Focused Passage

Genesis 20:1-7

God Preserves Sarah, Exposes Abraham’s Fear, and Protects the Promise Through Abimelek

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

2Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

3One 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.”

4Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?

5Didn’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.”

6Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

7Now 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.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Now Abrahamאַבְרָהָם֙H85Noun - proper - masculine singularjourneyedוַיִּסַּ֨עH5265Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfrom thereמִשָּׁ֤םH8033Preposition-m | Adverbto the regionאַ֣רְצָהH776Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singularof the Negevהַנֶּ֔גֶבH5045Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand settledוַיֵּ֥שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularbetweenבֵּין־H996PrepositionKadeshקָדֵ֖שׁH6946Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .וּבֵ֣יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand Shurשׁ֑וּרH7793Noun - proper - feminine singularWhile he was stayingוַיָּ֖גָרH1481Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin Gerarבִּגְרָֽר׃H1642Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֛םH85Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֧אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularofאֶל־H413Prepositionhis wifeאִשְׁתּ֖וֹH802Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularSarahשָׂרָ֥הH8283Noun - proper - feminine singularSheהִ֑ואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִיH269Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularSo Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙H40Noun - proper - masculine singularkingמֶ֣לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Gerarגְּרָ֔רH1642Noun - proper - feminine singularhad Sarahשָׂרָֽה׃H8283Noun - proper - feminine singularbroughtוַיִּשְׁלַ֗חH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto himוַיִּקַּ֖חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker
Verse 3

Original words

One night, howeverהַלָּ֑יְלָהH3915Article | Noun - masculine singularGodאֱלֹהִ֛יםH430Noun - masculine pluralcameוַיָּבֹ֧אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionAbimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularin a dreamבַּחֲל֣וֹםH2472Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhimל֗וֹPreposition | third person masculine singular-הִנְּךָ֥H2009Interjection | second person masculine singularYou are as good as deadמֵת֙H4191Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularbecause ofעַל־H5921Prepositionthe womanהָאִשָּׁ֣הH802Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeyou have takenלָקַ֔חְתָּH3947Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularfor sheוְהִ֖ואH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singularis a marriedבְּעֻ֥לַתH1166Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular constructwoman.בָּֽעַל׃H1167Noun - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Now Abimelechוַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְH40Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularhad notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlegoneקָרַ֖בH7126Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularnear herאֵלֶ֑יהָH413Preposition | third person feminine singularso he repliedוַיֹּאמַ֕רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularLordאֲדֹנָ֕יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularwould You destroyתַּהֲרֹֽג׃H2026Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singulara nationהֲג֥וֹיH1471Article | Noun - masculine singulareven thoughגַּם־H1571Conjunctionit is innocentצַדִּ֖יקH6662Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

Didn’tהֲלֹ֨אH3808Adverb - Negative particle[Abraham]ה֤וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singulartellאָֽמַר־H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularmeלִי֙Preposition | first person common singularSheהִ֔ואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִיH269Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularAnd sheוְהִֽיא־H1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singular. . .גַם־H1571Conjunctionherselfהִ֥ואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularsaidאָֽמְרָ֖הH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularHeה֑וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis my brotherאָחִ֣יH251Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularI have doneעָשִׂ֥יתִיH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularthisזֹֽאת׃H2063Pronoun - feminine singularin the integrityבְּתָם־H8537Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof my heartלְבָבִ֛יH3824Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand the innocenceוּבְנִקְיֹ֥ןH5356Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof my handsכַּפַּ֖יH3709Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singular
Verse 6

Original words

Then Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֜יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluralsaidוַיֹּאמֶר֩H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto [Abimelech]אֵלָ֨יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularin the dreamבַּחֲלֹ֗םH2472Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularYesגַּ֣םH1571ConjunctionIאָנֹכִ֤יH595Pronoun - first person common singularknowיָדַ֙עְתִּי֙H3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularthatכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionyou didעָשִׂ֣יתָH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularthisזֹּ֔אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularwith a clearבְתָם־H8537Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructconscienceלְבָבְךָ֙H3824Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand so Iאָנֹכִ֛יH595Pronoun - first person common singular. . .גַּם־H1571Conjunctionhave keptוָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְH2820Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularyouאֽוֹתְךָ֖H853Direct object marker | second person masculine singularfrom sinningמֵחֲטוֹ־H2398Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructagainst Meלִ֑יPreposition | first person common singularThat is whyעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֥ןH3651AdverbI did notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleletנְתַתִּ֖יךָH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularyou touchלִנְגֹּ֥עַH5060Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructherאֵלֶֽיהָ׃H413Preposition | third person feminine singular
Verse 7

Original words

Nowוְעַתָּ֗הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbreturnהָשֵׁ֤בH7725Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularthe man’sהָאִישׁ֙H376Article | Noun - masculine singularwifeאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Noun - feminine singular constructforכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionheה֔וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis a prophetנָבִ֣יאH5030Noun - masculine singularhe will prayוְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥לH6419Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularfor youבַּֽעַדְךָ֖H1157Preposition | second person masculine singularand you will liveוֶֽחְיֵ֑הH2421Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularBut ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou do notאֵֽינְךָ֣H369Adverb | second person masculine singularrestore herמֵשִׁ֗יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularbe awareדַּ֚עH3045Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthatכִּי־H3588Conjunctionyou will surely dieמ֣וֹתH4191Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .תָּמ֔וּתH4191Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyouאַתָּ֖הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularand allוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructwho belongאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeto youלָֽךְ׃Preposition | second person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.