Genesis 20:9

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.”

⁸ Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.

Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”

¹⁰ Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

¹¹ Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’

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: Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
KJV: Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
WEB: Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!”
ASV: Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And wherein have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
DARBY: And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, What hast thou done to us? And in what have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me, and on my kingdom, a great sin? Thou hast done to me deeds that ought not to be done.
BLB: And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? Deeds that are not to be done, you have done to me.”

ÅB: Og Abimelek kalte Abraham til seg og sa til ham: Hva er det du har gjort mot oss! Hva har jeg syndet mot deg, siden du har ført så stor en synd over meg og mitt rike? Du har båret deg slik at mot meg som ingen skulle gjøre.
OTB: Da kalte Abimelek på Abraham og sa til ham: «Hva har du gjort mot oss? Hvordan har jeg krenket deg, siden du har brakt en så stor synd over meg og mitt rike? Du har gjort ting mot meg som ikke burde gjøres.»
B1930: Og Abimelek kalte Abraham til sig og sa til ham: Hvad er det du har gjort mot oss! Hvad har jeg syndet mot dig, siden du har ført så stor en synd over mig og mitt rike? Du har båret dig slik at mot mig som ingen skulde gjøre.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 12:18
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
Read in context
Genesis 39:9
No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
Read in context
Genesis 26:10
“What is this you have done to us?” asked Abimelech. “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 13:12
“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
Read in context
Romans 2:11
For God does not show favoritism.
Read in context
Proverbs 28:10
He who leads the upright along the path of evil will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.
Read in context
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
Read in context
Exodus 32:21
“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
Read in context