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Genesis 20:2

20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

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Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

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

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

20:3 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. a man's: Heb. married to an husband

What does Genesis 20:2 mean?

Genesis 20:2 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אַבְרָהָם (ʼAbrâhâm), אָמַר (ʼâmar), אֵל (ʼêl). It connects to 14 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
AbrahamאַבְרָהָםʼAbrâhâm/ab-raw-hawm'/H85Abraham, the later name of Abram
saidאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
ofאֵלʼêl/ale/H413near, with or among; often in general, to
SarahשָׂרָהSârâh/saw-raw'/H8283Sarah, Abraham's wife
his
wife,אִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H802a woman
She
is
my
sister:אָחוֹתʼâchôwth/aw-khoth'/H269a sister (used very widely (like brother), literally and figuratively)
and
AbimelechאֲבִימֶלֶךְʼĂbîymelek/ab-ee-mel'-ek/H40Abimelek, the name of two Philistine kings and of two Israelites
kingמֶלֶךְmelek/meh'-lek/H4428a king
of
GerarגְּרָרGᵉrâr/gher-awr'/H1642Gerar, a Philistine city
sent,שָׁלַחshâlach/shaw-lakh'/H7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
and
tookלָקַחlâqach/law-kakh'/H3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)
Sarah.שָׂרָהSârâh/saw-raw'/H8283Sarah, Abraham's wife

Commentary on Genesis 20:2

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 20:2
ave their flaws, and, while there are spots in the sun, we must not expect any thing spotless under it. The scripture, it should be remarked, is impartial in relating the blemishes even of its most celebrated characters. We have here, I. Abraham's sin in denying his wife, and Abimelech's sin thereupon in taking her, ver. 1, 2 . II. God's discourse with Abimelech in a dream, upon this occasion, wherein he shows him his error ( ver. 3 ), accepts his plea ( ver. 4-6 ), and directs him to make restitution, ver. 7 . III. Abimelech's discourse with Abraham, wherein he chides him for the cheat he had put upon him ( ver. 8-10 ), and Abraham excuses it as well as he can, ver. 11-13 . IV. The good issue of the story, in which Abimelech restores Abraham his wife ( ver. 14-16 ), and Abraham, by prayer, prevails with God for the removal of the judgment Abimelech was under, ver. 17, 18 . Abraham's Denial of His Wife. ( b. c. 1898.) 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh an

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 12:11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

Genesis 12:15

The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

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 26:7

And 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.

Genesis 26:16

And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

2 Chronicles 19:2

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

2 Chronicles 20:37

Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

2 Chronicles 32:31

Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. ambassadors: Heb. interpreters

Proverbs 24:16

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Ecclesiastes 7:20

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Galatians 2:11

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

Galatians 2:12

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Ephesians 4:25

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Colossians 3:9

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 20:2.

2 Chronicles 22:11

But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

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 20:15

And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. where: Heb. as is good in thine eyes

Genesis 20:18

For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

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 26:8

And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

Genesis 26:9

And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

Genesis 34:14

And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 20:2 say?

Genesis 20:2 (King James Version) reads: "And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah."

Is Genesis 20:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 20:2 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 20:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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