Bible/Genesis/20

Genesis 20:16

20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. where: Heb. as is good in thine eyes
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

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To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”

And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to you a covering of the eyes, to all that are with you, and with all other: thus she was reproved. ¶

20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

What does Genesis 20:16 mean?

Genesis 20:16 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include שָׂרָה (Sârâh), אָמַר (ʼâmar), נָתַן (nâthan). It connects to 11 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
And
unto
SarahשָׂרָהSârâh/saw-raw'/H8283Sarah, Abraham's wife
he
said,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
Behold,
I
have
givenנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
thy
brotherאָחʼâch/awkh/H251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))
a
thousandאֶלֶףʼeleph/eh'-lef/H505hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
pieces
of
silver:כֶּסֶףkeçeph/keh'-sef/H3701silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
behold,
he
is
to
thee
a
coveringכְּסוּתkᵉçûwth/kes-ooth'/H3682a cover (garment); figuratively, a veiling
of
the
eyes,עַיִןʻayin/ah'-yin/H5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
unto
all
that
are
with
thee,
and
with
all
other:
thus
she
was
reproved.יָכַחyâkach/yaw-kahh'/H3198to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict

Commentary on Genesis 20:16

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 20:16–18
talic">is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. 16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. 17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18 For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife. Here is, I. The kindness of a prince which Abimelech showed to Abraham. See how unjust Abraham's jealousies were. He fancied that if they knew that Sarah was his wife they would kill him; but, when they did know it, instead of killing him they were kind to him, frightened at least to be so by the divine rebukes they were under. 1. He gives him his royal licence to dwell where he pleased in his country, courting his stay because he gives him his royal gifts ( v. 14 ), sheep and oxen, and ( v. 16 ) a thousand pieces of silver. This he gave when he restored Sarah, either, [1.] By way of satisfaction for the wrong he had offered to do, in taking her to his house: when the Philistines restored the ark, being plagued for detaining it, they sent a present with it. The law appointed that when restitution was made something should be added to it, Lev. vi. 5 . Or, [2.] To engage Abraham's prayers for him; not as if prayers should be bought and sold, but we should endeavour to be kind to those of whose spiritual things we reap, 1 Cor. ix. 11 . Note, It is our wisdom to get and keep an interest with those that have an interest in heaven, and to make those our friends who are the friends of God. [3.] He gives to Sarah good instruction, tells her that her husband (her brother he calls him, to upbraid her with calling him so) must be to her for a covering of the eyes, that is, she must look at no other, nor desire to be looked at by any other. Note, Yoke-fellows must be to each other for a covering of the eyes. The marriage-covenant is a covenant with the eyes, like Job's, ch. xxxi. 1 . II. The kindness of a prophet which Abraham showed to Abimelech: he prayed for him, v. 17, 18 . This honour God would put upon Abraham that, though Abimelech had restored Sarah, yet the judgment he was under should be removed upon the prayer of Abraham, and not before. Thus God healed Miriam, when Moses, whom she had most affronted, prayed for her ( Num. xii. 13 ), and was reconciled to Job's friends when Job, whom they had grieved, prayed for them ( Job xlii. 8-10 ), and so did, as it were, give it under his hand that he was reconciled to them. Note, The prayers of good men may be a kindness to great men, and ought to be valued. In this chapter we have, I. Isaac, the child of promise born into Abraham's family, ver. 1-8

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 20:5

Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. integrity: or, simplicity, or, sincerity

Genesis 24:65

For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

Genesis 26:11

And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

1 Chronicles 21:3

And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

Proverbs 9:8

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Proverbs 9:9

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Proverbs 12:1

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

Proverbs 25:12

As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

Proverbs 27:5

Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Jonah 1:6

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

Revelation 3:19

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 20:16.

Genesis 1:29

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. bearing: Heb. seeding seed yielding: Heb. seeding seed

Genesis 16:5

And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

Genesis 20:14

And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

Genesis 21:12

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Genesis 23:11

Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

Genesis 23:13

And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

Genesis 23:9

That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. as much: Heb. full money

Genesis 24:29

And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 20:16 say?

Genesis 20:16 (King James Version) reads: "And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved."

Is Genesis 20:16 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 20:16 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.

Reflect

As you read Genesis 20:16, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Genesis 20:16
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