Genesis 20:18

Genesis 20:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
• New International Version (NIV)for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Context of Genesis 20:18

16And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’ 1,000 pieces of silver in the presence of all these witnesses. This is to compensate you for any wrong I may have done to you. This will settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.” 17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children. For the Lord had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah.

Genesis 20:18 word by word

כִּֽי־עָצֹ֤ר עָצַר֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּעַ֥ד כָּל־רֶ֖חֶם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָהָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• had fastעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
• all the wombsרֶ֫חֶםrechem · wombH7358
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• becauseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
• of Sarahשָׂרָהώârâh · SarahH8283
• Abraham’sאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Genesis 20:18

• Genesis 20:7Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”
• Genesis 12:17But the Lord sent terrible plagues upon Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
• Genesis 16:2So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.
• Genesis 30:2Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”
• 1 Samuel 1:6So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.
• 1 Samuel 5:10So they sent the Ark of God to the town of Ekron, but when the people of Ekron saw it coming they cried out, “They are bringing the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us, too!”

Commentaries on Genesis 20:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs - Probably by means of some disease with which he had smitten them, hence it is said they were healed at Abraham's intercession; and this seems necessarily to imply that they had been afflicted by some disease that rendered it impossible for them to have children till it was removed. And possibly this disease, as Dr. Dodd conjectures, had afflicted Abimelech, and by this he was withheld, Genesis 20:6, from…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. 17-18The inability to have children suggests that some time had passed. God controls births. He decides when women can have children (25:21; 29:31; 30:2, 17, 22–23; 1 Samuel 1:19–20; Psalms 113:9; 127:3; Luke 1:13).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 20:18

• Barrenness
• Good for Evil
• Ignorance
• Intercession
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Sarah
• Sarah; Sarai
• Abraham
• Dream
• Prayer
• Restore
• Wander
• Atonement, Day of
• Close

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