But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
4. a righteous nation ] Abimelech appeals to the instinct of justice, that God will not punish the innocent, as if they were guilty. Cf. Gen 18:23.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Abimelech had not come near her, i.e. had not yet lain with her. A modest expression, like that of knowing a woman, Gen 4:1, or going in to her, Gen 6:4, or touching her, Pro 6:29; 1Co 7:1, by which we are taught to use modesty in our speeches, and not, with the rude cynics, to express all things by their proper names. This clause and history was necessary to be added here for Sarahs vindication, and especially for the demonstration of Isaacs original from Abraham and Sarah, according to Gods promise.
Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? i.e. innocent as to this matter. Compare 2Sa 4:11. He knew it was just and usual for God to punish a nation for their kings sins; and therefore, as became a good prince, he is solicitous, and prays for the safety of his nation: or else by nation he may mean his family, for some of them were not involved in the guilt of this fact.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But Abimelech had not come near her,…. Sarah had been put into an apartment in his palace, and not yet admitted into his company, not at least to his bed; he had not lain with her, which is the design of the expression: the Septuagint version is, “had not touched her”, as in Ge 20:6; which is another phrase expressive of the same thing:
and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? meaning either his family, the greater part of which were not accessory to this affair; or rather his kingdom, as Aben Ezra, see Ge 20:9; which though not a nation of righteous men, in a strict sense, see Ge 20:11; yet with regard to this business of Sarah were no ways criminal: either God had threatened to destroy his people, as well as himself, if he did not return Sarah to her husband, or committed iniquity with her; or he knew that this had been usual for people to suffer for the crimes of their governors, and like a true father of his country shows an affectionate concern for their welfare in the first place; for this may be the sense of the word “also”, on which an emphasis is put; wilt thou not only slay me, but also a whole nation for my sake, a nation free from all fault and blame in this matter? though some think he has reference to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, a recent action, and fresh in his mind; as if he should say, thou hast justly destroyed a wicked people for their sins, and wilt thou also destroy a nation that at least, in comparison of them, is a just and righteous one?
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Abimelech, who had not yet come near her, because God had hindered him by illness (Gen 20:6 and Gen 20:17), excused himself on the ground that he had done no wrong, since he had supposed Sarah to be Abraham’s sister, according to both her husband’s statement and her own. This plea was admitted by God, who told him that He had kept him from sinning through touching Sarah, and commanded him to restore the woman immediately to her husband, who was a prophet, that he might pray for him and save his life, and threatened him with certain death to himself and all belonging to him in case he should refuse. That Abimelech, when taking the supposed sister of Abraham into his harem, should have thought that he was acting “in innocence of heart and purity of hands,” i.e., in perfect innocence, is to be fully accounted for, from his undeveloped moral and religious standpoint, by considering the customs of that day. But that God should have admitted that he had acted “in innocence of heart,” and yet should have proceeded at once to tell him that he could only remain alive through the intercession of Abraham, that is to say, through his obtaining forgiveness of a sin that was deserving of death, is a proof that God treated him as capable of deeper moral discernment and piety. The history itself indicates this in the very characteristic variation in the names of God. First of all (Gen 20:3), Elohim (without the article, i.e., Deity generally) appears to him in a dream; but Abimelech recognises the Lord, Adonai, i.e., God (Gen 20:4); whereupon the historian represents ( Elohim with the article), the personal and true God, as speaking to him. The address of God, too, also shows his susceptibility of divine truth. Without further pointing out to him the wrong which he had done in simplicity of heart, in taking the sister of the stranger who had come into his land, for the purpose of increasing his own harem, since he must have been conscious of this himself, God described Abraham as a prophet, whose intercession alone could remove his guilt, to show him the way of salvation. A prophet: lit., the God-addressed or inspired, since the “inward speaking” ( Ein-sprache ) or inspiration of God constitutes the essence of prophecy. Abraham was as the recipient of divine revelation, and was thereby placed in so confidential a relation to God, that he could intercede for sinners, and atone for sins of infirmity through his intercession.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
4. But Abimelech had not come near her. Though Abraham had deprived himself of his wife, the Lord interposed in time to preserve her uninjured. When Moses previously relates, that she was taken away by Pharaoh, he does not say whether her chastity was assailed or not; but since the Lord then also declared himself the vindicator of her whom he now saved from dishonor, we ought not to doubt that her integrity was preserved both times. For why did he now forbid the king of Gerar to touch her, if he had previously suffered her to be corrupted in Egypt? We see, however, that when the Lord so defers his aid as not to stretch out his hand to the faithful, till they are in extreme peril, he shows the more clearly how admirable is his Providence.
Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? The explanation given by some, that Abimelech here compares himself with the men of Sodom, is perhaps too refined. The following meaning appears to me more simple; namely ‘O Lord, although thou dost severely punish adultery, shall thy wrath pour itself out on unoffending men, who have rather fallen into error, than sinned knowingly and willingly?’ Moreover, Abimelech seems so to clear himself, as if he were entirely free from blame: and yet the Lord both admits and approves his excuse. We must, however, mark in what way, and to what extent he boasts that his heart and hands are guiltless. For he does not arrogate to himself a purity which is altogether spotless; but only denies that he was led by lust, either tyrannically or purposely, to abuse another man’s wife. We know how great is the difference between a crime and a fault; (429) thus Abimelech does not exempt himself from every kind of charge, but only shows that he had been conscious of no such wickedness as required this severe punishment. The ‘simplicity of heart,’ of which he speaks, is nothing else than that ignorance which stands opposed to consciousness of guilt; and ‘the righteousness of his hands,’ is nothing but that selfgovernment, by which men abstain from force and acts of injustice. Besides, the interrogation which Abimelech used proceeded from a common feeling of religion. For nature itself dictates, that God preserves a just discrimination in inflicting punishments.
