Genesis 20:10 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 20:10 kjv
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
Genesis 20:10 nkjv
Then Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?"
Genesis 20:10 niv
And Abimelek asked Abraham, "What was your reason for doing this?"
Genesis 20:10 esv
And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you did this thing?"
Genesis 20:10 nlt
Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?"
Genesis 20 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:12-13 | "...when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but let you live. Say you are my sister..." | Abraham's prior identical deception with Pharaoh. |
| Gen 26:7 | "When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister”—for he feared that the men of the place would kill him for Rebekah’s sake..." | Isaac repeating his father's same fearful lie. |
| Prov 29:25 | "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." | Abraham's fear of man led to a deceptive snare. |
| Isa 51:12-13 | "who are you that you are afraid of man who dies...?" | Warning against fearing humans over God. |
| Psa 118:6 | "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" | Contrasting Abraham's fear with faith in God. |
| Heb 11:8, 17-19 | "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called... He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead..." | Highlights Abraham's faith, yet shows its limits. |
| Rom 3:3-4 | "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means!" | God remains faithful despite human unfaithfulness. |
| Psa 15:4 | "who swears to his own hurt and does not change;" | Describes integrity, which Abimelech showed. |
| Psa 78:40-41 | "How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him... They tested God again and again..." | Examples of human doubt and rebellion. |
| Jer 17:9 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" | Points to human capacity for self-deception and fear-driven actions. |
| Mark 7:21-23 | "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts... deceit..." | Actions spring from inner perceptions and intentions. |
| Eph 4:25 | "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor..." | Command for truthfulness, contrary to Abraham's act. |
| Col 3:9 | "Do not lie to one another..." | New Covenant principle against deceit. |
| Rev 21:8 | "...all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur..." | Severity of lying in the sight of God. |
| Gen 20:11-13 | "Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me...'" | Abraham's immediate self-justifying response. |
| Gen 20:5-6 | "Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’... Indeed, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this..." | God's affirmation of Abimelech's integrity. |
| Gen 39:9 | "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" | Joseph's rejection of sin based on God's fear. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer... present your requests to God..." | Contrast to fear-driven deception; trusting God. |
| James 1:5-8 | "...ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea..." | Relates doubt and wavering to lack of trust. |
| 2 Cor 4:2 | "But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word..." | Advocates for transparent, truthful conduct. |
| Psa 34:13 | "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." | Direct exhortation against deceit. |
Genesis 20 verses
Genesis 20 10 meaning
Abimelech's question to Abraham in Genesis 20:10 reveals his deep confusion and distress regarding Abraham's deceptive act. It is not merely a query about the physical observation ("what did you see?") but a probing question into Abraham's perceived rationale or motive that could possibly justify such a betrayal of trust and potential harm to Abimelech's household. He is essentially asking, "What profound threat or danger did you anticipate that compelled you to commit this grave deed?"
Genesis 20 10 Context
Genesis chapter 20 narrates Abraham's journey to Gerar and his repeat of a fear-driven deception concerning Sarah, similar to the event in Genesis 12. Despite his previous encounter with Pharaoh and God's intervention, Abraham again fears for his life, assuming there is no "fear of God" in Gerar. Abimelech, the Philistine king, innocently takes Sarah, believing her to be Abraham's sister. God intervenes through a dream, preventing Abimelech from touching Sarah and warning him of death if he does not restore her. This sets the stage for Abimelech's question, expressing his shock and indignation at Abraham's deceit which nearly led him into sin. The broader historical context is Abraham, the chosen patriarch, repeatedly failing in faith, yet God consistently preserves His covenant promises and even protects the innocent party, Abimelech.
Genesis 20 10 Word analysis
- And Abimelech said: Marks a direct confrontation. Abimelech, a powerful Philistine king, directly addresses Abraham, indicating a desire for understanding before judgment, despite being the wronged party. This immediately sets a tone of bewilderment.
- unto Abraham: Pinpoints the object of the inquiry. The man of faith is now under interrogation by a non-covenant king.
- What sawest thou: (Hebrew: מַה־רָּאִ֖יתָה, mah ra'ita).
- mah (מַה): "what?" – a direct interrogative seeking clarification.
- ra'ita (רָּאִ֖יתָה): from the root ra'ah (רָאָה), meaning "to see," but encompassing more than mere physical sight. It can also mean to perceive, discern, understand, comprehend, or foresee. Abimelech is asking not just about something physical Abraham observed, but about his perception, his internal understanding, his motive or the threat he discerned which led to his action. It implies a search for Abraham's mental state or rationale. What justified such an act in his eyes?
- that thou hast done: (Hebrew: כִּי עָשִׂ֥יתָ, ki asita).
- ki (כִּי): "that," introduces the result or consequence of the preceding clause. It links the perception to the action.
- asita (עָשִׂ֥יתָ): "you have done," from asah (עָשָׂה), "to do, make, accomplish." This refers to the specific deceptive act Abraham committed, causing severe risk.
- this thing?: Points to the specific offense—the deception concerning Sarah being his sister, leading to Abimelech nearly committing a grave sin. The generic term emphasizes the egregiousness of the act from Abimelech's perspective; it's an undefined but clearly wrong "thing."
Genesis 20 10 Bonus section
The contrast between Abimelech's uprightness and Abraham's recurring lack of faith is a powerful literary and theological device in this chapter. It highlights that even God's chosen vessels can stumble and that God's providence extends beyond just His covenant people. Abimelech's genuine confusion ("What sawest thou?") demonstrates the sheer irrationality of Abraham's lie from a moral standpoint, especially since Abraham later admits it was based on an assumption about the people's godlessness, which was proven incorrect by God's own assessment of Abimelech (Gen 20:6). The episode ultimately underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant promises despite Abraham's imperfections, revealing that salvation rests on God's unwavering character, not on human merit or consistent righteousness.
Genesis 20 10 Commentary
Abimelech's stunned question, "What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?" cuts to the core of Abraham's lapse in faith. It exposes Abraham's flawed human perception and his yielding to fear, assuming the worst of others rather than trusting God's provision. Abimelech, despite being an uncircumcised pagan, ironically demonstrates a clearer moral compass and greater integrity in this interaction than Abraham, the patriarch. He doesn't act in rash vengeance but seeks an explanation for a grievous act that almost led him to defilement and death. This moment underscores the profound truth that actions spring from perceptions—whether those perceptions are rooted in faith and trust in God, or in human fear and distrust. Abraham "saw" an absence of God's fear in Gerar, a perception that ironically proved false for Abimelech, who acted righteously, showing that God's justice and moral standards can operate even through those outside the immediate covenant people. This incident reminds us that fearing man or circumstances more than God leads to deceptive and sinful choices.