Genesis 20:18

Genesis 20:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
• New International Version (NIV)for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Context of Genesis 20:18

16Abimelech said to Sarah, ‘I have given 1,000 pieces of silver to your brother. This is to show everyone that you yourself did nothing wrong. It will pay you for any trouble that you have received.’ 17Then Abraham prayed to God. As a result, God made Abimelech become well again. He also made Abimelech's wife and his female slaves become well, so that they could have children again. The Lord had made them unable to have children. He did this because of what happened to Abraham's wife, Sarah.

Genesis 20:18 word by word

כִּֽי־עָצֹ֤ר עָצַר֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּעַ֥ד כָּל־רֶ֖חֶם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָהָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• had fastעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
• all the wombsרֶ֫חֶםrechem · wombH7358
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• becauseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
• of Sarahשָׂרָהώârâh · SarahH8283
• Abraham’sאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Genesis 20:18

• Genesis 20:7You must now give her back to her husband. He is a prophet and he will pray for you. Because of that, you will not die. But if you do not give her back, you and all your people will surely die.’
• Genesis 12:17But the Lord made Pharaoh and the people in his palace very ill. The Lord did this because the king had taken Abram's wife Sarai.
• Genesis 16:2Sarai said to Abram, ‘The Lord has not let me have any children. Go and sleep with my servant. Then if she gives birth, her children will be my family.’ Abram agreed to do this.
• Genesis 30:2Jacob became angry with Rachel. He said, ‘Am I God? God has stopped you from giving birth to children!’
• 1 Samuel 1:6Peninnah was not kind to Hannah and she made Hannah very upset. She did this because the Lord had not let Hannah give birth to any children.
• 1 Samuel 5:10So then they took God's Covenant Box to Ekron. When God's Covenant Box arrived in Ekron, the people screamed. They said, ‘They have brought the Covenant Box of Israel's God here! They want to kill us all!’

Commentaries on Genesis 20:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs - Probably by means of some disease with which he had smitten them, hence it is said they were healed at Abraham's intercession; and this seems necessarily to imply that they had been afflicted by some disease that rendered it impossible for them to have children till it was removed. And possibly this disease, as Dr. Dodd conjectures, had afflicted Abimelech, and by this he was withheld, Genesis 20:6, from…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
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 We often trouble ourselves, and even are led into temptation and sin, by groundless suspicions; and find the fear of God where we expected it not. Agreements to deceive generally end in shame and sorrow; and restraints from sin, though by suffering, should be thankfully acknowledged. Though the Lord rebuke, yet he will pardon and deliver his people, and he will give them favour in the sight of those with whom they sojourn; and overrule their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18The inability to have children suggests that some time had passed. God controls births. He decides when women can have children (25:21; 29:31; 30:2, 17, 22–23; 1 Samuel 1:19–20; Psalms 113:9; 127:3; Luke 1:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-181. Abraham journeyed from thence ... and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur--Leaving the encampment, he migrated to the southern border of Canaan. In the neighborhood of Gerar was a very rich and well-watered pasture land.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 20:18

• Barrenness
• Good for Evil
• Ignorance
• Intercession
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Sarah
• Sarah; Sarai
• Abraham
• Dream
• Prayer
• Restore
• Wander
• Atonement, Day of
• Close

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