New King James Version
Genesis 20:4
4But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
Genesis 20:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
- New International Version (NIV)Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, "Lord, will you kill an innocent people?
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
Context of Genesis 20:4
2Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6And 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.
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:4 word by word
וַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ לֹ֥א קָרַ֖ב אֵלֶ֑יהָ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֲדֹנָ֕י הֲג֥וֹי גַּם־צַדִּ֖יק תַּהֲרֹֽג׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 20:4
- Genesis 20:6And 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.
- Genesis 20:17So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;
- Genesis 18:23And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.
- 2 Samuel 4:11How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Therefore, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and remove you from the earth?”
- 1 Chronicles 21:17And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.”
Commentaries on Genesis 20:4
- 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. 4-5Abimelech was innocent (20:6). He knew of no wrong he had done. But he was close to committing adultery. Not knowing the truth does not remove guilt (Leviticus 4:13–14). would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?: Abimelech's plea to God echoes Abraham's earlier words (compare 18:23–32). It shows Abraham's lack of faith at this time.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 20:4
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries