בְּרֵאשִׁית‎

BeReshit

Genesis

CHAPTER 20

With Commentaries

“Then ELOHIM said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her.”

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew

And Avraham set out from that land to the Negev (desert region), to dwell between Kadesh and Shur to sojourn in Gerar.

1 וַיִּסַּע מִשָּׁם אַבְרָהָם אַרְצָה הַנֶּגֶב וַיֵּשֶׁב בֵּין־קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר וַיָּגָר בִּגְרָר׃

א

קָדֵשׁ/Kadesh

קָדֵשׁ/Kadesh means “holy, sacred, or consecrated.” This is the same place near the well where Hagar, Sarah’s servant, was found by Elohim (This was the messenger of HaShem and not HaShem Himself.) back in BeReshit/Genesis chapter 16, when Hagar ran away from Sarah. Elohim told Hagar she would have a male child and told her the child's future.

שׁוּר/Shur

שׁוּר/Shur can have a few different meanings depending on context. It primarily refers to a wall or fortification, specifically a wall or boundary. It can also denote a place or area, particularly a desert region, possibly named after a wall that existed there. "Shur" can also be a root word related to being raised or excited.

After the destruction of Sodom, Avraham moved south to the desert region called the Negev, which means “dry” or “south”. He settled in Gerar, which is believed to be the same Gerar that exists today. Avraham probably made this move because of the proximity to the destruction. Also, we have no way to know if Avraham knew that his nephew Lot had survived the destruction of Sodom. If Avraham thought his nephew, Lot, was dead, it would be another reason for Avraham to move his tents.
Notice that in this verse, it only says that “Avraham moved from that land”, and does not say from Hebron or Elony Mamre, where we knew he was last, next to Sodom. By this wording, it seems to mean that Avraham did not want to be near it. For whatever reason he had for moving, we have no way of knowing, Scripture does not say, but it does sound like he did not want to be near “that land”. However, it is the narrative that says these words and not Avraham himself. So, that means that it was HaShem who did not want him to be near that land. Why though? The only thing I can think of is that HaShem did not want Avraham to be in contact with Lot. We do not know if Avraham knew his nephew’s fate.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: ויסע משם אברהם AND ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THENCE—When he observed that the cities had been destroyed and travellers ceased to pass to and fro, he went away from there. Another explanation is: he journeyed from there to get away from Lot who had gained an evil reputation because of his intercourse with his daughters (Genesis Rabbah 52:3-4).

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: וישב בין קדש ובי שור, between 2 large cities, in order to have an opportunity to proclaim the holy name of G’d in both these cities, as he did later, the objective being to improve G’d’s image among mankind.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויסע משם, from Eloney Mamre, the place where he resided most of the time. The Torah fails to mention what prompted Avraham to leave his home in this fashion. It could not have been due to the famine, seeing that at that time no famine is reported as having existed in that region, as opposed to when Yitzchok left his home and went to the land of the Philistines as reported in 26:1. Seeing that in that connection the Torah referred to this famine as being additional to the one in the days of Avraham, and we know that at that time Avraham went to Egypt and did not settle in the region between Kadesh and Shur, we cannot attribute his move to a famine. Perhaps what motivated Avraham was the need to fulfill the commandment by G’d to dwell in all parts of the land of Canaan. The Torah would indicate, obliquely, that the land of the Philistines was included in what G’d had described as “the land of Canaan,” even though the Philistines were distant descendants of Mitzrayim, a grandson of Cham but not directly descended from Canaan. Eventually, the coastal plain inhabited by the Philistines became part of the tribal territory of Yehudah. This may be why the Torah refers to this as ארצה הנגב, the southern region, seeing that Yehudah’s territory is described as the southern part of the country in Joshua chapter15.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Abraham journeyed from there to the land of the south; he lived between Kadesh and Shur, in the Negev; and he resided in Gerar, one of the cities of the Philistines.

And Avraham said in regards to Sarah, his wife, “She is my sister”, and Avimelekh, king of Gerar, sent to take Sarah.

2 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל־שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחֹתִי הִוא וַיִּשְׁלַח אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ גְּרָר וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שָׂרָה׃

ב

The meaning of the name Avimelekh

אֲבִימֶלֶךְ/AviMelekh

This name means “My father is king.”

