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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Genesis 20:3

But God came to Abimelech in a dream It appears by this that God revealed himself by dreams, which evidenced themselves to be divine and supernatural, not only to his servants the prophets, but even to those that were out of the pale of the church; but then usually it was with some regard to God's own people.

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See also Genesis 20:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 20:3. _BUT GOD CAME TO ABIMELECH_] Thus we find that persons who were not of the _family_ of _Abraham_ had the knowledge of the true God. Indeed, all the _Gerarites_ are termed גוי צדיק...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Abraham in Gerar 2. אבימלך .2 _'ǎbı̂ymelek_, Abimelekh, “father of the king.” 7. נביא _nābı̂y'_ “prophet,” he who speaks by God, of God, and to God, who declares to people not merely things futu...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 ABRAHAM IN GERAR _ 1. Abraham in Gerar (Genesis 20:1)_ 2. Second denial of Sarah (Genesis 20:2) 3. God's dealing with Abimelech (Genesis 20:3) 4. Abimelech and Abraham ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 20. ABRAHAM PASSES OFF SARAH AS HIS SISTER AT GERAR. The first complete narrative from E. The writer uses Elohim, but P's characteristics are absent. Phraseology as well as the use of Elohim i...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    DREAM. 20 recorded in Scripture (see App-10). Genesis 20:3; Genesis 28:12; Genesis 31:10; Genesis 31:24;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _God came … in a dream_ Scholars have noticed that E frequently describes Divine interposition by means of a dream. Cf. Genesis 20:6; Genesis 31:11; Genesis 31:24;...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 19 CALL OF ABRAM Genesis 20:1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I wil...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BUT GOD CAME TO ABIMELECH, &C.— It is hence evident, as well as from other instances, that the Canaanites, in Abraham's time, were not all corrupted in religion. Abimelech and his servants appear to h...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART THIRTY-THREE THE STORY OF ABRAHAM: SOJOURN IN THE NEGEB (Genesis 20:1 to Genesis 21:34) 1. _Abraham and Abimelech_ (Genesis 20:1-18) 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ God came to Abimelech in a dream by ni...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM AT GERAR 1. Abraham leaves Mamre (Hebron) for Gerar, SW. of Philistia. It seems from Genesis 21:34 that he remained in that district for some years....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    When Abraham went to Egypt, he said that Sarah was his sister. (See Genesis 12:11-13 and the comment. At that time, Abraham was called ‘Abram’ and his wife Sarah was called ‘Sarai’.) When Abraham went...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 20 ABIMELECH TAKES SARAH V1 Abraham travelled away from the big trees at Mamre. He went toward the region that is called the Negeb. He lived betw...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    GOD (ELOHIM) CAME... — From the use of this title of the Deity it has been said that this narrative is an Elohistic form of the Jehovistic narrative in·Genesis 12:10. But we have seen that even in the...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּבֹ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל ־אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בַּ חֲ

