English Standard Version
Genesis 20:5
5Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."
Genesis 20:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
- New International Version (NIV)Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”
Context of Genesis 20:5
3But 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." 4Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, "Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this." 6Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:5 word by word
הֲלֹ֨א ה֤וּא אָֽמַר־לִי֙ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֔וא וְהִֽיא־גַם־הִ֥וא אָֽמְרָ֖ה אָחִ֣י ה֑וּא בְּתָם־לְבָבִ֛י וּבְנִקְיֹ֥ן כַּפַּ֖י עָשִׂ֥יתִי זֹֽאת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- he not unto me, Sheהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
- my sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- evenגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- my brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- in the integrityתֹּםtôm · integrityH8537
- of my heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- and innocencyנִקָּיוֹןniqqâyôn niqqâyôn · innocenceH5356
- of my handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- have I doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
Cross-references for Genesis 20:5
- Joshua 22:22"The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the Lord, do not spare us today
- 1 Kings 9:4And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,
- 2 Kings 20:3"Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
- 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.
- Psalms 7:8The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.
- Psalms 25:21May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
- Psalms 78:72With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.
- Proverbs 11:3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
- Proverbs 20:7The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.
- 1 Timothy 1:13though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
- Job 33:9You say, 'I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
- Psalms 24:4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
- Psalms 26:6I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord,
- Psalms 73:13All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
Commentaries on Genesis 20:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5In the integrity of my heart, etc. - Had Abimelech any other than honorable views in taking Sarah, he could not have justified himself thus to his Maker; and that these views were of the most honorable kind, God himself, to whom the appeal was made, asserts in the most direct manner, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart.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. 4-5Abimelech was innocent (20:6). He knew of no wrong he had done. But he was close to committing adultery. Not knowing the truth does not remove guilt (Leviticus 4:13–14). would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?: Abimelech's plea to God echoes Abraham's earlier words (compare 18:23–32). It shows Abraham's lack of faith at this time.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 20:5
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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Commentaries