Genesis 20:3
1 Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
2 Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.”
- ASV
- But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken. For she is a man`s wife.
- DARBY
- But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art [but] a dead man, because of the woman that thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
- BLB
- And God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken—and she is married to a husband.”
- ÅB
- Men Gud kom til Abimelek i en drøm om natten og sa til ham: Nå skal du dø for den kvinnes skyld som du har tatt; for hun er en annen manns hustru.
- OTB
- Men Gud kom til Abimelek i en drøm om natten og sa til ham: «Se, du er så godt som død på grunn av kvinnen du har tatt; hun er en gift kvinne.»
- B1930
- Men Gud kom til Abimelek i en drøm om natten og sa til ham: Nu skal du dø for den kvinnes skyld som du har tatt; for hun er en annen manns hustru.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 20:7
Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
Read in contextMatthew 27:19
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
Read in contextJob 33:15
In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
Read in contextPsalms 105:14
He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:
Read in contextGenesis 28:12
And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
Read in contextMatthew 1:20
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Read in contextJonah 3:4
On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!”
Read in contextGenesis 31:24
But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
Read in context