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Gary Hampton Commentaries

Genesis 20:1-18

When Abraham Failed to Trust God

A book that only claimed to be from God would not record the failings of a great man like Abraham. since the Bible is from God, it tells us of a second time Abraham failed to trust in God's care (20:1-18). Ironically, God got him out of the trouble in which he placed himself. Despite Abraham's lack of trust, the next chapter tells us God kept his word. Sarah had a child exactly when God said she would. In fact, the child was born at the very time God had set (21:1-2).

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See also Genesis 20:1-18 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XX _Abraham leaves Mamre, and, after having sojourned at Kadesh and_ _Shur, settles in Gerar_, 1. _Abimelech takes Sarah, Abraham having acknowledged her only as_ _his sister_, 2. _Abimel...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - 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 futu...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 ABRAHAM IN GERAR _ 1. Abraham in Gerar (Genesis 20:1)_ 2. Second denial of Sarah (Genesis 20:2) 3. God's dealing with Abimelech (Genesis 20:3) 4. Abimelech and Abraham ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 20. ABRAHAM PASSES OFF SARAH AS HIS SISTER AT GERAR. The first complete narrative from E. The writer uses Elohim, but P's characteristics are absent. Phraseology as well as the use of Elohim i...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SOUTH. the _Negeb._ See Genesis 12:9; Genesis 13:1....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _from thence_ This passage is evidently derived from some distinct source. As it ignores the previous section dealing with Lot, and the last reference to Abraham is in Genesis 18:33, when he is at Mam...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 19 CALL OF ABRAM Genesis 20:1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I wil...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    JOURNEYED FROM THENCE TOWARD, &C.— Not able to endure the melancholy prospect, which the desolated cities afforded, whence too, probably, a noxious stench might arise, Abraham removed from his usual p...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART THIRTY-THREE THE STORY OF ABRAHAM: SOJOURN IN THE NEGEB (Genesis 20:1 to Genesis 21:34) 1. _Abraham and Abimelech_ (Genesis 20:1-18) 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THENCE TOWARD THE SOUTH COUNTRY, AND DWELLED BETWEEN KADESH AND SHUR, AND SOJOURNED IN GERAR._ Abraham journeyed from thence. Whence? No place is mentioned in connection w...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM AT GERAR 1. Abraham leaves Mamre (Hebron) for Gerar, SW. of Philistia. It seems from Genesis 21:34 that he remained in that district for some years....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 20 ABIMELECH TAKES SARAH V1 Abraham travelled away from the big trees at Mamre. He went toward the region that is called the Negeb. He lived betw...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    The Negeb is the southern part of the country that is called *Canaan. Kadesh and Shur are in the Negeb. Gerar is at the northern edge of the Negeb. The people that lived in Gerar were *Philistines....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XX. ABRAHAM’S DENIAL OF HIS WIFE AT GERAR. (1) ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THENCE. — That is, from Mamre, where he had so long halted, and which seems to have continued to be one of his homes. As he had be...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּסַּ֨ע מִ שָּׁ֤ם אַבְרָהָם֙ אַ֣רְצָה הַ

