Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Genesis 20:8
‘And Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears. And they were deeply afraid.'
That Abimelech is deeply moved by his dream comes out in his reaction. He immediately speaks to his advisers. And they too are afraid, for the intervention of the supernatural in quite this way was contrary to the tenor of their lives. Especially when they learn that they are dealing with an acknowledged ‘prophet'.
‘Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And in what way have I sinned against you that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin. You have done things to me that ought not to be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see that you have done this thing?”
Abimelech's fear stands out clearly. He feels that this great prophet is finding occasion against them. ‘What have you done to us? --- What did you see?' In his conscience stricken state, moved by his unearthly dream, he believes that this has all happened because of some prior plan and he wants to find out what failure in them has brought it about - ‘in what way have I sinned against you?' This is beyond just an angry man wanting to know why someone has lied to him. He is deeply concerned, almost terrified.
‘And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place and they will kill me for the sake of my wife. And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife. And so it was that when God caused me to wander from my father's house I said to her, ‘This is the kindness that you will show me. At every place where we shall come say of me - he is my brother”.'
Abraham is slightly nonplussed, but he seeks to explain the situation. He had thought there was no fear of God here, but as events have proved he was totally wrong, and he has the grace to admit it. The fact was that because his wife was so appealing to men he had used a smoke screen in order to protect himself.
This verse explains a permanent plan not a one off situation. Wherever he went he had said that Sarah was his sister. It had only failed once and that because he had been dealing with an unusual country in Egypt. Now, of course it had brought trouble on him again. The narrative seems to suggest that he was at the least unwise.
Abimelech is totally relieved to find that there is no supernatural plot against him and immediately agrees to enter into a covenant with Abraham and his family tribe. He is still shaken and will do anything to appease this prophet of God. (He is more terrified of the prophet than of the soldier). So God uses this failure of Abraham's to ensure his future well being.
‘And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and menservants and womenservants and gave them to Abraham, and he restored to him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, “Look, the land is in front of you, dwell wherever it pleases you.” And to Sarah he said, “See I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver, behold it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you and before all men you are righted”.'
There are three factors here. The two prices to be paid to remedy the sin that has been committed, and the promise of permanent land for them to dwell in. The first is dealt with by the gift to Abraham as the offended party of cattle and slaves, the second by a gift on behalf of Sarah to ‘her brother' of a thousand silver pieces. This gift is seen as evidence before men that Sarah is blameless and still pure. Had she been soiled she would not have had this value. It was an ancient custom that the acceptance of a gift demonstrated the vindication of the giver.
The third aspect is the guarantee of land to Abraham and his family tribe, together with their herds and flocks, wherever they choose (on free land, of course). They are welcomed and guaranteed that they will not be driven away.
We note the inclusion of the fact that Abraham is Sarah's brother. This may be because the compensation has to be given to a close blood relative. But the stated acceptance of the fact may also have been considered necessary in order to stress to all who read the covenant that Abraham's integrity has been accepted by the king. That Abimelech was ‘innocent' has also previously been made clear. So both parties are vindicated. This is a necessary part of the covenant.
‘And Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, and they bore children.'
Abraham now fulfils his part of the covenant. He uses his powers as a prophet to remove the ‘curse' that is on Abimelech's house. But nothing has been said in the narrative about this situation. This indicates the authenticity of the account. A later writer would have introduced this earlier, but in a covenant between two parties such matters must be handled delicately. To have mentioned this in the main body may have been seen as a slur on the king. But it has to be mentioned here, very delicately, because it is part of the covenant.
‘For Yahweh had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.'
The final explanation, put much more bluntly, is given in the name of Yahweh. This may well be an added explanatory comment and not part of the original covenant document. The latter, being between Abraham and an outsider had to speak of ‘God' so as to suit both parties, but the comment makes clear that this God is Yahweh. It may have been added on in Abraham's copy of the covenant, but more likely it is added by the person who brought this covenant and the following one together.