Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 20:9
9Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
Genesis 20:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended 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.”
Context of Genesis 20:9
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.” 8Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified. Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.” 10Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?” 11Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:9 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְאַבְרָהָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ מֶֽה־עָשִׂ֤יתָ לָּ֙נוּ֙ וּמֶֽה־חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־הֵבֵ֧אתָ עָלַ֛י וְעַל־מַמְלַכְתִּ֖י חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה מַעֲשִׂים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יֵֽעָשׂ֔וּ עָשִׂ֖יתָ עִמָּדִֽי׃Read the interlinear
- Then Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
- and askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- have you doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- have I sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- thatכִּיkîy · forH3588
- you have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- such tremendousגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- guiltחֲטָאָהchăţâ'âh · sinH2401
- upon meעַל‛al · uponH5921
- my kingdomמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
- thingsמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639
- to meעִמָּדִי‛immâd · with meH5978
- thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- should notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
Cross-references for Genesis 20:9
- Genesis 12:18So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
- Genesis 26:10“What is this you have done to us?” asked Abimelech. “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
- Exodus 32:21“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
- Joshua 7:25“Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies.
- 1 Samuel 26:18And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
- Proverbs 28:10He who leads the upright along the path of evil will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.
- Genesis 38:24About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
- Genesis 39:9No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
- Leviticus 20:10If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.
- 2 Samuel 12:5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
- Romans 2:11For God does not show favoritism.
- Hebrews 13:4Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
- Genesis 34:7When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.
- 2 Samuel 13:12“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
Commentaries on Genesis 20:9
- 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
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-13Verses 9-13 See here much to blame, even in the father of the faithful. Mark his distrust of God, his undue care about life, his intent to deceive. He also threw temptation in the way of others, caused affliction to them, exposed himself and Sarah to just rebukes, and yet attempted an excuse. These things are written for our warning, not for us to imitate. Even Abraham hath not whereof to glory. He cannot be justified by his works, but must be indebted…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10Abraham received rebukes from Abimelech and God (compare 12:17–19). Abimelech was upset because Abraham's lie made him guilty of this serious sin (see study note on 20:3–7). Abimelech understood that taking a married woman into his harem (a group of wives and concubines) was wrong.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said ... What hast thou done?--In what a humiliating plight does the patriarch now appear--he, a servant of the true God, rebuked by a heathen prince. Who would not rather be in the place of Abimelech than of the honored but sadly offending patriarch! What a dignified attitude is that of the king--calmly and justly reproving the sin of the patriarch, but respecting his person and heaping coals of fire on his head by…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 20:9
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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