Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 20:5

Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

5. integrity ] Heb. “perfectness.” Cf. Gen 6:9.

innocency of my hands ] Cf. Psa 26:6.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 5. In the integrity of my heart, c.] Had Abimelech any other than honourable views in taking Sarah, he could not have justified himself thus to his Maker and that these views were of the most honourable kind, God himself, to whom the appeal was made, asserts in the most direct manner, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Without any adulterous design in my heart, or outward actions tending to it, being wholly ignorant of what thou now informest me.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Said he not unto me, she [is] my sister?…. By this it appears, that Abimelech had a personal conversation with Abraham, and inquired of him about Sarah, who she was, and what relation she was to him, who told him that she was his sister; and for the truth of this he appeals to the omniscient God, who knew that Abraham had told him this:

and she, even she herself said, he [is] my brother; when Sarah was asked what relation she stood in to Abraham, and he to her, she declared he was her brother; so that Abimelech had reason to conclude, from what both of them had said, that this was the truth of the matter, and especially from what Sarah said, who he thought might be depended on, and would speak out the whole truth on such an occasion:

in the integrity of my heart, and innocency of my hands, have I done this; hereby declaring, that his design was not to defile the woman, and to gratify his lust, but to take her to be his wife; and this he thought to be no evil, though he had a wife, Ge 20:17; polygamy not being reckoned a sin in those times; and that he had used no violence in taking her, they both seemingly agreeing to it.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(5) In the integrity of my heart . . . Not only does Abimelech assert this, but Elohim (see Gen. 20:6) admits the plea. And yet this Philistine king indulges in polygamy, and claims the right of taking the female relatives of any one passing through his territory to add them to his harem. But the words mean no more than that he was not consciously violating any of his own rules of morality, and thus illustrate the Gospel principle that men will be punished not by an absolute decree, but equitably, according to their knowledge (Luk. 12:47-48). Abimelech was doing wrong, and was suffering punishment, but the punishment was remedial, and for his advancement in right-knowing and right-doing. It is thus by means of revelation that men have attained to a proper understanding of the moral law. Though often called the law of Nature, yet Nature does not give it, but only acknowledges it when given. The inner light is but a faint and inconstant glimmering, but Christ is the true light; for only by Him does the law of Nature become a clear-rule for human guidance (Joh. 1:9; Rom. 2:14-15; Mat. 6:23).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 20:5 Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

Ver. 5. Said he not unto me, She is my sister? &c. ] Here Abraham and Sarah, though both famous, he for his faith, Rom 4:19 and she for not being afraid with any amazement, 1Pe 3:6 yet here they show some trepidation. Sense, saith one, a fights sore against faith, when it is upon its own dunghill, I mean in a sensible danger. Nature’s retraction of itself from a visible fear, may cause the pulse of a Christian that beats truly and strongly in the main point (the state of the soul) to intermit and falter at such a time. b

In the integrity of my heart. ] Great is the boldness of a clear conscience, be it but in some one particular, as here in Abimelech; a man that was magis extra vitia quam cum virtutibus (as Tacitus c saith of Galba) rather not evil than good; one whose nature was not changed, but chained up only. Civil men are but wolves chained up, tame devils, swine in a fair meadow; and yet these are the world’s honest men, and as high a price set upon them, as was once upon a cab of dove’s dung in the famine of Samaria. But these Abimelechs, these Catos, these civil judges, they want sincerity in the first table, and integrity in the second; for they stand not upon the inward corruptions, nor lesser breaches of the law. Abimelech, for all his confidence here, was to blame for his wandering, rash lust. And Cato, that mirror of morality, was a griping usurer, prostituted his wife, and slew himself. And yet Paterculus d will tell you, that he was, Homo virtuti simillimus, et per omnia virtute Diis quam hominibus propior ,& c.

a Mr Vines’s Fast Sermon:

b Elias fulminator ad Iezabalis minas trepidat .

c Tac., lib. i. cap. 12.

d Hist. , lib. ii.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

in the integrity: or, simplicity, or sincerity, Jos 22:22, 1Ki 9:4, 2Ki 20:3, 1Ch 29:17, Psa 7:8, Psa 25:21, Psa 78:72, Pro 11:3, Pro 20:7, 2Co 1:12, 1Th 2:10, 1Ti 1:13

and innocency: Job 33:9, Psa 24:4, Psa 26:6, Psa 73:13, Dan 6:22

Reciprocal: Gen 12:13 – thou Gen 20:16 – thy Gen 26:7 – She is my sister Jos 24:14 – serve 1Sa 22:15 – Did I then 2Sa 15:11 – their simplicity 1Ki 18:13 – what I did Job 17:9 – clean Psa 51:6 – Behold Rom 2:15 – accusing Phi 1:10 – that ye may be

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

20:5 Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my {e} heart and {f} innocency of my hands have I done this.

(e) As one falling by ignorance, and not doing evil on purpose.

(f) Not thinking to do any man harm.