Genesis 20:6

KJV

And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

KJV (with Strong's)

And God {H430} said {H559} unto him in a dream {H2472}, Yea {H1571}, I know {H3045} that thou didst {H6213} this in the integrity {H8537} of thy heart {H3824}; for I also withheld {H2820} thee from sinning {H2398} against me: therefore suffered {H5414} I thee not to touch {H5060} her.

Complete Jewish Bible

God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in doing this, your heart has been pure; and I too have kept you from sinning against me. This is why I didn't let you touch her.

Berean Standard Bible

Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that 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.

American Standard Version

And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 20:6 profoundly illustrates God's active and sovereign involvement in human affairs, specifically His direct communication with King Abimelech through a dream. In this divine encounter, God affirms Abimelech's innocent intentions regarding Sarah, Abraham's wife, and explicitly declares His own supernatural intervention in preventing Abimelech from committing a grave sin against Him by touching her. This intervention highlights God's omniscience, His commitment to protecting the purity of the promised covenant lineage, and His broader justice and mercy.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This incident in Gerar follows Abraham's earlier deception in Egypt (cf. [Genesis 12:10-20](/genesis/12-10-20 "Abraham's Deception in Egypt")), where he also presented Sarah as his sister out of fear for his life. The repetition of this narrative motif underscores Abraham's recurring lack of faith and God's unwavering faithfulness despite human failings. In Genesis 20, Abimelech, unaware of Sarah's true marital status, takes her into his household with the intention of marriage. God's dramatic intervention, striking Abimelech's household with barrenness and appearing to the king in a dream, prevents the consummation of the marriage and the defilement of the covenant line. This divine action directly precedes the birth of Isaac in [Genesis 21](/genesis/21 "The Birth of Isaac"), emphasizing the critical importance of Sarah's purity for the fulfillment of God's covenant promises.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, a king's household was central to his power and legacy, and the ability to produce heirs was paramount. Taking a woman into a royal harem was a common practice. However, unknowingly taking a married woman, especially one belonging to a prominent figure like Abraham (who was perceived as a prophet, [Genesis 20:7](/genesis/20-7 "God calls Abraham a prophet")), carried significant moral and social implications. The concept of "integrity of heart" was valued in ancient wisdom traditions, signifying an upright character and pure intentions before the gods. God's judgment on Abimelech's household, causing barrenness, reflects a common understanding of divine displeasure manifesting in physical consequences, particularly concerning fertility, which was seen as a divine blessing.
* **Key Themes:** Genesis 20:6 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Genesis and biblical theology. It powerfully demonstrates **Divine Sovereignty**, showing God's active control over human events and His ability to restrain evil for His purposes. The verse also highlights **God's Omniscience**, as He knows the true intentions of Abimelech's heart, reinforcing that God sees beyond outward actions (cf. [1 Samuel 16:7](/1_samuel/16-7 "God looks at the heart")). Furthermore, it underscores the **Nature of Sin**, revealing that even unintentional actions can be an offense against God's holiness. Most crucially, God's intervention serves as a testament to His **Covenant Faithfulness**, as He meticulously protects the purity of the lineage through which the promised Messiah would come, ensuring the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham found in passages like [Genesis 12:1-3](/genesis/12-1-3 "God's promises to Abraham").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Yea (Hebrew, _gam'_):** This adverb, often translated as "also" or "even," here functions as an emphatic affirmation, akin to "Indeed" or "Certainly." God is not merely acknowledging, but confirming with certainty His knowledge of Abimelech's state of heart. It adds weight and divine authority to the subsequent declaration.
* **know (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ'_):** This primitive root signifies "to know" in a comprehensive sense, encompassing not just intellectual understanding but also experiential, intimate, and often personal knowledge. When God uses *yâdaʻ*, it implies His perfect omniscience, His deep insight into the innermost thoughts, motives, and intentions of Abimelech's heart, far beyond what any human could discern.
* **integrity (Hebrew, _tôm'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to be complete" or "blameless," *tôm* here denotes moral completeness, sincerity, or uprightness. It describes Abimelech's state of heart as being without malicious intent, guile, or conscious wrongdoing regarding Sarah. He acted in ignorance of her marital status, and thus, his intentions were pure in that specific context.
* **withheld (Hebrew, _châsak'_):** This root means "to restrain" or "refrain," implying active prevention or holding back. God explicitly states that He was the agent who *actively prevented* Abimelech from completing the act. This is a powerful demonstration of divine sovereignty and intervention, not merely allowing, but directly hindering a potential sin.
* **sinning (Hebrew, _châṭâʼ'_):** This primary root means "to miss the mark," and by extension, "to sin." It encompasses both intentional and unintentional transgressions. Here, even though Abimelech was ignorant of Sarah's true status, the act of taking a married woman would still have been a "missing of the mark" against God's moral order and holiness, ultimately an offense against Him.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And God said unto him in a dream":** This opening phrase establishes the divine origin and authority of the message. God's communication through a dream signifies a direct, supernatural intervention into human consciousness, bypassing normal means of revelation. It highlights God's active involvement in the unfolding narrative and His sovereign ability to communicate His will and warnings.
* **"Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart":** This clause reveals God's omniscience and His just assessment of human motives. God affirms Abimelech's sincerity and lack of malicious intent. Abimelech was morally innocent in his *intentions* because he was unaware of Sarah's true status. This divine acknowledgment distinguishes Abimelech's potential action from a willful, defiant sin, even though the action itself would still have been a violation of God's moral order.
* **"for I also withheld thee from sinning against me":** This is the pivotal declaration of divine intervention. God explicitly states that He was the one who actively restrained Abimelech, demonstrating His sovereign power to prevent evil. This act of divine grace protected Abimelech from unknowingly committing a grave sin, which God defines as being "against me." This underscores the theological truth that all sin, regardless of its immediate target or the perpetrator's intent, is ultimately an offense against God's holiness and His law.
* **"therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.":** This concluding phrase specifies the exact nature of God's preventative action. The word "touch" here is a euphemism for sexual intimacy. God's direct intervention prevented the physical defilement of Sarah, which was crucial for the continuation of the covenant lineage through which the promised Messiah would come. This demonstrates God's meticulous care for His covenant promises and His plan of redemption.

