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Genesis 20:1

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

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Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

What does Genesis 20:1 mean?

Genesis 20:1 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אַבְרָהָם (ʼAbrâhâm), נָסַע (nâçaʻ), נֶגֶב (negeb). It connects to 20 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
AbrahamאַבְרָהָםʼAbrâhâm/ab-raw-hawm'/H85Abraham, the later name of Abram
journeyedנָסַעnâçaʻ/naw-sah'/H5265properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney
from
thence
toward
the
southנֶגֶבnegeb/neh'-gheb/H5045the south (from its drought); specifically, the Negeb or southern district of Judah, occasionally, Egypt (as south to Palestine)
country,אֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/H776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
and
dwelledיָשַׁבyâshab/yaw-shab'/H3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
between
KadeshקָדֵשׁQâdêsh/kaw-dashe'/H6946Kadesh, a place in the Desert
and
Shur,שׁוּרShûwr/shoor/H7793Shur, a region of the Desert
and
sojournedגּוּרgûwr/goor/H1481properly, to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest); also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather forhostility (as afraid)
in
Gerar.גְּרָרGᵉrâr/gher-awr'/H1642Gerar, a Philistine city

Commentary on Genesis 20:1

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 20:1–2
d Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. Here is, 1. Abraham's removal from Mamre, where he had lived nearly twenty years, into the country of the Philistines: He sojourned in Gerar, v. 1 . We are not told upon what occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or because the country round was for the present prejudiced by it, or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at Lot's incest with his daughters, and the reproach which the Canaanites cast upon him and his religion, for his kinsman's sake: doubtless there was some good cause for his removal. Note, In a world where we are strangers and pilgrims we cannot expect to be always in the same place. Again, Wherever we are, we must look upon ourselves but as sojourners. 2. His sin in denying his wife, as before ( ch. xii. 13 ), which was not only in itself such an equivocation as bordered upon a lie, and which, if admitted as lawful, would be the ruin of human converse and an inlet to all falsehood, but was also an exposing of the chastity and honour of his wife, of which he ought to have been the protector. But, besides this, it had here a two-fold aggravation:— (1.) He had been guilty of this same sin before, and had been reproved for it, and convinced of the folly of the suggestion which induced him to it; yet he returns to it. Note, It is possible that a good man may, not only fall into sin, but relapse into the same sin, through the surprise and strength of temptation and the infirmity of the flesh. Let backsliders repent then, but not despair, Jer. iii. 22 . (2.) Sarah, as it should seem, was now with child of the promised seed, or, at least, in expectation of being so quickly, according to the word of God; he ought therefore to have taken particular care of her now, as Judg. xiii. 4 . 3. The peril that Sarah was brought into by this means: The king of Gerar sent, and took her to his house, in order to the taking of her to his bed. Note, The sin of one often occasions the sin of others; he that breaks the hedge of God's commandments opens a gap to he knows not how many; the beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. 3 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. 4

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 10:19

And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. Gaza: Heb. Azzah

Genesis 13:1

And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

Genesis 14:7

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

Genesis 16:1

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

Genesis 16:7

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

Genesis 16:14

Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. Beerlahairoi: that is, The well of him that liveth and seeth me

Genesis 18:1

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

Genesis 24:62

And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

Genesis 26:1

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

Genesis 26:6

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

Genesis 26:20

And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. Esek: that is, Contention

Genesis 26:26

Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.

Numbers 13:26

And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

Numbers 20:16

And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

Deuteronomy 1:19

And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.

Deuteronomy 32:51

Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. Meribah-Kadesh: or, strife at Kadesh

1 Samuel 15:7

And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.

2 Chronicles 14:13

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. destroyed: Heb. broken

2 Chronicles 14:14

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.

Psalms 29:8

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 20:1.

Exodus 15:22

So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

Genesis 11:2

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. from: or, eastward

Genesis 12:9

And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. going: Heb. in going and journeying

Genesis 14:7

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

Genesis 19:29

And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

Genesis 24:62

And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

Genesis 4:16

And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 20:1 say?

Genesis 20:1 (King James Version) reads: "And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar."

Is Genesis 20:1 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 20:1 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Genesis.

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

The book of Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses.

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