Genesis 20:8, commentary and pictures

After God warned him in a dream about Sarah, Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants together, told them everything in their hearing, and they were greatly afraid. Their alarm reflected the understanding that taking another man's wife was a great sin bringing guilt upon the taker and his kingdom. The sacredness of marriage guarded by the seventh commandment and the moral law of the Ten Commandments were already known and binding long before Sinai, and that household responded with fear when confronted with wrongdoing. Abraham's presenting Sarah as his sister instead of his wife came from want of trusting faith in God's protecting care and shows his faith was not then perfect but had to be learned over and over. God's direct warning to this heathen king shows He continued after the fall to manifest His will in person not only to the righteous but also to the wicked, and that knowledge of God was transmitted and understood in that land and generation.

Narrative Words and Setting

After the warning in a dream about Sarah, Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears, and the men were sore afraid. The telling spread the knowledge of what had happened with Sarah and Abraham, and the great fear of the servants answered the danger of taking another man's wife. Their alarm reflects recognition that the act would bring great sin and guilt upon the taker and his kingdom, underscoring the gravity of taking another man's wife as a great sin and a serious wrong. The incident belongs to the account of Abraham's relations with Abimelech, including Abraham's lack of truthfulness before him.

The word rendered afraid is yare, which can express standing in awe or fear and is also used of reverence toward God and toward people. The verse belongs to Abraham's sojourn among the Philistines and his relations with Abimelech king of Gerar. Within that sojourn it includes Abraham's second deception in calling Sarai his sister instead of his wife, an act that came from want of trusting faith in God's protecting care and shows his faith was not then perfect.

Abimelech knew the true God and his people had a higher regard for morality than the other nations of Palestine. God's direct warning to this heathen king concerning Abraham's wife after Abraham was called into Canaan was direct communication from God to one outside the chosen line. That warning shows God continued after the fall to manifest his will in person not only to the righteous but also to the wicked, and that knowledge of God existed, was transmitted, and was understood in that land and generation.

Abimelech responded to what God had revealed about Sarah by rising early, telling his servants, and leaving them greatly afraid. He is an instance of sending Abraham's household onward with goodwill and rich gifts.

Faith Tested and Rebuked

Genesis 20:8 belongs to Abraham's sojourn and trials of faith and shows God's overruling providence in his life. Abraham did not come at once to fullness of faith but had to learn the lesson of faith over and over. On two occasions fear led him to present Sarah as his sister rather than trust God. The second deception, recorded in Genesis 20:2-16, in calling Sarai his sister instead of his wife, came from want of trusting faith in God's protecting care and shows his faith was not then perfect.

The verse belongs to the account of Abraham's relations with Abimelech, including Abraham's lack of truthfulness before him. God used the encounter with Abimelech as an occasion to rebuke Abraham. Abimelech's fear of Isaac later recalled his fear of Abraham. Abraham's repeated need to learn faith tests whether its readers are children of Abraham.

Law Known Before Sinai

Taking another man's wife was already understood as a great sin bringing sin and guilt upon the taker and his kingdom, and the alarm of Abimelech in telling his servants what had happened and their becoming greatly afraid reflects recognition of that gravity. After learning the truth about Sarah, he told all these things in their ears and the men were sore afraid, and their fear underscores how serious the wrong was taken to be. The surrounding account treats the taking as a serious wrong and as guilt before the law was given at Sinai, showing the principle against adultery was known before Sinai and that the early patriarchs knew this moral principle. Abimelech himself calls it a great sin against himself and his kingdom.

The principle of the seventh commandment against adultery was known and in force long before the law was proclaimed at Sinai, and the moral law of the Ten Commandments was recognized before it was later written out in full. People before Moses knew moral right and wrong through God's moral law, and when Abimelech's household was confronted with wrongdoing it responded with fear. The account is an instance of the seventh commandment being violated before Sinai, proving the command against adultery and the sacredness of marriage were already binding. Abimelech's taking of Sarah would have brought dire punishment upon him even though he did it unwittingly, and the fear of him and his men reflects that danger.

The sacredness of marriage guarded afterward by the seventh commandment belongs to an institution established before the fall, so its sanctity did not originate with the decalogue or derive from it. Abimelech and his servants were sore afraid when they heard God's warning about Sarah, which proves that sacredness was known in the patriarchal age and the duty afterward guarded by the seventh commandment was already binding before Sinai. Abimelech already knew it would be sinful to take another man's wife, and pleaded that he had taken Sarah in integrity of heart and innocency of hands because Abraham said she was his sister. He charged Abraham with bringing a great sin on him and on his kingdom, and God directly instructed him about the prohibition.

His taking of Sarah came from coveting Abraham's wife, with coveting leading him to take her.