#### Literary Devices
The passage employs several significant literary devices. **Divine Dialogue** is central, as God directly speaks to Abimelech, emphasizing His personal involvement and authority. The use of **Anthropomorphism** is evident in God's declaration, "I also withheld thee," portraying God as actively intervening in human affairs with a physical-like action, though understood spiritually. There is also a clear **Euphemism** in the phrase "to touch her," which delicately refers to sexual relations, common in biblical narrative to avoid explicit language. Finally, the entire episode functions as **Foreshadowing**, subtly pointing to God's ongoing commitment to protect the purity of the Abrahamic line, which is essential for the eventual birth of Isaac and, ultimately, the coming of the Messiah.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 20:6 offers profound theological insights into the character of God and the nature of sin. It powerfully demonstrates God's **omniscience**, as He perfectly discerns the intentions of the human heart, ensuring His judgments are always just and perfectly aligned with truth. More strikingly, it illustrates God's **sovereign power** to intervene directly in human affairs, even preventing individuals from committing sin. This highlights that God can and does restrain evil for His purposes, even when humans are unaware of His hand or the danger they face. The declaration "sinning against me" underscores the fundamental truth that all sin, regardless of its immediate target or the perpetrator's intent, is ultimately an offense against a holy God. God's active protection of Sarah's purity, despite Abraham's deception, further emphasizes His unwavering **covenant faithfulness** and His meticulous preservation of the lineage through which the Messiah would come. This divine intervention for Abimelech, a non-covenant king, also showcases an aspect of God's **common grace**—His general goodness and mercy extended to all humanity, even those who do not explicitly know Him.

