Genesis 20:7

Genesis 20:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
• New International Version (NIV)Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

Context of Genesis 20:7

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!” 6Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.” 8Early in the morning Abimelech summoned all his servants. When he told them about all these things, they were terrified. 9Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!”

Genesis 20:7 word by word

וְעַתָּ֗ה הָשֵׁ֤ב אֵֽשֶׁת־הָאִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־נָבִ֣יא ה֔וּא וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל בַּֽעַדְךָ֖ וֶֽחְיֵ֑ה וְאִם־אֵֽינְךָ֣ מֵשִׁ֗יב דַּ֚ע כִּי־מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת אַתָּ֖ה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore restoreשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• a prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• and he shall prayפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
• for theeבַּ֫עַדbe‛ad · about/through/forH1157
• and thou shalt liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• not, knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• thou that thou shalt surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Genesis 20:7

• 1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance.
• 1 Kings 18:1Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:4The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
• Exodus 4:16He will speak for you to the people, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were his God.
• Exodus 7:1So the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
• Exodus 12:1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
• Exodus 18:17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good!
• 1 Chronicles 16:22saying, “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Don’t harm my prophets!”
• Psalms 25:14The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.
• Psalms 105:9the promise he made to Abraham, the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
• Hebrews 1:1After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,
• Leviticus 6:4when it happens that he sins and he is found guilty, then he must return whatever he had stolen, or whatever he had extorted, or the thing that he had held in trust, or the lost thing that he had found,
• 1 Samuel 7:5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”
• 1 Samuel 12:19All the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God on behalf of us – your servants – so we won’t die, for we have added to all our sins by asking for a king.”
• 2 Samuel 24:17When he saw the angel who was destroying the people, David said to the Lord, “Look, it is I who have sinned and done this evil thing! As for these sheep – what have they done? Attack me and my family.”
• 1 Kings 13:6The king pled with the prophet, “Seek the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored.” So the prophet sought the Lord’s favor and the king’s hand was restored to its former condition.

Commentaries on Genesis 20:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee - The word prophet, which we have from the Greek , and which is compounded of , before, and , I speak, means, in its general acceptation, one who speaks of things before they happen, i.e., one who foretells future events. But that this was not the original notion of the word, its use in this place sufficiently proves. Abraham certainly was not a prophet in the present general acceptation of the term, and for the…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. 7Abraham's prayer saved the king's life and restored his family (20:17–18). Abimelech learned that Abraham's God was sovereign (meaning God has complete power and authority over everything). Abraham, as God's prophet, received God's messages and would pray for others (see Numbers 12:13; Deuteronomy 9:20). This was true even if he did not always act like a prophet.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 20:7

• Abraham
• Adultery
• Condescension of God
• Cowardice
• Heathen
• Ignorance
• Intercession
• Sarah

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Abraham
• Dream
• Prayer
• Prophet
• Restore
• Wander
• Atonement, Day of
• Barnabas
• Die

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