Genesis 20
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Summary
As Abraham and his family journey south, they dwell in Gerar. King Abimelech of Gerar desires Sarah, and Abraham again says that Sarah is his sister. Abimelech takes Sarah, but God comes to him in a dream and reveals that Sarah is Abraham's wife. The Lord commands Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham. Abimelech gives Abraham and Sarah livestock, servants, and silver, and states that they may dwell in his land if they want. Abraham prays for Abimelech, so God heals him and his house, and gives Abimelech posterity.
Commentary
Bible Central Commentary
These free resources were developed for use in the free ScripturePlus app. Many of the contributors are professors of religion and ancient scripture at Brigham Young University.
Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, “Genesis 18–20,” in Genesis, Old Testament Minute Commentary Series, ed. Taylor Halverson (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2021).
Historical Commentaries
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Historical Settings
Time
*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.
See Biblical Chronology- 2067 BC
Further Reading
Strathearn, Gaye, “The Wife/Sister Experience: Pharaoh’s Introduction to Jehovah,” in Sperry Symposium Classics: The Old Testament, ed. Paul Y. Hoskisson (Provo and Salt Lake City: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, and Deseret Book 2005), 100–116.
Pearl of Great Price Central, “Did Abraham lie About His Wife Sarai?” Book of Abraham Insight 5 (August 2, 2019).
Mackay, Thomas W. “Abraham in Egypt: A Collation of Evidence for the Case of the Missing Wife,” BYU Studies 10, no. 4 (Summer 1970): 429–451.
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1706)
Commentary on the Bible
Adam Clarke (1831)
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable
Thomas Constable
Rashi’s Commentary
Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki)
Notes on the Bible
Albert Barnes (1834)
Exposition of the Entire Bible
John Gill (1746–63)
Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch (1857–78)
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
John Wesley (1754–65)