Genesis 20:9 kjv

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

Genesis 20:9 nkjv

And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done."

Genesis 20:9 niv

Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, "What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done."

Genesis 20:9 esv

Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."

Genesis 20:9 nlt

Then Abimelech called for Abraham. "What have you done to us?" he demanded. "What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done!

Genesis 20 verses

Genesis 20 9 Meaning

Genesis 20:9 captures Abimelech's righteous indignation and bewilderment directed at Abraham. The king of Gerar confronts Abraham for his deceit regarding Sarah, emphasizing the profound and far-reaching spiritual and moral danger Abraham's actions had inflicted upon Abimelech and his entire kingdom, risking divine wrath. It is a profound indictment of a man of God by a foreign king who displays a clearer understanding of righteousness and the fear of God in this instance.

Genesis 20 9 Context

Genesis chapter 20 describes Abraham's interaction with Abimelech, the Philistine king of Gerar, after Abraham's relocation to that area following the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This narrative notably echoes a previous event in Abraham's life when he misrepresented Sarah as his sister to Pharaoh in Egypt (Gen 12:10-20), displaying a pattern of fear-driven deceit concerning his wife.

In Gerar, Abraham again identifies Sarah as his sister out of fear that her beauty would lead to his death. Abimelech, unaware that Sarah is Abraham's wife, takes her into his harem with honorable intentions, intending a formal marriage alliance. However, before he can touch her, God intervenes dramatically, appearing to Abimelech in a dream. God reveals Sarah's true status as a married woman and warns Abimelech of immediate death for him and his entire household if he does not return her, for he would have committed a "great sin." God also states that He Himself had restrained Abimelech from sinning against Him (Gen 20:6).

Upon waking, Abimelech, a righteous king, is greatly distressed by this divine revelation. He calls his servants and recounts the entire episode, emphasizing his innocence and the terrifying prospect of divine judgment. He then summons Abraham in verse 9, leading to the sharp rebuke outlined in this verse. Abimelech's confrontation highlights his personal integrity, his concern for his kingdom's well-being, and a genuine fear of God's wrath, despite being outside the covenant community of Israel.

Genesis 20 9 Word analysis

• Then Abimelech called Abraham: This signifies a direct confrontation initiated by the injured party. It immediately sets up the power dynamic where the innocent ruler rebukes the deceptive patriarch.
• and said to him: Introduces the king's stern words of rebuke and interrogation.
• "What have you done to us?" (מָה עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ - mah asita lanu):
  • מָה (mah): "What?" - an interrogative expressing disbelief, shock, and accusation. It's not a mere question but an exclamation of moral outrage.
  • עָשִׂיתָ (asita): "You have done." - a past tense verb indicating a completed action, focusing on Abraham's clear responsibility.
  • לָּנוּ (lanu): "To us" or "for us" - signifies the collective impact of Abraham's actions. Abimelech recognizes that Abraham's deceit implicated not just him personally but his entire household and kingdom in potential divine judgment, highlighting the king's communal responsibility.
• "And how have I offended you": (מֶה חָטָאתִי לָךְ - meh khata'ti lach)
  • מֶה (meh): "How?" or "What?" - another interrogative, implying "In what way did I err or commit an offense against you?" It emphasizes Abimelech's innocence and the lack of provocation for Abraham's action.
  • חָטָאתִי (khata'ti): "I have sinned" or "I have offended." - from the root חָטָא (hata), meaning "to miss the mark," "to go astray," "to sin." Here, it expresses that Abimelech believes he has done nothing to deserve such a deceptive act from Abraham. This highlights the paradox of a pagan king inquiring about his "sin" against Abraham, implying moral reciprocity.
  • לָךְ (lach): "Against you" - clarifies the object of the perceived offense. Abimelech sees himself as the wronged party.
• "that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin?":
  • אֲשֶׁר הֵבֵאתָ (asher heve'ta): "that you have brought" - a causative verb, attributing the "great sin" directly to Abraham's actions.
  • עָלַי (alai): "upon me" - referring to Abimelech personally.
  • וְעַל מַמְלַכְתִּי (v'al mamlakhti): "and upon my kingdom" - reinforces the collective, societal nature of the impending calamity. Abraham's actions endangered not just the king, but the very people and land under his rule.
  • חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה (chata'ah gedolah): "a great sin" - This is the central charge.
    • חֲטָאָה (chata'ah): "sin" - carries significant weight, referring to an offense against God and the divine moral order, not just a social blunder. Abimelech, though a pagan, recognized actions that invite divine judgment. This highlights the inherent moral law known by all humanity (Rom 2:14-15).
    • גְדֹלָה (gedolah): "great" - an adjective emphasizing the magnitude, severity, and far-reaching implications of the sin. It suggests a sin whose consequences are not trivial but threaten fundamental well-being, even life itself, under divine retribution. It refers to potential covenant violation in an indirect sense (defiling someone God protects) and potentially bringing plague or death, as indicated by God's warning in Gen 20:3.
• "You have done to me things that ought not to be done.": (מַעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָשׂוּ - ma'asim asher lo ye'asu)
  • מַעֲשִׂים (ma'asim): "deeds," "actions," or "things." - a plural noun emphasizing the deliberate nature of Abraham's multiple deceptions and the sum of his actions.
  • אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָשׂוּ (asher lo ye'asu): "which ought not to be done" or "which should not be done."
    • לֹא (lo): "not" - a strong negative.
    • יֵעָשׂוּ (ye'asu): "should be done" - a Niphal imperfect verb, expressing an action that is universally understood as morally impermissible. It implies a violation of fundamental justice, ethics, or religious law, irrespective of specific religious codes. Abimelech appeals to a universal moral code accessible to all. This phrasing also echoes warnings about forbidden acts found later in the Mosaic Law.

