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Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
Verse 1. Gerara; at a greater distance from the devoted country of Sodom. Bible.
Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
Verse 2. He said to the king, and to all others who made inquiry, as it was his custom, whenever he came into a strange land, verse 13. He was encouraged to do this, by the protection which God had shewn him in Egypt.—Took her, against her will, as Pharao had done. Bible.—Though she was ninety years old, and with child, her beauty was still extraordinary, the Rabbin think miraculous. At that time people lived above 120 years; so that at the age of ninety, she would only be about as near the end of her life as our women are at forty; and we often see people sufficiently attracting at that age. Calmet.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the 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.”
Verse 3. Abimelech. This was an usual title of kings in Chanaan, and a very good one, to remind them and their subjects, of their obligations, ( Bible.) as it means “my father the king.” The behaviour of the prince shews, that as yet all sense of duty and knowledge of the true God was not banished from the country. Calmet.—Shalt die, unless thou restore the woman, whom thou hast taken by force; on whose account I have already afflicted thee, (verse 7. 17) and thus prevented thee from touching her. This testimony was more requisite, that there might be no doubt respecting Isaac’s legitimacy. Bible.
Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
Verse 5. He say, and so forth The pronouns in Hebrew are printed very incorrectly.—He is my sister; and she, even he, said. Ken.
God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her.
Verse 6. Sincere heart, abhorring adultery, but not altogether innocent. Menochius.
Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”
Verse 7. A prophet. One under my particular care, to whom I reveal many things.—He shall pray for thee. Behold, God will sometimes grant, at the request of his saints, what he would deny even such as Abimelech or the friends of Job. Is not this sufficient encouragement for us, to have recourse to the intercession of the saints? And can any one be so foolish as to pretend this is making gods of them, and shewing them an idolatrous worship? Bible.
Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
Verse 8. In the night, (de nocte) or “as soon as it began to dawn.” Sept.
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!”
Verse 9. Why, and so forth He expostulates with him in a friendly but earnest manner.—A great sin, or punishment, ( Menochius.) verse 18, and exposed me to the danger of committing adultery. Abraham might have answered, this would have been his own fault, as he could not have done it without offering violence to Sara, in whose chastity he could confide. Having an opportunity here to vindicate himself, Abraham speaks freely, which he was not allowed to do in Egypt. G. 12:20.
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”
Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’
Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Verse 12. My sister, or niece, according to those who say she was daughter of Aran, who thus must have had a different mother from Abraham; ( Menochius.) or, as we rather think, Sara was truly his half-sister, born of Thare by another wife. His adding truly, seems to restrain it to this sense; and we know that in those countries, marriages of such near relations were allowed, though not when both had the same parents. Why should we not, therefore, believe Abraham, who certainly knew the real state of the question, and who would not tell a lie, rather than seek for improbable and far-fetched solutions? Said, who lived eight hundred years ago, mentions the name of Jona, Abraham’s mother, as well as that of Tehevita, who bore Sara to Thare. The Hebrews, in general, give this explanation. Calmet.—By calling Sara his sister without any addition, Abraham intended that the people should conclude he was not married; therefore he did not say she was his half-sister, as this would have frustrated his design, if, as Clem. Alex. asserts, such might and did marry under the law of nature. Bible.—Philo observes, the Athenian legislator, Solon, sanctioned the same practice, which was followed also by the Phœnicians. Calmet.
When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
Verse 14. Gave, by way of satisfaction, for having detained his wife; as also to shew his respect for him who was a prophet. 1 Kings 9:7. Bible.
Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.”
To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”
Verse 16. Thy brother, as thou hast agreed to call thy husband.—Pieces, or sicles of silver, worth a little above 2s. 3d. each; total £113 sterling.—A covering, or veil, to shew thou art married, and prevent thee from being taken by any one hereafter. It was to be so rich, that all might know her quality. Saint Paul (1 Corinthians 11:5. 15) orders women to be covered. Calmet.
Abraham prayed to God. So God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
Verse 17. Healed. It is not known how God afflicted Abimelech; but the women could not be delivered during the short time that Sara was detained: on her being set at liberty, they bore children. Menochius.
For the LORD had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.