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ABRAHAM AGAIN DENIES HIS WIFE Genesis 20:1 It is wonderful that Abraham should fall like this. He had walked with God for so many years, and experienced so many deliverances, that we should have expe...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Once again we have to face Abraham's deflection from faith. We see him journeying south to Gerar. This was the center of a race of men who, having driven out the original possessors of the land, were...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and (a) Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. (a) Which was toward Egypt....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Gerara; at a greater distance from the devoted country of Sodom. (Haydock)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS. The history of the patriarch Abram is re-assumed. In his journey (for he is still in the pilgrimage state) he is going towards the South. In Gerar, where he sojourned, Abimelech, the King of...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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. By the ministry of dreams and visions of...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1._And Abraham journeyed from thence_. What Moses related respecting the destruction of Sodom, was a digression. He now returns to the continuation of his history, and proceeds to show what happened t...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 20 AND 21. In Chapter s 20, 21 we have the question of the heir and of the path of faith in another point of view. Abraham denies his relationship with his wi...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THENCE TOWARDS THE SOUTH COUNTRY,.... He returned from the plains or oaks of Mamre, where he had lived fifteen or twenty years, into the more southern parts of the land of C...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. Ver. 1. _And Abraham journeyed from thence, &c._] Either as grieved at the sig...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And Abraham sojourned in Gerar_ Which belonged to the Philistines. We are not told upon what occasion he removed; whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or, as some of the Jewish writers say,...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Abraham soiourneth at Gerar, 2 denieth his wife, and loseth her. 3 Abimelech is reproued for her in a dreame. 9 He rebuketh Abraham, 14 restoreth Sarah, 16 and reprooueth her. 17 Hee is healed...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Sarah Again in Danger...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. From the grove of Mamre at or near Hebron Abraham gradually journeyed, with all...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    EIGHTH SECTION _Abraham and Abimelech of Gerar. His and Sarah’s renewed exposure through his human, calculating prudence, as formerly in Egypt before Pharaoh. The Divine preservation. Abraham’s inter...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM EXPOSED AND REPROVED Now we return to Abraham's history. He journeyed toward the south, which is typical of pleasant circumstances, but nearly always having danger in it. He dwelt between Kade...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 Crooked policy will not prosper: it brings ourselves and others into danger. God gives Abimelech notice of his danger of sin, and his danger of death for his sin. Every wilful sinner is a dead ma...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    GENESIS CHAPTER 20 Abraham sojourns in Gerar, GENESIS 20:1; denies Sarah to be his wife: Abimelech sends and takes her, GENESIS 20:2. God warns Abimelech in a dream, GENESIS 20:3. He expostulates with...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We have two distinct points in this chapter: first, the moral degradation to which the child of God sometimes subjects himself, in the view of the world; and, secondly, the moral dignity which _ alway...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 20:1 Abraham H85 journeyed H5265 (H8799) South H5045 H776 dwelt H3427 (H8799) Kadesh H6946 Shur...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH (GENESIS 20:1). Genesis 20:1 ‘And Abraham journeyed from there towards the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar.' He had been establ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Abraham's lapse at Gerar. Lying to Abimelech about his wife. CHARACTERS: Abraham, Sarah, Abimelech. CONCLUSION: Sin has many tools but a lie is a handle that fits them all. If the truth is...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 20:1 , _Gerar,_ in the tribe of Simeon, then a royal residence. Abimelech was the common name of the kings that reigned there. Genesis 20:2. _She is my sister._ It is not said whether Sarah wa...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister_ ABRAHAM’S REPETITION OF HIS OLD FAULT; THE POWER OF FORMER TEMPTATIONS I. THEIR POWER MAY SLUMBER LONG. In this instance, twenty-four years. Ne...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 20:1 King Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem, which seems to put at risk God’s promise that Sarah will bear Abraham a son. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 20:1. Kadesh; Shur; Gerar.] All lying near the southern borders of Canaan. Gerar was the chief city of the Philistines. It is now called _Khirbet-el-Gerar, i.e.,_ the ruins o...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 20:1 AND ABRAHAM JOURNEYED (_vide_ Genesis 12:9) FROM THENCE. Mamre (Genesis 18:1). In search of pasture, as on a previous occasion (Keil);

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar (Genesis 20:1). So Abraham was living in the area of Hebron, but now he is still s...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    A.M. cir. 2107. B.C. cir. 1897. from. Genesis 13:1 Genesis 18:1 Genesis 24:62 Kadesh. Genesis 14:7...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    And Abraham sojourned in Gerar — We are not told upon what occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at Lot's in...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    GENESIS 21:32; GENESIS 21:34 — Did the Bible mistakenly place the Philistines in Palestine at the time of Abraham? PROBLEM: The earliest allusion to Philistines by Palestinian or Egyptian sources is...

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