Genesis 20:18 kjv

For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20:18 nkjv

for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20:18 niv

for the LORD had kept all the women in Abimelek's household from conceiving because of Abraham's wife Sarah.

Genesis 20:18 esv

For the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20:18 nlt

For the LORD had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham's wife, Sarah.

Genesis 20 verses

Genesis 20 18 Meaning

Genesis 20:18 reveals the specific consequence that befell Abimelech's household due to his unwitting actions against Abraham and Sarah. It states that the Lord had caused barrenness in every female of Abimelech's house, preventing them from conceiving, because of the matter concerning Sarah, who was Abraham's wife. This was a divine judgment and a direct protective act by Yahweh over His covenant people and promises, ensuring no harm or defilement came to the matriarch through whom the promised lineage would continue.

Genesis 20 18 Context

Genesis chapter 20 describes Abraham's interaction with Abimelech, the Philistine king of Gerar. This episode parallels a previous one in Genesis 12 where Abraham, out of fear for his life, passes off Sarah as his sister to Pharaoh in Egypt. Here, in Gerar, Abraham again repeats this deception. Abimelech, unaware that Sarah is Abraham's wife, takes her into his household with the intention of making her his wife. However, God intervenes dramatically by appearing to Abimelech in a dream, warning him against touching Sarah and informing him that she is a married woman. God also declares that He restrained Abimelech from sinning. The subsequent interaction between Abimelech and Abraham reveals Abraham's fear and lack of faith. Critically, God reveals Abraham's true identity as a prophet and requires Abimelech to return Sarah and seek Abraham's prayer for healing. Verse 18 directly states the physical consequence experienced by Abimelech's household: every woman's womb was closed by the Lord. This was the sign and the tangible judgment confirming Abimelech's wrongful action (albeit unintentional) and highlighting God's immediate protection of His chosen ones, specifically the purity of the lineage through which the Messiah would come.

Genesis 20 18 Word analysis

• For (כִּ֣י - ki): This conjunction introduces the reason or explanation for Abimelech's command in the previous verse (v. 17) to Abraham to pray. It clarifies why Abraham's intercession was necessary and why the healing was a reversal of a divine act.
• YHWH (יְהוָ֖ה - YHWH, Lord): The sacred, personal, covenantal name of God. Its use emphasizes that this was not a natural occurrence but a direct, deliberate action by the Sovereign God who is deeply involved in the affairs of His people and committed to His covenant promises. This points to divine control over life and fertility, distinguishing Him from any local fertility deities of Canaan.
• had closed (עָצֹ֨ר עָצַ֜ר - atzor atzar): The Hebrew uses an infinitive absolute (atzor) before the finite verb (atzar), a grammatical construct to emphasize the certainty, intensity, and completeness of the action. It translates to "surely closed up," "completely shut off," or "absolutely blocked."
  • atzar (עָצַר): To shut, close up, restrain, hold back, confine. It conveys the idea of holding back fluid or blocking movement. Here, it refers specifically to the physiological function of the womb.
• all (כָּל־ - kol): Denotes totality and completeness. The judgment was not partial but encompassed every reproductive female within Abimelech's royal household.
• womb (רֶ֖חֶם - rechem): This word refers to the uterus, the organ of gestation. Its closure signifies complete barrenness or inability to conceive or carry to term. This direct divine intervention highlights God's dominion over life and fertility, a critical theme in the narratives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and later Hannah. It directly counters any pagan notions that fertility was granted by idols.
• of the house of Abimelech (בֵּ֣ית אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ - beit avimelech): Identifies the specific target of the divine judgment. It indicates the punishment extended beyond Abimelech himself to his entire lineage and those under his direct authority, emphasizing the seriousness of infringing on God's anointed, even if unintentionally.
• because of Sarah (עַל־דְּבַר־שָׂרָ֖ה - al devar Sarai): Literally "on account of the matter of Sarah," or "for the sake of Sarah." This prepositional phrase pinpoints the precise reason for God's action. The inviolability of Sarah's status as Abraham's wife and the matriarch of the promised lineage was paramount to God.
• Abraham’s wife (אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָהָֽם - eshet avraham): Re-emphasizes Sarah's relationship to Abraham, which was central to her protection. It signifies her unique status in God's covenant plan and the danger inherent in disrupting the divine purpose associated with her and her husband.

Genesis 20 18 Bonus section

The direct nature of God's action in causing barrenness demonstrates a theological polemic against surrounding Canaanite polytheistic religions, which often attributed fertility to various gods and goddesses. By Yahweh unilaterally shutting all wombs and later reopening them through Abraham's intercession, the text asserts Yahweh's absolute and sole control over fertility and life itself, distinct from the capricious nature of local deities. Furthermore, the narrative implicitly addresses the social vulnerability of women and highlights divine protection even when human actions (like Abraham's deception) fall short. God does not allow human sin (Abraham's lie) to derail His greater redemptive plan or defile the lineage. This episode also served to publicly validate Abraham's prophetic standing before Abimelech and his people, underscoring that Abraham was a man chosen by God, whose word and prayer carried divine authority. The swift and comprehensive nature of the judgment underscored the holiness of the covenant seed.

Genesis 20 18 Commentary

Genesis 20:18 serves as the climactic revelation of the immediate and tangible divine judgment following Abimelech's unintentional but gravely serious action of taking Sarah, Abraham's wife. The use of YHWH's personal name signals that this was no coincidence but a direct, purposeful intervention by the covenant-keeping God. The Hebrew intensive construction "had closed" (atzor atzar) emphasizes the complete and unyielding nature of the barrenness, indicating that all women in Abimelech's household were rendered infertile by divine decree. This judgment was specifically "because of Sarah, Abraham's wife," underscoring God's meticulous care for His chosen ones and the sacredness of the lineage through which the promised Seed would come. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over life, conception, and human institutions, confirming that no one, not even a king, could interfere with His redemptive plan without facing direct consequences. The passage highlights both God's swift justice and His profound protection of Abraham and his family, ultimately setting the stage for Abraham's intercession and God's subsequent healing, showcasing God's willingness to restore based on prayer. This entire episode reinforced for both Abimelech and the audience that Abraham and his family were under the direct, powerful, and exclusive protection of YHWH.