Genesis 20:2

Genesis 20:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
• New International Version (NIV)and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

Context of Genesis 20:2

1Abraham moved to the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was living in Gerar, Abraham told everyone that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar sent men to take Sarah. 3God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You’re going to die because of the woman that you’ve taken! She’s a married woman!” 4Abimelech hadn’t come near her, so he asked, “Lord, will you destroy a nation even if it’s innocent?

Genesis 20:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־שָׂרָ֥ה אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ גְּרָ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־שָׂרָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• ofאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Sarahשָׂרָהώârâh · SarahH8283
• his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• my sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
• and Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Gerarגְּרָרgerâr · GerarH1642
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947

Cross-references for Genesis 20:2

• Genesis 12:11When he was about to enter Egypt, Abram said to his wife Sarai, “I know that you’re a beautiful woman.
• Genesis 26:7When the men of that place asked about his wife, Isaac answered, “She’s my sister.” He was afraid to say “my wife.” He thought that the men of that place would kill him to get Rebekah, because she was an attractive woman.
• 2 Chronicles 19:2Jehu, son of the seer Hanani, asked King Jehoshaphat, “Why do you help wicked people and love those who hate the Lord? The Lord’s anger is directed toward you because you have done this.
• 2 Chronicles 20:37Then Eliezer, son of Dodavahu from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, “The Lord will destroy your work because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah.” So the ships were wrecked and couldn’t go to Tarshish.
• 2 Chronicles 32:31When the leaders of Babylon sent ambassadors to ask him about the miraculous sign that had happened in the land, God left him. God did this to test him, to find out everything that was in Hezekiah’s heart.
• Proverbs 24:16A righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again. However, in a disaster wicked people fall.
• Ecclesiastes 7:20Certainly, there is no one so righteous on earth that he always does what is good and never sins.
• Galatians 2:11When Cephas came to Antioch, I had to openly oppose him because he was completely wrong.
• Ephesians 4:25So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body.
• Colossians 3:9Don’t lie to each other. You’ve gotten rid of the person you used to be and the life you used to live,
• Genesis 12:15When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they raved about her to Pharaoh, so Sarai was taken to Pharaoh’s palace.
• Genesis 26:1There was a famine in the land in addition to the earlier one during Abraham’s time. So Isaac went to King Abimelech of the Philistines in Gerar.

Commentaries on Genesis 20:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2She is my sister - See the parallel account, Genesis 12 (note), and the notes there. Sarah was now about ninety years of age, and probably pregnant with Isaac. Her beauty, therefore, must have been considerably impaired since the time she was taken in a similar manner by Pharaoh, king of Egypt; but she was probably now chosen by Abimelech more on the account of forming an alliance with Abraham, who was very rich, than on account of any personal…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. 2Abraham lied to Abimelech, just as he had lied to Pharaoh (12:13). Isaac later did the same (26:1–11), probably learning this from his father. Abimelech (which means "my father the king") was probably a title like Pharaoh (37:36; Exodus 1:15), not a personal name (see study note on Genesis 26:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister--Fear of the people among whom he was, tempted him to equivocate. His conduct was highly culpable. It was deceit, deliberate and premeditated--there was no sudden pressure upon him--it was the second offense of the kind [see on Ge 12:13]--it was a distrust of God every way surprising, and it was calculated to produce injurious effects on the heathen around. Its mischievous tendency was not long in being…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 20:2

• Cowardice
• Deception
• Doubting
• Falsehood
• Ignorance
• Sarah

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Abraham
• Gerar
• Sarah
• Sarah; Sarai
• Abraham, Abram
• Dream
• Lie
• Restore
• Wander

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