New International Version
Genesis 20:6
6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
Genesis 20:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
- New Living Translation (NLT)In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her.
Context of Genesis 20:6
4Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5Did 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.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7Now 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.” 8Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid.
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:6 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אֵלָ֨יו הָֽאֱלֹהִ֜ים בַּחֲלֹ֗ם גַּ֣ם אָנֹכִ֤י יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ כִּ֤י בְתָם־לְבָבְךָ֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּ֔את וָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְ גַּם־אָנֹכִ֛י אֽוֹתְךָ֖ מֵחֲטוֹ־לִ֑י עַל־כֵּ֥ן לֹא־נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לִנְגֹּ֥עַ אֵלֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him in a dreamחֲלוֹםchălôm chălôm · dreamH2472
- Yeaגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- that thou didstעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- this in the integrityתֹּםtôm · integrityH8537
- of thy heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- for I also withheldחָשַׂךְchâώak · to withholdH2820
- thee from sinningחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- against me: therefore sufferedנָתַןnâthan · to give: allowH5414
- I thee not to touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
Cross-references for Genesis 20:6
- Genesis 20:18for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
- Genesis 31:7yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.
- Genesis 35:5Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.
- Exodus 34:24I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord your God.
- 1 Samuel 25:26And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.
- Psalms 84:11For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
- Proverbs 21:1In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.
- Hosea 2:6Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
- Genesis 39:9No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
- Leviticus 6:2“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord by deceiving a neighbor about something entrusted to them or left in their care or about something stolen, or if they cheat their neighbor,
- Psalms 51:4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
- Psalms 81:12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
- Genesis 3:3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
- Genesis 26:11So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
- 1 Corinthians 7:1Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”
Commentaries on Genesis 20:6
- 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. 6Because Abimelech acted with a clear conscience, God kept him from sinning. God will graciously help those who try to do what is right. When people act with reverence toward God, God gives them more revelation and draws them into more specific faith (see Acts 10).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 20:6
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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