Genesis 20:11

Genesis 20:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
• New International Version (NIV)Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, 'There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.

Context of Genesis 20:11

9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, What hast thou done to us? and how have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds to me that ought not to be done. 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. 12And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show to me; at every place where we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

Genesis 20:11 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֗רְתִּי רַ֚ק אֵין־יִרְאַ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֔ים בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַהֲרָג֖וּנִי עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אִשְׁתִּֽי׃Read the interlinear

• Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Surelyרַקraq · exceptH7535
• fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• meהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• wife’sאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• sakeדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697

Cross-references for Genesis 20:11

• Genesis 22:12And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing to him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld from me thy son, thy only son .
• Genesis 42:18And Joseph said to them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
• Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors that had been before me had laid a burden upon the people, and had taken of them food and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bore rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
• Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.
• Job 28:28And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
• Psalms 14:4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.
• Psalms 36:1The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
• Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 2:5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 8:13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
• Proverbs 16:6By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
• Romans 3:18There is no fear of God before their eyes.
• Genesis 12:12Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
• Genesis 26:7And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

Commentaries on Genesis 20:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And Abraham said - The best excuse he could make for his conduct, which in this instance is far from defensible.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. 9-13Verses 9-13 See here much to blame, even in the father of the faithful. Mark his distrust of God, his undue care about life, his intent to deceive. He also threw temptation in the way of others, caused affliction to them, exposed himself and Sarah to just rebukes, and yet attempted an excuse. These things are written for our warning, not for us to imitate. Even Abraham hath not whereof to glory. He cannot be justified by his works, but must be indebted…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13Abraham's deceit was not just a brief loss of faith. Even after being scolded in Egypt, he used this strategy everywhere he traveled (compare 12:12–13). Living by faith requires perseverance.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. And Abraham said ... I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place--From the horrible vices of Sodom he seems to have taken up the impression that all other cities of Canaan were equally corrupt. There might have been few or none who feared God, but what a sad thing when men of the world show a higher sense of honor and a greater abhorrence of crimes than a true worshipper!Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 20:11

• Cowardice
• Doubting
• Ignorance
• Marriage
• Sarah

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• God
• Abraham, Abram
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Abimelech
• Dream
• Restore
• Wander
• Atonement, Day of
• Fear

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