profound moment of fear overriding faith.
* **"and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah."**: This second clause details the immediate consequence of Abraham's deception. Abimelech, acting on the false premise that Sarah was an unmarried woman, dispatched his servants to bring her into his royal household. This action, while seemingly innocent from Abimelech's perspective, places Sarah in a perilous situation and directly threatens the divine promise of an heir through her, necessitating God's swift and powerful intervention.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative of Genesis 20:2 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. **Repetition** is a prominent feature, as this incident strikingly mirrors Abraham's earlier deception in Egypt (Genesis 12), highlighting a persistent character flaw and underscoring the enduring challenge of trusting God amidst fear. There is a strong element of **Irony** present: Abraham, the patriarch of faith, acts out of fear and deception, while Abimelech, a pagan king, is portrayed as acting with a measure of integrity, albeit based on false information, and later demonstrates a surprising receptiveness to God's revelation. This creates a moral inversion that serves to magnify God's faithfulness in contrast to human frailty. The verse also serves as a form of **Foreshadowing**, setting the stage for God's direct intervention (Genesis 20:3-7), which demonstrates His unwavering commitment to His covenant promises and His protective care over the lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 20:2 offers a stark reminder of the persistent struggle between faith and fear, even for those deeply committed to God. Abraham, despite having received incredible promises and experienced God's faithfulness firsthand, succumbs to fear for his life, choosing self-preservation over full trust in divine protection. This act, a repetition of a past failure, underscores the reality of human imperfection and the ongoing need for reliance on God's grace. Yet, the ensuing narrative powerfully demonstrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant. Even when His chosen instruments falter, God's sovereign plan prevails, ensuring the protection of His people and the fulfillment of His promises. This passage ultimately points to God's faithfulness as the ultimate guarantor of His redemptive purposes, not human perfection.

* [Genesis 12:10-20](/genesis/12-10-20 "Abraham's deception in Egypt")
* [Psalm 105:14-15](/psalm/105-14-15 "God protects His anointed ones")
* [Romans 3:3-4](/romans/3-3-4 "God's faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account in Genesis 20:2 serves as a powerful mirror for believers today, revealing the insidious nature of fear and its capacity to compromise our integrity and trust in God. Abraham's repeated failure reminds us that spiritual maturity is a journey, not a destination, and that even seasoned believers can fall prey to old habits of distrust when faced with perceived threats. Instead of devising our own schemes for security, we are called to a radical dependence on God's sovereign care, remembering that His faithfulness is not contingent upon our perfection. This passage encourages us to examine areas where fear might be driving our decisions, prompting us to surrender those anxieties to God and to walk in the truth, even when it feels risky. Ultimately, it reassures us that God's purposes will prevail, not because of our unwavering strength, but because of His unchanging character and power, inviting us to rest in His unfailing love.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **Where in my life am I tempted to resort to "half-truths" or deceptive practices out of fear or a desire for self-preservation?**
* **How does Abraham's repeated failure challenge my understanding of faith and spiritual maturity?**
* **In what specific situations do I struggle to fully trust God's protection and provision, leading me to act independently of His will?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper reliance on God's faithfulness, even when circumstances seem dire or uncertain?**

### FAQ

**Why did Abraham repeat this deception?**

Answer: Abraham's repeated deception, first in [Genesis 12:10-20](/genesis/12-10-20 "Abraham's deception in Egypt") and again in [Genesis 20:2](/genesis/20-2 "Abraham's deception in Gerar"), stemmed primarily from a deep-seated fear for his own life. He genuinely believed that his beautiful wife, Sarah, would put him in mortal danger in foreign lands, as powerful rulers might kill him to take her. This recurring pattern highlights a persistent struggle with fear and a lack of complete trust in God's protection, despite God's previous promises and interventions. It underscores that even great figures of faith can exhibit recurring weaknesses and that spiritual growth is a continuous process.

**Was Sarah truly Abraham's sister?**

Answer: Yes, Sarah was indeed Abraham's half-sister, sharing the same father (Terah) but not the same mother, as Abraham later clarifies in [Genesis 20:12](/genesis/20-12 "Sarah was Abraham's half-sister"). Therefore, Abraham's statement was a factual half-truth, not a complete fabrication. However, he used this partial truth with deceptive intent, allowing Abimelech to assume a relationship that would permit him to take Sarah without perceived wrongdoing, thus protecting Abraham's life at Sarah's expense. The ethical problem lies in the deliberate intent to mislead.

**How does God intervene to protect Sarah and Abraham in this situation?**

Answer: While [Genesis 20:2](/genesis/20-2 "Abimelech takes Sarah") only describes Abimelech taking Sarah, the subsequent verses ([Genesis 20:3-7](/genesis/20-3-7 "God's intervention with Abimelech")) detail God's direct and sovereign intervention. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream, warning him that he would die if he touched Sarah, as she was a married woman. God also revealed Abraham's prophetic status and instructed Abimelech to return Sarah to him. This divine intervention protected Sarah's purity, prevented Abimelech from sinning unknowingly, and preserved the integrity of the covenant line through which the promised heir, Isaac, would come, demonstrating God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Genesis 20:2, while exposing Abraham's human frailty and fear-driven deception, ultimately serves as a profound backdrop for understanding the perfect faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Abraham's failure to fully trust God's protection, leading him to compromise his integrity and jeopardize the promised lineage, stands in stark contrast to Christ's unwavering obedience and perfect trust in His Father. Unlike Abraham, who acted out of self-preservation, Jesus, the true Son of Abraham, willingly laid down His life, not for His own safety, but for the salvation of humanity, demonstrating perfect love and obedience (Philippians 2:8). The divine intervention to protect Sarah and the covenant line in Genesis 20 foreshadows God's ultimate act of preservation through Christ. It is through Christ, the promised Seed (Galatians 3:16), that God's covenant with Abraham finds its ultimate and secure fulfillment. He is the one who perfectly secures His people, not through human cunning or half-truths, but through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, ensuring that all the families of the earth are blessed in Him (Genesis 12:3; Acts 3:25-26). In Christ, God's faithfulness is fully revealed, guaranteeing His covenant promises despite human sin and weakness.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 12:15

The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Genesis 26:7

And the men of the place asked [him] of his wife; and he said, She [is] my sister: for he feared to say, [She is] my wife; lest, [said he], the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she [was] fair to look upon.

Genesis 12:11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou [art] a fair woman to look upon:

Genesis 12:13

Say, I pray thee, thou [art] my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Genesis 26:1

¶ And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

Genesis 26:16

And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

Ephesians 4:25

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.