Ok, this is a very short verse that says a lot. To start with, we are supposed to know Avraham’s plan, as we already know it from when he used it in Egypt. “She is my sister” is the plan, and we should know what this means by now, and I hope you do. Furthermore, the king of Gerar took Sarah, intending to make her his. And as we will see, Avimelekh’s intentions were not the same as Pharaoh's from Egypt.
Now, here is the main reason for this verse, or rather, for the whole chapter. I know that I am getting ahead of myself, but this is said, without saying it, from this first verse. Ask yourself, why would the king of Gerar take Sarah, an eighty-nine-year-old woman, for himself, when he can have any woman that he wants? Think about it. The king of a country, or more like a small city back then, took an old woman to be his. He is probably already married and has all the concubines he wants, but he took Sarah. God is telling us through this story how the miracle made for Avraham and Sarah from two chapters ago worked. Sarah was not just given her menstrual cycles back, and she was not just cured from her infertility. HaShem gave Avraham and Sarah their youth back. They did not look and were no longer old, but they reverted to their youth. They were young again. Avraham was young, and so was Sarah. They were no longer old, and Sarah got her menstrual cycles back because of her new youthful body and was cured of her infertility.
This is something that could be seen with the naked eye for those who knew them; they saw the miracle, and for those who did not, they were just two young people. Like I said before, this is written in this way because HaShem does not want you to love Him for the miracles that He can do. HaShem is not a showoff. If you encounter a book in which it is said that the main character of the story is doing miracles left and right, that character is one to watch out for. He or she is not what they appear to be, and it is false doctrine, much like a magician using sleight of hand to impress with fake magic, convincing you of the power they do not possess.
So far, HaShem has done miracles that don't seem like miracles, for the sake of the world, to get it moving in the direction He wants. There is a purpose. He has not done a miracle that benefits just one person and impresses many. For example, when Jacob wrestles with the angel, he gets his leg hurt permanently and lives with a limp for the rest of his life, but HaShem does not heal him. Yitzkhak goes blind towards the end of his life, but even though he was a prophet, HaShem does not heal him. These types of miracles do not benefit the world and are part of life. Something that we have to live with and still stay humble.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: ויאמר אברהם AND ABRAHAM SAID — This time he did not ask her consent but forcibly and against her inclination he stated that she was his sister, because she had already been taken once to Pharaoh’s house on account of this (Genesis Rabbah 52:4).

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: OF SARAH HIS WIFE. The word el in el Sarah (of Sarah) should be rendered al (of, concerning). El in For (el) this child I prayed (I Sam. 1:27) is similar.

Ramban (1194-1270) commentary: AND ABRAHAM SAID OF SARAH HIS WIFE, SHE IS MY SISTER. This was not like what happened in Egypt. There, when they entered the land, it is said that the Egyptians saw that the woman was beautiful, and they praised her to the lords and to Pharaoh, as they were an immoral people but this king was perfect and upright, and his people were likewise good. However Abraham suspected them, and he told everyone that she was his sister.
AND ABIMELECH, KING OF GERAR, SENT AND TOOK SARAH. It is wondrous that Sarah, after being worn with age, was extremely beautiful, fit to be taken by kings. When she was taken to Pharaoh, though she was sixty-five years old, it is possible that she still had her beautiful appearance, but after being worn with age and the manner of women had ceased with her, that is a wonder! Perhaps her youthfulness returned to her when the angel brought her the tidings, as our Rabbis have said.

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: ויאמר אברהם אל אשתו, “Avraham said to his wife:” when speaking in her presence he said that she was his sister, while she kept quiet. [the word is considered here as the same as “על,” about; Ed.]

