Tree of Life Version
Genesis 20:9
9Then Abimelech called to Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us, and how have I sinned against you, that you brought great sin upon me and my kingdom? You’ve done to me things that should not be done!”
Genesis 20:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.”
Context of Genesis 20:9
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.” 8Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants and spoke all these words in their ears—and the men were very frightened. Then Abimelech called to Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us, and how have I sinned against you, that you brought great sin upon me and my kingdom? You’ve done to me things that should not be done!” 10Abimelech also said to Abraham, “What motivated you to do this thing?” 11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘There is certainly no fear of God in this place, so they’ll kill me, because of my wife.’
Read all of Genesis 20Genesis 20:9 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְאַבְרָהָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ מֶֽה־עָשִׂ֤יתָ לָּ֙נוּ֙ וּמֶֽה־חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־הֵבֵ֧אתָ עָלַ֛י וְעַל־מַמְלַכְתִּ֖י חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה מַעֲשִׂים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יֵֽעָשׂ֔וּ עָשִׂ֖יתָ עִמָּדִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, What hast thou doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- unto us? and what have I offendedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- thee, that thou hast broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- on me and on my kingdomמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- sinחֲטָאָהchăţâ'âh · sinH2401
- deedsמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639
Cross-references for Genesis 20:9
- Genesis 12:18So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What’s this that you did to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she is your wife?
- Genesis 26:10Then Abimelech said, “What is it that you’ve done to us? One of the people could have easily slept with your wife and you would’ve brought guilt on us.”
- Exodus 32:21Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, to make you bring such a great sin upon them?”
- Joshua 7:25Then Joshua said, “Why have you brought trouble on us? Adonai will trouble you this day.” Then all Israel stoned him with stones, burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
- 1 Samuel 26:18then added, “Yet why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
- Proverbs 28:10One who leads the upright astray along an evil path will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit good.
- Genesis 38:24About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been a prostitute—look, she’s even pregnant by prostitution.” “Bring her out!” Judah said, “and let her be burned.”
- Genesis 39:9No one in this house is greater than I, and he has withheld nothing from me—except you, because you are his wife. So how could I commit this great evil and sin against God?”
- Leviticus 20:10“The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress should surely be put to death.
- 2 Samuel 12:5Then David’s anger blazed hot against the man and he said to Nathan, “As Adonai lives, the man that did this deserves to die!
- Romans 2:11For there is no partiality with God.
- Hebrews 13:4Let marriage be held in honor among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
- Genesis 34:7Jacob’s sons had already come in from the field when they heard, and the men were deeply grieved and furious, because he had committed a vile deed in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, which ought never to be done.
- 2 Samuel 13:12“No!” she said to him. “Don’t, my brother! Don’t rape me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t do this disgraceful deed!
Commentaries on Genesis 20:9
- 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. 8-10Abraham received rebukes from Abimelech and God (compare 12:17–19). Abimelech was upset because Abraham's lie made him guilty of this serious sin (see study note on 20:3–7). Abimelech understood that taking a married woman into his harem (a group of wives and concubines) was wrong.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said ... What hast thou done?--In what a humiliating plight does the patriarch now appear--he, a servant of the true God, rebuked by a heathen prince. Who would not rather be in the place of Abimelech than of the honored but sadly offending patriarch! What a dignified attitude is that of the king--calmly and justly reproving the sin of the patriarch, but respecting his person and heaping coals of fire on his head by…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 20:9
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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