Genesis 20:17 kjv

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

Genesis 20:17 nkjv

So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;

Genesis 20:17 niv

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again,

Genesis 20:17 esv

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.

Genesis 20:17 nlt

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children.

Genesis 20 verses

Genesis 20 17 Meaning

Genesis 20:17 describes the climactic resolution of a critical incident involving Abraham, Abimelech, and God's intervention. Following Abimelech's sincere plea of innocence and Abraham's role as a prophet, this verse declares that Abraham prayed to God, and God subsequently healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maidservants. The healing encompassed a full restoration of their fertility, specifically allowing them to bear children, thus reversing the plague of closed wombs that God had previously inflicted on Abimelech's household due to his unwitting taking of Sarah. This act demonstrates God's sovereignty, His response to the intercession of His servant, and His power to both inflict and remove afflictions, ensuring the continuation of human life and the Abimelech's lineage.

Genesis 20 17 Context

Genesis chapter 20 recounts Abraham's journey southward to Gerar, a city in the territory of the Philistines. Despite having experienced God's direct intervention to protect Sarah and assure his lineage (Gen 12), Abraham once again compromises his integrity and endangers his wife and the promise by presenting Sarah as his sister to King Abimelech. This act of deception mirrors his earlier behavior in Egypt (Gen 12:10-20). God, however, sovereignly intervenes through a dream, warning Abimelech not to touch Sarah because she is a married woman. God explicitly tells Abimelech that He prevented him from sinning against Him, and importantly, declares Abraham a prophet whose prayer will lead to healing (Gen 20:6-7). Abimelech, upon realizing the gravity of the situation, confronts Abraham, demonstrating a greater sense of justice than Abraham himself did in that moment. As a result of this divine intervention and Abraham's unique role as a prophet, Abimelech's household, which had been struck with a severe plague affecting fertility (Gen 20:18), could be healed. The cultural context emphasizes the critical importance of childbearing and lineage in the ancient Near East, making the affliction of barrenness a severe divine judgment and its reversal a profound act of God's favor.

Genesis 20 17 Word analysis

• So Abraham prayed (vayitpalel Avraham - וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם): The verb palal (פָּלַל) means "to intercede, mediate, pray." It is used in the Hithpael stem, which often indicates a reflexive action or an act performed for oneself, but here it clearly denotes fervent supplication on behalf of others. This highlights Abraham's specific role as a "prophet" (navi - נָבִיא) as designated by God in Gen 20:7, implying a special intimacy with God and the authority to intercede effectively. His prayer here is not just a personal petition but an act of his prophetic office, demonstrating God's honor for His chosen servant even in his weakness.
• unto God (el ha'Elohim - אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים): The use of the definite article "the" before "God" (ha'Elohim) is significant, pointing to the one true God, the sovereign Lord, not just any deity in the pagan pantheon. It affirms monotheism and the exclusive power of Yahweh.
• and God healed (vayirafe Elohim - וַיְרַפֵּא אֱלֹהִים): The verb rapha (רָפָא) means "to heal, to restore, to mend." This term is frequently used in the Old Testament to describe God as the ultimate Healer. This divine action directly reverses the judgment (the closing of the wombs, as implied by Gen 20:18), showcasing God's power over life, health, and natural processes, which ancient polytheistic societies attributed to numerous, often conflicting, deities. God's act here is swift and complete.
• Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants (et Avimelekh v'et ishto v'amtav - אֶת־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַמֹתָיו): The naming of the entire household highlights the comprehensive nature of the judgment and subsequent healing. The plague affected not just Abimelech's lineage (through his wife) but also the ability to have children across his entire retinue, implying a significant, public display of divine judgment and then restoration.
• and they bare children (vayeldu - וַיֵּלְדוּ): From the root yalad (יָלַד), meaning "to give birth, to bear, to beget." This is the precise outcome desired and promised by the reversal of the judgment. It confirms that the affliction mentioned in Gen 20:18 was indeed a form of infertility or cessation of childbearing. The restoration of fertility was a profound blessing in ancient society, guaranteeing lineage, perpetuating the family unit, and reflecting divine favor. This outcome is a direct and visible sign that the curse was lifted and God's blessing returned.

Words-group Analysis:

• "So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed": This sequence demonstrates the direct and immediate efficacy of prayer, particularly the prayer of a prophet appointed by God. It underscores God's willingness to listen and act in response to human intercession, especially when it aligns with His righteous purposes and covenant promises. It contrasts with pagan ideas of appeasing gods, where intercession was often unpredictable or futile.
• "Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.": This phrase indicates a complete and comprehensive restoration for Abimelech's entire household. The plague had sealed every womb (Gen 20:18), making childbearing impossible. God's healing fully reverses this, emphasizing His control over life and death, fertility and barrenness. It also underscores God's grace in restoring Abimelech, who, though entangled through no fault of his own initially, showed integrity, while simultaneously protecting His covenant with Abraham by allowing the Philistine household to thrive only after Abraham, His prophet, intervened. This further legitimizes Abraham's standing before nations, reinforcing the Gen 12:3 blessing/curse.

Genesis 20 17 Bonus section

The repeated motif of barrenness and God's divine intervention to open the womb (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth) in the Bible strengthens the theme present in Gen 20:17. This narrative arc reinforces that physical barrenness often serves as a symbolic state requiring divine grace and intervention, highlighting that human life and especially covenant continuity are solely dependent on God's active involvement, not human effort or natural means alone. In this specific instance, the plague was an imposed barrenness, yet God's method of reversal — through the prayer of Abraham, who himself once faced a natural barrenness — carries deep resonance. It's a reminder of God's capacity to bring life where there is none and to redeem complex, human-flawed situations for His glory and purposes. This episode ultimately strengthens the divine legitimacy of Abraham's position, establishing him as God's channel of blessing, despite his moral lapse.

Genesis 20 17 Commentary

Genesis 20:17 serves as a powerful testament to several theological truths. Firstly, it underscores the supreme sovereignty of God, who alone possesses the power to close and open wombs, to bring sickness and restore health. This challenges the common polytheistic beliefs of the ancient world, where various gods might govern different aspects of nature, affirming that Yahweh is the exclusive source of all life and healing. Secondly, the verse highlights the efficacy and importance of intercessory prayer, particularly the prayer of a "prophet" like Abraham. Even though Abraham had previously shown moral weakness by deceiving Abimelech, God still honored His designation of Abraham as His prophet, validating Abraham's role as a mediator through whom blessings flowed to nations (Gen 12:3). Abraham's prayer became the divinely ordained means for the restoration of Abimelech's household, demonstrating God's commitment to His chosen vessel. Lastly, the healing leading to "bearing children" is crucial. Fertility was paramount in ancient Near Eastern society, signifying God's blessing and the continuity of life. The lifting of barrenness was not merely a physical recovery but a complete restoration of their status and future prospects, signaling God's ultimate blessing and grace, even toward those outside the immediate covenant family, as long as they respond righteously. It further emphasizes that despite Abraham's failures, God's plan and promises, which depend on Abraham's lineage, remain secure.