Rabbeinu Bahya (1255 – 1340) commentary: וישלח אבימלך מלך גרר ויקח את שרה, now that Avraham had come to Gerar he had divorced Sarah seeing that he was afraid the local people would kill him if he would reveal that Sarah was his wife. In spite of this, G’d did not allow that Sarah would become separated from him; He did not allow that a righteous woman should become the wife or concubine of an idolater, a sinner.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויאמר...אל שרה אשתו, concerning his wife Sarah he told anyone inquiring about her אחותי היא, he told the same to Avimelech who inquired, as we know from verse 5 when the latter referred to Avraham having told him that Sarah was his sister. We find a similar meaning of the word אל in Samuel I 17:49 when the line ויך את הפלשתי אל מצחו, means: “it struck the Philistine on his forehead,” or the line אל ההרים לא אכל in Ezekiel 18:6 where the word אל does not mean “to” but the line means: “if he has not eaten on the mountains.” Avraham said this as soon as he arrived in Gerar, as he had heard that the people of that town were wicked people, as he mentioned to Avimelech in verse 11 where he told him that there was no fear of G’d in that town. A generation later Yitzchok had a similar experience in Gerar. Neither Avraham nor Yitzchok are on record as having made similar comments about the local populations of other towns they visited. As to why Avraham risked going to a town full of wicked people and endangered both himself and his wife, this is something we discussed in 12:12. What is more surprising is the fact that Sarah, so many years after her experience in Egypt, was still so physically attractive that she inspired physical passions among the people who saw her. Clearly, her good looks must have been the result of her regaining her youthful vigour when she became pregnant at the time the angels visited Avraham, and she herself remarked on that phenomenon. The time frame in which the events reported in this chapter occurred must have been immediately after the beginning of her pregnancy, mentioned in 21:1 in the past tense, i.e. וה' פקד את שרה, “and the Lord had benevolently remembered Sarah (allowing her to become pregnant).

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Abraham said of Sarah his wife: She is my sister. Although they arrived in a location that was smaller and less powerful than Egypt, nevertheless, Abraham adopted the same precautions he had used there. Avimelekh king of Gerar sent messengers and took Sarah, either for personal reasons or due to political and economic considerations.

And ELOHIM went towards Avimelekh in a dream of the night, and He said to him, “Behold, you will die upon the woman whom you have taken, and she is a man’s wife/woman.”

3 וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בַּחֲלוֹם הַלָּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִנְּךָ מֵת עַל־הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר־לָקַחְתָּ וְהִוא בְּעֻלַת בָּעַל׃

ג

“And Elohim/Powers/God or Gods went towards Avimelekh in a dream of the night.”

Who do I believe talked to Avimelekh in this dream, Hashem Himself, or an emissary or messenger of HaShem? This Elohim, and I say “this” because in the next verse it says “He said to him, the Elohim, etc.” Meaning that it was a specific Elohim but not necessarily HaShem Himself. Now, if I think about it and take into consideration what we have learned so far, who do we know that HaShem sends to put emotions and thoughts into people’s minds that is not Him personally? רוּחוֹת/Rukhot/spirits, they are the ones we know to do this kind of job for HaShem. When it comes to putting thoughts into people's minds and manipulating their emotions, it is the spirits that Scripture mentions. The possibility that it could have been a messenger of HaShem, or as better known as angels, is there, but I doubt it or wonder if it was.
My coming to this conclusion is not just based on what I have written. I am basing it in contrast to when HaShem talked to Avraham.

BeReshit/Genesis 17:1

And Avram was at the age of 99 years old and perceived YHVH, which directed Himself towards Avram and said to him, “I am, El/God Shadai, walk in front to/for me and be unblemished/blameless.”

When it is said that Avraham spoke to HaShem, Avraham was awake and not dreaming. Also, Scripture says explicitly that HaShem, Scripture using HaShem’s Name, was speaking to Avraham and not Elohim, who could be an amesary. Avraham was a prophet when Avimelekh was not. So, Avimelekh does not have the honor of speaking directly to HaShem. But understand the words spoken by this Elohim are HaShem’s words being spoken through this possible spirit.
Do we need to know who was producing the voice when it comes to Scripture? Not really, because we should know that it doesn’t matter who produces the voice, but that the words used are HaShem’s. Does this mean that some of us are not worthy of communication directly with HaShem? Well, we have to know the difference between HaShem talking to you, in which you actually hear and can have a conversation with Him, and praying to HaShem—two different things. Prayers should only be directed to HaShem and not through anybody else, not prophets that are dead, as there are no prophets now, messengers of God/angels, spirits of God, saints, or any other of the like. HaShem will listen to you, but only if you have Him as your God and only Him and no other gods, and also, that you are actively trying to walk in his laws to the best of your ability.