* [1 Samuel 16:7](/1_samuel/16-7 "God looks at the heart, not outward appearance")
* [Psalm 51:4](/psalms/51-4 "David's confession: Against You, You only, have I sinned")
* [Psalm 76:10](/psalms/76-10 "Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; with the remainder of wrath You will gird Yourself")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 20:6 provides both immense comfort and a challenging call to introspection for believers today. It reminds us that God is intimately involved in our lives, often intervening in unseen ways to protect us from ourselves or from unknowingly falling into sin. This highlights God's immense grace, extended even to those outside His direct covenant, when their intentions are pure. We can find comfort in knowing that God's sovereign hand is at work, guiding and protecting, even when we are unaware of the dangers we might face or the ways He is shielding us. Furthermore, this passage teaches us the critical importance of cultivating an "integrity of heart" before God, knowing that He sees our true motives, not just our outward actions. While we are accountable for our deeds, God also considers the sincerity of our intentions. This calls us to a deeper level of spiritual honesty, striving for purity of motive in all we do. Finally, it reinforces the sobering truth that all sin, whether intentional or not, is ultimately an offense against God's holiness, and His perfect standard is one that only He can perfectly uphold.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might God be actively protecting me from unseen dangers or potential sins in my life?**
* **How does the concept of "integrity of heart" challenge my understanding of what it means to live righteously before God?**
* **If all sin is ultimately against God, how should this truth shape my confession and repentance?**
* **How does God's faithfulness to His covenant, even amidst human failure, encourage my trust in His promises for my life?**

### FAQ
**What does "integrity of thy heart" mean in a practical sense for a person today?**

Answer: "Integrity of thy heart" (Hebrew: *tôm lêbâb*) refers to sincerity, blamelessness, and a lack of malicious intent. For a person today, it means striving for genuine purity of motive before God, acting with honesty and uprightness, even when others are unaware of your true intentions. It acknowledges that God sees beyond outward appearances to our deepest desires and motives, as highlighted in passages like [1 Samuel 16:7](/1_samuel/16-7 "God looks at the heart"). Practically, it means seeking to please God in your inner being, not just conforming to external rules, and acting with a clear conscience, even if you make mistakes out of ignorance.

**Why did God intervene for Abimelech but allow Abraham's deception?**

Answer: God's actions are sovereign and multifaceted, often serving His greater redemptive purposes. In this instance, God directly intervened to prevent Abimelech from unknowingly committing a sin that would have defiled the covenant lineage through Sarah, which was critical for the birth of Isaac and the continuation of the Messianic line. While God allows sin to occur (as with Abraham's repeated deception, seen in [Genesis 12](/genesis/12 "Abraham's first deception")), He also actively restrains it for His specific purposes, particularly when it directly impacts His overarching redemptive plan. Abraham's sin, though serious and deserving of rebuke, did not result in the defilement of the covenant lineage in the same way Abimelech's completed action would have. God's intervention here demonstrates His meticulous care for His covenant promises.

**How does this passage relate to the concept of "common grace"?**

Answer: This passage provides a clear illustration of God's common grace. Common grace refers to God's general goodness and mercy extended to all humanity, regardless of their spiritual standing or covenant relationship with Him. In [Genesis 20:6](/genesis/20-6 "Genesis 20:6 KJV"), God actively protects Abimelech, a non-covenant king, from unknowingly committing a grave sin. This divine restraint and warning, extended to someone outside the direct covenant line, demonstrates God's broader justice, His concern for human well-being, and His desire to prevent evil, even for those who do not explicitly know Him. It shows that God's benevolent hand is at work in the world, preserving order and restraining human depravity, even among the unrighteous.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Genesis 20:6, with its depiction of God's active protection of Sarah's purity and His prevention of Abimelech's sin, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. God's meticulous intervention to preserve the covenant lineage directly points to the coming of the Messiah, who would be born of a pure and undefiled line. Christ Himself embodies the ultimate "integrity of heart," living a life of perfect blamelessness and sincerity before God, fulfilling all righteousness (as seen in [Matthew 3:15](/matthew/3-15 "Jesus fulfills all righteousness")). Furthermore, just as God sovereignly withheld Abimelech from sinning, Christ, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, ultimately deals with the problem of sin itself, offering forgiveness for our past transgressions and the power to live righteously in the present. He is the ultimate protector of His people, not merely from specific sins, but from the power and penalty of sin, securing the eternal covenant with His own blood (as explained in [Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Christ's Blood Cleanses Conscience")). Through Christ, God's perfect justice and mercy converge, providing the means for humanity to be truly reconciled to a holy God, a reconciliation that no human integrity of heart could ever achieve on its own.

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

1 Samuel 25:34

For in very deed, [as] the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

1 Samuel 25:26

Now therefore, my lord, [as] the LORD liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to [shed] blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

Proverbs 21:1

¶ The king's heart [is] in the hand of the LORD, [as] the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Genesis 35:5

And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

Genesis 31:7

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

Psalms 84:11

For the LORD God [is] a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Exodus 34:24

For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.