Genesis 20 9 Bonus section

• The episode with Abimelech serves as a critical test and revelation of Abraham's ongoing character flaws, specifically his reliance on self-preservation through deceit rather than trusting wholly in God's promises and protection. This recurs almost identically with Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 26), suggesting a deep-seated struggle with faith under pressure.
• Abimelech's reaction highlights that the knowledge of a universal moral law is not exclusive to those in covenant with Yahweh. His words "great sin" and "ought not to be done" indicate an innate understanding of sin against divine order, aligning with what later scripture describes as God's law written on the hearts of all people (Rom 2:14-15).
• The fact that God directly intervened in Abimelech's dream (Gen 20:3, 6) not only protected Sarah but also protected Abimelech from unwittingly sinning against God. This demonstrates God's providential care not just for His covenant people, but also His just dealings with those outside the covenant, granting them mercy and opportunity to act righteously when they fear Him.
• The incident can be seen as a form of polemic against the surrounding polytheistic cultures where kings might operate with unchecked power and impunity. Abimelech's fear of God and accountability stands in stark contrast to such presumptions, emphasizing that even powerful earthly rulers are subject to divine judgment.

Genesis 20 9 Commentary

Abimelech's confrontational words in Genesis 20:9 lay bare Abraham's moral failing with profound impact. This verse functions as a powerful reversal: the "man of God," Abraham, is subjected to a severe rebuke from a pagan king who demonstrates a greater awareness and fear of God's justice in this immediate context. Abimelech's outrage is not merely personal; it stems from an understanding of corporate guilt. He fears the "great sin" would fall "on me and my kingdom," signifying the responsibility of a ruler to protect his people from divine judgment. This fear is rooted in a natural recognition of God's moral order, an order confirmed by God's direct intervention in Abimelech's dream (Gen 20:6).

The king's question, "What have you done to us? And how have I offended you?", underscores the absence of any justifiable provocation for Abraham's deceit. It highlights the irrationality of Abraham's fear, given God's previous promises of protection and blessing (Gen 12:2-3, 17:1-8). Abimelech's subsequent declaration, "You have done to me things that ought not to be done," serves as a potent moral indictment. It appeals to a universal sense of right and wrong, acknowledging certain actions as inherently perverse and contrary to divine will. This instance demonstrates that God works even through those outside a covenant relationship to bring forth righteousness and confront sin, challenging the perception that moral understanding is exclusive to His chosen people. The irony is poignant: a "heathen" king serves as God's instrument to call His covenant bearer to account for behavior that risked God's reputation among the nations and threatened a direct confrontation with God's holy wrath. This passage, therefore, profoundly illustrates human weakness even in faith leaders, God's vigilant protection of His redemptive plan, and His sovereign judgment over all humanity.