“You will die upon the woman whom you have taken.”

Meaning that if Avimelekh even tries to lie with Sarah, he will instantly die. Elohim also gives a reason for this when he says, “She is a man’s wife or woman.” To top it off, Sarah is not only Avraham’s wife but also the mother of the priestly nation of HaShem. The descendants of Avraham, through Sarah, are destined to become the Priests of God for the world in the Kingdom to come. Sarah is being protected by HaShem by any means necessary.

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: The angel appeared to Abimelech in a dream because of God’s regard for Abraham’s honor. Scripture tells us that both Abimelech and Pharaoh took Sarah; nevertheless, God brought upon Pharaoh and his house great plagues, while the plagues brought on Abimelech and his house were of a lesser nature. The reason for this is that Abimelech was more righteous than Pharaoh.

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: ויבא אלוקים אל אבימלך, this visitation was of a similar kind to that reported with Lavan (31:24) and Bileam (Numbers 22:24) respectively. The Torah refrains from speaking about a מחזה, “a vision,” in order not to place these wicked people on a pedestal similar to our patriarchs. The expression דבור to describe a verbal communication to these individuals is also absent, G’d having reserved such an expression for communications with prophets, as He pointed out to Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12:6. Avimelech did not experience a visual image of G’d in his dream at all. He perceived a divine voice addressing him.
הנך מת, the impotence which you experienced (verse 18) will result in your death.

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: הנך מת, “you are about to die;” G-d’s dealings with Avimelech prove that gentiles do not have to be cautioned not to commit acts which they know to be punishable.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: הנך מת על האשה אשר לקחת. "Here you are going to die on account of the woman you have taken." The meaning is "after I reveal to you that she is married, you will be guilty of death." Had G'd not informed Avimelech of Sarah's true status as a married woman, he would not have been guilty of death even if he had slept with her. Any Gentile who sleeps with a woman whom he has reason to believe to be single is innocent of adultery. Maimonides explains this in Hilchot Melachim 9:5.
The verse may also be understood as telling Avimelech that he was guilty of death having taken Sarah while aware that she was married. However, it is more likely that at the time Avimelech had not known this.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויבא אלוקים אל אבימלך בחלום הלילה, a similar mode of expression has been chosen by the Torah when reporting G’d as appearing to Lavan and warning him not to harm Yaakov (Genesis 31:24). The wicked who do not deserve a communication from G’d, sometimes experience such a visitation as a mark of honour for the righteous people who are the subject of such a visitation. Pharaoh of Egypt at the time when he had seized Sarah had not been granted even such a dream, but the plagues visited upon him and his servants had been used to indicate the displeasure of Avraham‘s G’d with Pharaoh’s conduct. The differences in G’d’s dealing with different people are described by Elihu in Job 33:14-16, “for G’d speaks time and again- though man does not perceive it- in a dream at night, a night vision, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber in their beds. Then He opens men’s understanding and by disciplining them leaves His signature.” The two methods G’d employs are either dreams or afflictions.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Unlike in Egypt, God came to Avimelekh in a dream at night, and He said to him: Behold, you shall die, because of the woman that you have taken, and she is married to a husband.

But Avimelekh had not come into her, and he said, “Adonai/My Lord, will the nation/person who is blameless also be killed?

4 וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ לֹא קָרַב אֵלֶיהָ וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי הֲגוֹי גַּם־צַדִּיק תַּהֲרֹג׃

ד

The verse starts by saying that Avimelekh had not come into Sarah, meaning that he had not had sexual relations with her. You may be asking why? Some translations translate the verse to say that Avimelekh had not approached or gone to Sarah, but the wording is “come into her.” This means that he wanted but had not yet had sexual relations with her. We will see why Avimelekh couldn’t as we progress with the chapter.
Then Avimelekh asks, going around the bush, that he was innocent and that he had not slept with her. He asked, since he was innocent, if he deserved to be killed, even when he was guiltless. To which the Elohim, in verse six, responds that the only reason why Avimelekh had not gone through with having sexual relations with Sarah was because HaShem had not allowed it, and we will get to that later.

הֲגוֹי/HaGoi

This word means the nation or the person in the singular, and in plural is הגויים/HaGoiyim, which changes to the plural form, making it the nations or the people.