(429) “ Inter scelus et delictum.” — “Between an act of abandoned wickedness and a mere fault.” — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) A righteous nation.Knobel has pointed out that there is an allusion here to the fate of Sodom. Though the malady was confined to Abimelech and his household, yet he sees destruction threatening his whole people, who, compared with the inhabitants of the Ciccar cities, were righteous. There is indirect proof: of the truth of Abimelechs assertion in the fact that death (see Gen. 20:3) is acquiesced in as the fitting punishment for adultery.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Had not come near her He and his house had apparently been smitten with some judgment (Gen 20:6; Gen 20:18) which restrained him from Sarah, and hindered his wife and maidservants from conception . From which it would seem that Sarah was removed some time from Abraham .
Also a righteous nation There seems to be in these words an allusion to the destruction of the Sodomites. The fame of that fearful judgment had probably spread through all the adjacent lands, and made a profound impression; and now, when God speaks in a dream to this king, Abimelech asks, in amazement, if his people are in danger of a judgment like those wicked sinners. In his emotion his language rises almost to a poetic strain:
O Lord, a nation also righteous wilt thou slay?
Did not he say to me,
My sister is she?
And she, she also, said,
My brother is he
In the integrity of my heart,
And in the innocency of my hands,
Have I done this
In this king we may recognise an exceptional example of heathen uprightness. His ideas of righteousness, integrity, and innocence do not forbid polygamy, so that he has no compunction in adding Sarah to his harem. But he pleads sincerity and personal honour. Though lamentably low, he is far above the moral level of the Sodomites; and yet he needs the prayers and help of Abraham, who himself is far from the highest idea of innocence. Behold here the necessity of divine revelation. Without the word of the Lord, how could simple man come to know righteousness, or integrity, or purity?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 20:4-5. Lord, wilt thou slay also, &c. Abimelech here deprecates the Divine wrath, and enters into a justification of his conduct; declaring that both Abraham and Sarah had united in attesting that Sarah was the sister of Abraham; and that he had not the least apprehension or design of committing so atrocious a crime, as that of taking away a man’s wife, and defiling his bed; in the integrity of my heart, and the innocency of my hands, have I done this: a plea which the Almighty graciously admits, assuring Abimelech, that he knew this to be the case; yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart, without any knowledge of the connection, and consequently without any design to violate the marriage-bed: And (not for) I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore, &c. Observe hence, that immoral actions derive their chief turpitude from being offences against God: adultery is a sin against God; from which God withheld Abimelech, because of the integrity of his heart. It cannot however be reasonably inferred from this, that concubinage or polygamy is justifiable in the sight of God: but only that it was no crime in Abimelech; it was at most but a fault of ignorance, which is not inconsistent with integrity, since neither his own conscience condemned it, nor any law which he knew: so that he acted uprightly, in so far as he did nothing but what he judged lawful and right, according to the best of his knowledge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Num 22:32 ; Psa 105:14-15 . Abraham is the first person called a prophet in the Scriptures, and that on account of his immediate intercourse with God by way of divine revelation.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
Ver. 4. But Abimelech had not come near her. ] Being hindered by sickness. Gen 20:17 Well might St Ambrose call sickness the shop of virtues. a When men are fastened to their beds, and their bones made to rattle in their skin, lust will be laid asleep, and little leisure left for luxury. b This made King Alfred pray God to send him always some sickness, whereby his body might be tamed, and he the better disposed and affectioned to Godward. If it be painful to the vine to bleed, it is worse to wither. Better be pruned to grow, than cut up to burn. Otho tertius, Imperator, dictus miraculum mundi, amoribus periit . c How much happier he that sang, Periissem nisi Periissem .
Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
a Morbos virtutum officians vocat Ambros .
b Nuper me amici cuiusdam languor admonuit opimos esse nos dum infirmi sumus . – Plin., epist. xxvi. lib. vii.
c Manl., loc. com., p. 667.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
LORD* = Jehovah. One of the 134 emendations of the Sopherim. See App-32.
also, i.e. as well as Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19.
nation. Abimelech evidently expected God to slay the whole nation.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
had: Gen 20:6, Gen 20:18
wilt: Gen 20:17, Gen 20:18, Gen 18:23-25, Gen 19:24, 2Sa 4:11, 1Ch 21:17
Reciprocal: 1Ki 18:13 – what I did Pro 6:29 – toucheth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 20:4. Wilt thou also slay a righteous nation? He probably referred to the late destruction of Sodom and the cities of the plain, which, no doubt, must have caused great consternation, if not also some degree of reformation, in that neighbourhood. As Abimelechs plea was not rejected by the Lord, there is reason to hope that both he and his subjects were not only free from the abominations of Sodom, and from the reigning idolatries of Canaan, but that the fear of God, and some remains of true religion, were found among them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also {d} a righteous nation?
(d) The infidels confessed that God would not punish but for just occasion: therefore, when he punishes, the occasion is just.