New English Translation
Genesis 20:16
16To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your ‘brother.’ This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.”
Genesis 20:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
- New International Version (NIV)To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked.
Context of Genesis 20:16
14So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 15Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.” To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your ‘brother.’ This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” 17Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 18For the Lord had caused infertility to strike every woman in the household of Abimelech because he took Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:16 word by word
וּלְשָׂרָ֣ה אָמַ֗ר הִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֜תִּי אֶ֤לֶף כֶּ֙סֶף֙ לְאָחִ֔יךְ הִנֵּ֤ה הוּא־לָךְ֙ כְּס֣וּת עֵינַ֔יִם לְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֑ךְ וְאֵ֥ת כֹּ֖ל וְנֹכָֽחַת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And unto Sarahשָׂרָהώârâh · SarahH8283
- he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Behold, I have givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- thy brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- a thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- to thee a coveringכְּסוּתkesûth · coveringH3682
- of the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- thus she was reprovedיָכַחyâkach · to rebukeH3198
Cross-references for Genesis 20:16
- Genesis 20:5Did Abraham not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!”
- Proverbs 27:5Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
- Genesis 23:15“Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
- Genesis 23:16So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and weighed out for him the price that Ephron had quoted in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time.
- Genesis 26:11So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
- Genesis 24:65and asked Abraham’s servant, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. So she took her veil and covered herself.
- 1 Chronicles 21:3Joab replied, “May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?”
- Proverbs 9:8Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.
- Proverbs 12:1The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.
- Proverbs 25:12Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to the ear of the one who listens.
- Jonah 1:6The ship’s captain approached him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Get up! Cry out to your god! Perhaps your god might take notice of us so that we might not die!”
- Revelation 3:19All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!
Commentaries on Genesis 20:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16And unto Sarah he said - But what did he say? Here there is scarcely any agreement among interpreters; the Hebrew is exceedingly obscure, and every interpreter takes it in his own sense. A thousand pieces of silver - Shekels are very probably meant here, and so the Targum understands it. The Septuagint has , a thousand didrachma, no doubt meaning shekels; for in Genesis 23:15, Genesis 23:16, this translation uses for the Hebrew שקל shekel . As shakal…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. 14-16Abimelech showed he was an honorable person by making things right (see study note on 20:4–5). He made things right by letting Abraham live in the area. He also gave him slaves, livestock (compare 21:27), and 1,000 pieces of silver to make up for any wrong done to Sarah.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 20:16
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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