Most commentators translate this word to mean nation, and I do not quite agree with that. Why? As we continue with the chapter, the people to whom this punishment is directed are mainly Avimelekh, and because of him, his house is also affected. The rest of the chapter concentrates on Avimelekh and his house, and not the rest of the kingdom of which Avimelekh is the king. Why would the rest of the house of Avimelekh be punished too? This is because no one is taking action, and it is normal for them to see Avimelekh do this; they are accustomed to it. So they all share in the same punishment for the same sin.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: לא קרב אליה HE HAD NOT COME NEAR HER — The Angel prevented him, as it is said (v. 6) “I have not permitted thee to touch her” (cf. Genesis Rabbah 52).
הגוי גם צדיק תהרוג WILT THOU SLAY ALSO A RIGHTEOUS NATION? — Even though it be righteous will you slay it? Is such perhaps Your usual way— to destroy nations without cause? That is what you did to the generation of the Flood and to the generation of the Dispersal. I may indeed say that you slew them without proper cause, just as you think to kill me without cause (Genesis Rabbah 52:6).

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: [LORD, WILT THOU SLAY EVEN A RIGHTEOUS NATION?] The term nation includes Abimelech, his household and his kingdom. That this is so can be seen from Scripture.

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: הגוי גם צדיק, is it fair that You would kill a nation by killing its king, especially when this king is not even guilty of a mortal offence?

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: ואבימלך לא קרב אליה, “while Avimelech had not become intimate with her.” [but he had kidnapped her, Ed.] The reason why the Torah had to emphasise this latter point, i.e. that Avimelech had not violated Sarah sexually, is the fact that her being kidnapped occurred so close to her becoming pregnant with Yitzchok.
?הגוי גם צדיק תהרוג, “Are You killing people even if they are innocent?” The verse appears as an abbreviated version of Avimelech’s thoughts. The full version would be: הגם גוי צדיק תהרוג?, “Are You also going to kill an innocent nation?” The word גם appears in the Torah quite often as part of such an abbreviated formulation. An alternate exegesis of this verse: the word, “also,” is treated as someone or something additional i.e. “if You kill me (Avimelech describes himself as if only one of the common people) then you must also kill Avraham the righteous person for having misled me. Had he not described her as his sister I would not have abducted her.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: הגוי גם צדיק תהרוג "Are You killing nations even when they are righteous?" Why did Avimelech use the word גוי when he spoke about himself? Why did he say גם צדיק, "also the righteous?" The term תהרוג seems inappropriate seeing G'd gave him the option to return Sarah to Abraham untouched.

Rabbeinu Bahya (1255 – 1340) commentary: הגוי גם צדיק תהרוג, “Are you going to kill also innocent people?” It is entirely possible that Avimelech referred to himself when he said: “are You going to kill a “people?” He meant that as a result of killing him, G’d would cause the death of the צדיק, the righteous Avraham, seeing that the king’s servants would then kill Avraham.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ?הגוי גם צדיק תהרוג, if You were to kill me just as you would kill my people. I am a leader and practice law and justice in my country. I am not on the same level as my common people. This explains also verse 9 where Avimelech distinguishes between himself and his Kingdom (subjects) by saying to Avraham “that you have brought on me and my kingdom (people) this great sin?” Furthermore, he argued that he considered himself righteous, having had reason to believe that Sarah was unattached.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Avimelekh had not approached her; even before God spoke to him, he had not engaged in sexual relations with Sarah. He said, either in the dream or while awake: Lord, will You kill me when I am a nation, a king, who is also righteous? Avimelekh pleaded for his life: Why must I die? I have done no wrong.

Did not he said to me Que no dijo el a mi, ‘She is my sister’? And she also said, ‘He is my brother?’ In the integrity of my heart and in the innocence of my hands, I have done this.”

