Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 20:3
3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
Genesis 20:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
- New International Version (NIV)But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But God came to Abimelech in a dream by 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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
Context of Genesis 20:3
1Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar, 2Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.” 4Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:3 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בַּחֲל֣וֹם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הִנְּךָ֥ מֵת֙ עַל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֔חְתָּ וְהִ֖וא בְּעֻ֥לַת בָּֽעַל׃Read the interlinear
- One night, howeverלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- in a dreamחֲלוֹםchălôm chălôm · dreamH2472
- and toldאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- ·הִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- You are as good as deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- because ofעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- you have takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- for sheהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
- is a marriedבָּעַלbâ‛al · rule: to marryH1166
- womanבַּעַלba‛al · master: menH1167
Cross-references for Genesis 20:3
- Genesis 28:12And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
- Genesis 31:24But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
- Genesis 37:5Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
- Genesis 40:8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
- Genesis 41:1After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,
- Job 4:12Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it.
- Job 33:15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
- Matthew 1:20But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
- Matthew 2:12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
- Matthew 27:19While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
- Genesis 20:7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
- Psalms 105:14He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:
- Ezekiel 33:14But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right—
- Jonah 3:4On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!”
Commentaries on Genesis 20:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3But God came to Abimelech - Thus we find that persons who were not of the family of Abraham had the knowledge of the true God. Indeed, all the Gerarites are termed צדיק גוי goi tsaddik, a righteous nation, Genesis 20:4.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-18Verses 1-18 - Abraham in Gerar 2. אבימלך .2 'ǎbı̂ymelek Abimelekh, “father of the king.” 7. נביא nābı̂y' “prophet,” he who speaks by God, of God, and to God, who declares to people not merely things future, but also things past and present, that are not obvious to the sense or the reason; related: “flow, go forth.” 13. התעוּ hı̂t‛û is plural in punctuation, agreeing grammatically with אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym ו (w), however, may be regarded as the third…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3One night … God came … in a dream: God urgently intervened to stop Abimelech from harming Sarah's purity right before fulfilling his promise (18:10; 21:1–3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. But God came to Abimelech in a dream--In early times a dream was often made the medium of communicating important truths; and this method was adopted for the preservation of Sarah.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 20:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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