Genesis 20:11

Genesis 20:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
• New International Version (NIV)Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, 'There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.

Context of Genesis 20:11

9Then 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 on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered, that you have done this thing?” Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. 12Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife; 13and it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is the kindness which you will show to me: everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

Genesis 20:11 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֗רְתִּי רַ֚ק אֵין־יִרְאַ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֔ים בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַהֲרָג֖וּנִי עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אִשְׁתִּֽי׃Read the interlinear

• Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• thereאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• in thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• they will killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• me becauseעַל‛al · uponH5921
• me becauseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
• of my wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Genesis 20:11

• Genesis 22:12He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
• Genesis 42:18Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:
• Nehemiah 5:15But the previous governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of my fear of God.
• Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
• Job 28:28And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
• Psalms 14:4Do all the workers of injustice not know, Who devour my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the Lord?
• Psalms 36:1Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes.
• Proverbs 1:7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 2:5Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 8:13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride, arrogance, the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
• Proverbs 16:6By mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
• Romans 3:18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
• Genesis 12:12and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.
• Genesis 26:7When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is beautiful.”

Commentaries on Genesis 20:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And Abraham said - The best excuse he could make for his conduct, which in this instance is far from defensible.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. 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. 11-13Abraham's deceit was not just a brief loss of faith. Even after being scolded in Egypt, he used this strategy everywhere he traveled (compare 12:12–13). Living by faith requires perseverance.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. And Abraham said ... I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place--From the horrible vices of Sodom he seems to have taken up the impression that all other cities of Canaan were equally corrupt. There might have been few or none who feared God, but what a sad thing when men of the world show a higher sense of honor and a greater abhorrence of crimes than a true worshipper!Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 20:11

• Cowardice
• Doubting
• Ignorance
• Marriage
• Sarah

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• God
• Abimelech
• Dream
• Restore
• Wander
• Atonement, Day of
• Fear
• Genesis
• Gerar

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