Genesis 20:2

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

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}.

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

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

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

Commentary

Genesis 20:2 recounts a pivotal moment in Abraham's journey where he once again misrepresents his relationship with his wife, Sarah, leading to a significant divine intervention. This verse highlights human frailty and God's unwavering protection over His covenant promises.

Context of Genesis 20:2

This verse places Abraham in Gerar, a Philistine city, after his departure from Mamre. It details a recurring pattern of behavior: Abraham tells Abimelech, the king of Gerar, that Sarah is his sister. This deception is strikingly similar to an earlier incident in Genesis 12, when Abraham used the same tactic with Pharaoh in Egypt. Abraham's motive, as later revealed in Genesis 20:11, was fear that the men of Gerar would kill him to take his wife. Consequently, Abimelech, believing Sarah to be Abraham's unmarried sister, "sent, and took Sarah" into his royal household, presumably with honorable intentions of marriage.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Human Failure and Imperfection: Genesis 20:2 starkly reveals that even figures of immense faith like Abraham are capable of serious moral lapses. Despite God's incredible promises and the establishment of His covenant with Abraham (see Genesis 17:1-8), Abraham's fear for his life superseded his trust in God's protection.
  • God's Unwavering Protection: Although Abraham failed, God did not. The subsequent narrative demonstrates God's direct and sovereign intervention to protect Sarah and the integrity of the Abrahamic lineage, which was crucial for the fulfillment of His promises (Genesis 20:3-7). This underscores God's faithfulness even when His people falter.
  • The Sanctity of Marriage: The narrative implicitly upholds the sacredness of the marital bond. God intervenes to prevent Abimelech from unknowingly committing adultery and to preserve the purity of Sarah, through whom the promised heir, Isaac, would come.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "sister" used here is 'achot (אחוΧͺ). While Abraham's statement was a deception, it was also a partial truth. As Abraham later clarifies in Genesis 20:12, Sarah was indeed his half-sister, sharing the same father but not the same mother. This cunning use of a half-truth to mislead, rather than a direct falsehood, highlights the ethical ambiguity of Abraham's actions, which were driven by self-preservation and fear rather than full faith in God's ability to protect him and Sarah.

Practical Application

The account in Genesis 20:2 offers several profound lessons for believers today:

  • Fear vs. Faith: Abraham's repeated mistake serves as a potent reminder that fear can easily lead us to compromise our integrity and trust in God's sovereign care. We are continually called to trust in the Lord with all our heart, rather than devising our own schemes for safety.
  • God's Sovereignty in Human Failure: This passage powerfully illustrates that God's plan will prevail, even when His chosen instruments fail. His faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection but on His own character and power.
  • The Deceitfulness of Half-Truths: The narrative warns against the use of partial truths with deceptive intent. Such actions can lead to unintended consequences, harming innocent parties and compromising one's witness, as seen with Abimelech.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Genesis 12:15 (7 votes)

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

  • Genesis 26:7 (6 votes)

    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 (3 votes)

    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 (3 votes)

    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 (2 votes)

    ΒΆ 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 (2 votes)

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

  • Ephesians 4:25 (2 votes)

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