Tree of Life Version
Genesis 20:3
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “Behold, you are as good as dead, because of the woman whom you have taken—since she is a married woman.”
Genesis 20:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
- New International Version (NIV)But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But 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.”
Context of Genesis 20:3
1Then Abraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was dwelling as an outsider in Gerar, 2Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “Behold, you are as good as dead, because of the woman whom you have taken—since she is a married woman.” 4Now Abimelech had not come near her. So he said, “My Lord, will You slay a nation, even though innocent? 5Didn’t he say to me, ‘She’s my sister’? And she herself even said, ‘He’s my brother.’ I did this with integrity of my heart and guiltlessness of my hands.”
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:3 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בַּחֲל֣וֹם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הִנְּךָ֥ מֵת֙ עַל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֔חְתָּ וְהִ֖וא בְּעֻ֥לַת בָּֽעַל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- in a dreamחֲלוֹםchălôm chălôm · dreamH2472
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- a dead manמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- for the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- which thou hast takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- a man’sבַּעַלba‛al · master: menH1167
- wifeבָּעַלbâ‛al · rule: to marryH1166
Cross-references for Genesis 20:3
- Genesis 28:12He dreamed: All of a sudden, there was a stairway set up on the earth and its top reaching to the heavens—and behold, angels of God going up and down on it!
- Genesis 31:24But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Watch yourself—lest you say anything to Jacob, good or bad.”
- Genesis 37:5Then Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers—and they hated him even more.
- Genesis 40:8They said to him, “We dreamed a dream and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell me.”
- Genesis 41:1Now at the end of two whole years, Pharaoh was dreaming. Behold, there he was standing by the Nile.
- Job 4:12Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear caught a whisper of it.
- Job 33:15“In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, as they slumber in bed,
- Matthew 1:20But while he considered these things, behold, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Miriam as your wife, for the Child conceived in her is from the Ruach ha-Kodesh.
- Matthew 2:12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another way.
- Matthew 27:19While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Don’t have anything to do with that righteous Man, for today I’ve suffered many things in a dream because of Him.”
- Genesis 20:7So now, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet. And let him pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die—you and all who are yours.”
- Psalms 105:14He allowed no one to oppress them— for their sake He rebuked kings:
- Ezekiel 33:14When I say to the wicked, “You will surely die,” yet he turns from his sin and does what is just and right—
- Jonah 3:4So Jonah began to come into the city for one day’s journey, and he cried out saying: “Another forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown!”
Commentaries on Genesis 20:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3But God came to Abimelech - Thus we find that persons who were not of the family of Abraham had the knowledge of the true God. Indeed, all the Gerarites are termed צדיק גוי goi tsaddik, a righteous nation, Genesis 20:4.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. 3One night … God came … in a dream: God urgently intervened to stop Abimelech from harming Sarah's purity right before fulfilling his promise (18:10; 21:1–3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. But God came to Abimelech in a dream--In early times a dream was often made the medium of communicating important truths; and this method was adopted for the preservation of Sarah.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 20:3
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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