Genesis 20:8

_THEREFORE ABIMELECH ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND CALLED ALL HIS SERVANTS, AND TOLD ALL THESE THINGS IN THEIR EARS: AND THE MEN WERE SORE AFRAID._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

8._Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning_. Moses teaches how efficacious the oracle had been. For Abimelech, alarmed at the voice of God, arose in the morning, not only that he himself might quickly obey the command enjoined upon him but that he might also exhort his own people to do the same. An example of such ready obedience is shown us in a heathen king, that we may no more make excuses for our torpor, when we are so little profited by the Divine remonstrances. God appeared to _him _in a dream; but since he daily cries aloud in _our _ears, by Moses, by the prophets and by the apostles, and finally, by his only-begotten Son, it were absurd to suppose that so many testimonies should avail less than the vision of a single dream....

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 man, but Abimelech pleads ignorance. If our consciences witness, that, however we may have been cheated into a snare, we have not knowingly sinned against God, it will be our rejoicing in the day of evil. It is matter of comfort to those who are honest, that God knows their honesty, and will acknowledge it. It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin; of this God must have the glory. But if we have ignorantly done wrong, that will not excuse us, if we knowingly persist in it. He that does wrong, whoever he is, prince or peasant, shall certainly receive for the wrong which he has done, unless he repent, and, if possible, make restitution....

Verse Genesis 20:8. _ABIMELECH ROSE EARLY, C._] God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and we find as the day broke he arose, assembled his servants, (what we would call his _courtiers_,) and communicated to them what he had received from God. They were all struck with astonishment, and discerned the hand of God in this business. Abraham is then called, and in a most respectful and pious manner the king expostulates with him for bringing him and his people under the Divine displeasure, by withholding from him the information that Sarah was his wife when, by taking her, he sought only an honourable alliance with his family....

- 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 future, but also things past and present, that are not obvious to the sense or the reason; related: “flow, go forth.” 13. התעוּ _hı̂t‛û_ is plural in punctuation, agreeing grammatically with אלהים _'ĕlohı̂ym_. ו(w), however, may be regarded as the third radical, and the verb may thus really be singular. 16. נכהת _nokachat_ an unusual form, either for נכחת noka

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); or in consequence of the hostility of his neighbors (Calvin); or because he longed to escape from the scene of so terrible a calamity as he had witnessed (Calvin, Wilier, Murphy); or in order to benefit as many places and peoples as possible by his residence among them (A Lapide); or perhaps being impelled by God, who designed thereby to remind him that Canaan was not intended for a permanent habitation, but for a constant pilgrimage (Poole, Kalisch). Toward the south c

THEREFORE ABIMELECH ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING,.... Awaking upon the dream, could sleep no more, his thoughts running upon what had been said to him by the Lord in it: wherefore as soon as it was light he rose from his bed, AND CALLED ALL HIS SERVANTS; his household servants, and particularly his courtiers and counsellors, who had advised him to take Sarah for his wife, and had been assisting in it: AND TOLD ALL THOSE THINGS IN THEIR EARS: how that God appeared to him in a dream, and told him that Sarah, whom he had taken into his house, was another man's wife, and that if he did not immediately return her to her husband, he would die, and all that belonged to him: AND THE MEN WERE SORE AFRAID; lest they should be struck with death; and perhaps they might call to mind the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins, they had lately heard of, and might fear that some such calamity woul...

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 (Genesis 20:8) Note Abraham's going down to Egypt in chapter 12 and now going to Gerar and denying again Sarah. In chapter 26 Isaac goes also to Gerar and denies Rebekah. It shows what the flesh is. But Abraham is greatly honored by the Lord. The Lord called him a prophet. Abraham prayed and God healed Abimelech....

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 instead of Yahweh forbid us to assign it to J, who has also a variant of the story (Genesis 12:1); contrast Genesis 20:13 with Genesis 12:11. Features which point to E are the phraseology, the representation of Abraham as a prophet (Genesis 20:7) and his home as in the Negeb (Genesis 20:1), also the speaking of God in a dream; Sarah is obviously of an age a

ABIMELECH ROSE EARLY, &C.— There is a strong appearance of piety in this conduct of Abimelech; who, as well as his servants, that is, his council and the people of his court, seems to have had a due reverence for the Almighty, and a becoming fear for his awful admonitions. He expostulates seriously with Abraham, as a man who dreaded to commit sin, and incur the Divine displeasure: what have I done, that, Genesis 20:9 _thou hast brought on me, and on my kingdom, a great sin? i.e._. that thou wouldst have involved me and my kingdom in the enormous guilt of adultery: a crime so universally allowed abominable, that the very involuntary act, without the criminal intention, was thought enough to bring calamity and ruin on a whole kingdom. Perhaps also they might call to mind the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, which they had lately heard of, and might fear that some such calamity might befal