Genesis 20

S - Gen 20
O -
Where? region of the Negev, between Kadesh and Shur. Chapter 20 is in Gerar (v1).
2and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
This is familiar. Same thing happened in Egypt (Gen 12).
(side note: i flipped past Gen 1 and the thought that popped up in my mind was: ....how things have changed!)
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, "You are as good as deadbecause of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman."
About the nature of the sin. Also, God's promise to Abraham was of offspring for him and Sarah, not by anyone else. God's intervention.


6Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.7Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die."Abraham was the first man to bear the title of "prophet".If Abimelech disobeyed God's command he and his family would die.
v11 - fear of God - reverential trust in God that includes commitment to his revealed will.v12 - Abraham's half-truth was a sinful deception, not a legitimate explanation
14Then Abimelech brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him.15And Abimelech said, "My land is before you; live wherever you like."16To Sarah he said, "I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated."


Abimelech's generosity was a strong contrast to Abraham's fearfulness and deception.


17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again,18for the LORD had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Abraham's wife Sarah.
God is definitely still protecting and intervening for Abraham, but I'm not sure what to make of Abraham/Sarah's lying that they are siblings. What was that for? Did they still not trust that God was going to deliver them through thick and thin?
A - As it has been the theme of Genesis so far - have strong faith (unlike Abraham and Sarah in these times) and be promptly obedient (as demonstrated by Abimelech).
P - That I will look for joy and peace in God. Him alone is reason for me to rejoice!