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ABRAHAM AGAIN DENIES HIS WIFE Genesis 20:1 It is wonderful that Abraham should fall like this. He had walked with God for so many years, and experienced so many deliverances, that we should have expe...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Once again we have to face Abraham's deflection from faith. We see him journeying south to Gerar. This was the center of a race of men who, having driven out the original possessors of the land, were...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    WHEN ABRAHAM FAILED TO TRUST GOD A book that only claimed to be from God would not record the failings of a great man like Abraham. since the Bible is from God, it tells us of a second time Abraham fa...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, (c) thou [art but] a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she [is] a man's wife. (c) So greatly God detests the b...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Abimelech. This was an usual title of kings in Chanaan, and a very good one, to remind them and their subjects, of their obligations, (Haydock) as it means "my father the king." The behaviour of the p...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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. By the ministry of dreams and visions of...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    3._But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night_. Here Moses shows that the Lord acted with such gentleness, that in punishing his servant, he yet, as a father, forgave him: just as he deals with us,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 20 AND 21. In Chapter s 20, 21 we have the question of the heir and of the path of faith in another point of view. Abraham denies his relationship with his wi...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT GOD CAME TO ABIMELECH IN A DREAM BY NIGHT,.... Put a dream into his mind, by which he cautioned him against taking Sarah to be his wife; so careful was the Lord that no wrong should be done to suc...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _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._ Ver. 3. _But God came to Abimelech...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Abraham soiourneth at Gerar, 2 denieth his wife, and loseth her. 3 Abimelech is reproued for her in a dreame. 9 He rebuketh Abraham, 14 restoreth Sarah, 16 and reprooueth her. 17 Hee is healed...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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. God prevents the greater sin which might ha...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Sarah Again in Danger...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    EIGHTH SECTION _Abraham and Abimelech of Gerar. His and Sarah’s renewed exposure through his human, calculating prudence, as formerly in Egypt before Pharaoh. The Divine preservation. Abraham’s inter...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM EXPOSED AND REPROVED Now we return to Abraham's history. He journeyed toward the south, which is typical of pleasant circumstances, but nearly always having danger in it. He dwelt between Kade...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    A MAN'S WIFE: _ Heb._ married to an husband...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 Crooked policy will not prosper: it brings ourselves and others into danger. God gives Abimelech notice of his danger of sin, and his danger of death for his sin. Every wilful sinner is a dead ma...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    God then used to manifest his mind in dreams, not only to his people, but even to heathens for their sakes, or in things wherein they were concerned. THOU ART BUT A DEAD MAN, thou deservest a present...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We have two distinct points in this chapter: first, the moral degradation to which the child of God sometimes subjects himself, in the view of the world; and, secondly, the moral dignity which _ alway...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 20:3 God H430 came H935 (H8799) Abimelech H40 dream H2472 night H3915 said H559 (H8799) man...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH (GENESIS 20:1). Genesis 20:1 ‘And Abraham journeyed from there towards the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar.' He had been establ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Abraham's lapse at Gerar. Lying to Abimelech about his wife. CHARACTERS: Abraham, Sarah, Abimelech. CONCLUSION: Sin has many tools but a lie is a handle that fits them all. If the truth is...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 20:1 , _Gerar,_ in the tribe of Simeon, then a royal residence. Abimelech was the common name of the kings that reigned there. Genesis 20:2. _She is my sister._ It is not said whether Sarah wa...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister_ ABRAHAM’S REPETITION OF HIS OLD FAULT; THE POWER OF FORMER TEMPTATIONS I. THEIR POWER MAY SLUMBER LONG. In this instance, twenty-four years. Ne...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 20:3 BUT GOD CAME TO ABIMELECH. The text emphasizes that Sarah has not had intercourse with the king; otherwise, it could have appeared that Abimelech was the father of Isaac ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 20:1 King Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem, which seems to put at risk God’s promise that Sarah will bear Abraham a son. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 20:1. Kadesh; Shur; Gerar.] All lying near the southern borders of Canaan. Gerar was the chief city of the Philistines. It is now called _Khirbet-el-Gerar, i.e.,_ the ruins o...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 20:1 AND ABRAHAM JOURNEYED (_vide_ Genesis 12:9) FROM THENCE. Mamre (Genesis 18:1). In search of pasture, as on a previous occasion (Keil);

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar (Genesis 20:1). So Abraham was living in the area of Hebron, but now he is still s...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    a dream. Genesis 28:12 Genesis 31:24 Genesis 37:5 Genesis 37:9 Genesis 40:8

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But God came to Abimelech in a dream — It appears by this that God revealed himself by dreams, which evidenced themselves to be divine and supernatural, not only to his servants the prophets, but even...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    GENESIS 21:32; GENESIS 21:34 — Did the Bible mistakenly place the Philistines in Palestine at the time of Abraham? PROBLEM: The earliest allusion to Philistines by Palestinian or Egyptian sources is...

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