5 הֲלֹא הוּא אָמַר־לִי אֲחֹתִי הִוא וְהִיא־גַם־הִוא אָמְרָה אָחִי הוּא בְּתָם־לְבָבִי וּבְנִקְיֹן כַּפַּי עָשִׂיתִי זֹאת׃

ה

Avimelekh was making a case for his defense, but his statements were false and empty, like those of all bad people who are guilty. Avimelekh did not ask for Sarah like the Pharaoh did or give Avraham money, servants, or cattle; he just sent people and took her. The only thing that Avimelekh has going for himself in this verse is that both Avraham and Sarah said that they were brother and sister. His heart had no integrity, and his hands were not innocent.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: גם הוא ALSO SHE HERSELF — The word “also” presupposes that others also said the same: it serves to include her servants, cameldrivers and assdrivers — all these I asked and they told me, “He is her brother” (Genesis Rabbah 52:6).
בתם לבבי IN THE INTEGRITY OF MY HEART —I did not intend to sin.
ובנקיון כפי AND IN THE INNOCENCY OF MY HANDS —I am innocent of this sin because I have not touched her.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: בתם לבבי ובנקיון כפי "I acted with innocence and integrity." Avimelech said these words in the event Sarah was married, but not to Abraham. He claimed that if that were so what would Abraham have gained by declaring that she was his sister? This exonerated him from the death penalty, i.e. בתם לבבי. When he added בנקיון כפי, he pleaded that he was not guilty of the death penalty for robbery either, though we have a ruling both in Sanhedrin 57 and in Maimonides (the chapter quoted above) that a Gentile who commits robbery is guilty of the death penalty. Accordingly, from the moment Avimelech took Sarah against her will he became guilty of the death penalty. Avimelech claimed that he thought both Abraham and Sarah were pleased at his taking Sarah for a wife. After all, he was the king and it meant social climbing for them both.

And in the dream, the ELOHIM said to him, “Also, I know, for in integrity in your heart did you do this. And I also withheld/spared/stopped/kept you from sinning against me; therefore, I will not allow you to touch her.

6 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הָאֱלֹהִים בַּחֲלֹם גַּם אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי בְתָם־לְבָבְךָ עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת וָאֶחְשֹׂךְ גַּם־אָנֹכִי אוֹתְךָ מֵחֲטוֹ־לִי עַל־כֵּן לֹא־נְתַתִּיךָ לִנְגֹּעַ אֵלֶיהָ׃

ו

Notice how the Elohim said, "With integrity in your heart,” but did not add “with innocence in your hands.” This is because Avimelekh did it with integrity. He thought Avraham and Sarah were just brothers and sisters, but how he took Sarah was not innocent, and there were no innocent thoughts towards Sarah. Avimelekh kidnapped Sarah.
The Elohim's saying, “I also stopped you from sinning against me,” tells us that if it weren’t for HaShem preventing Avimelekh from taking Sarah by force, he would have done it already. But what did HaShem do to Avimelekh from taking Sarah sexually? Avimelekh was put into a deep sleep. This served two purposes: to prevent Avimelekh from assaulting Sarah, and for the Elohim to communicate with Avimelekh. Also, this means that, in my belief, it was a spirit who was communicating with Avimelekh, because, one, spirits put emotions and thoughts in your head, in which case, this spirit took Avimelekh’s desire for sexual activities with Sarah and gave him the urge to sleep instead, rather then have sexual intercourse with Sarah. This is how HaShem used the spirit to keep Avimelekh from taking Sarah and communicate with him simultaneously. Therefore, HaShem prevented Avimelekh from sinning against Him.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: 'ידעתי כי בתם לבבך וגו I KNOW THAT IN THE INTEGRITY OF THY HEART etc. — It is true that at first you had no intention of sinning, but you cannot claim innocency of hands (Genesis Rabbah 52:6) — because לא נתתיך I PERMITTED THEE NOT — It was not of your own will that you did not touch her, but it was “I” who withheld you from sinning, and “I” did not permit you the possibility to touch her (Genesis Rabbah 52:7). Similar examples of נתן in sense of permitting are, (31:7) “God permitted him not (לא נתנו)” and (Judges 15:1) “But her father did not permit him (ולא נתנו) to go in”.

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: TO TOUCH. Li-nego’a (to touch) means the same as la-ga’at. The same is true with li-neto’a (to plant) and la-ta’at. All of the above are infinitives.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: ואחשוך גם אנכי אותך, "I too saved you from sinning." G'd made it plain that when He said that Avimelech was going to die, He meant that if he did not restore Sarah to Abraham but would sleep with her. He had told him of Sarah's status now and thus given him a chance to save himself from sinning.
על כן לא נתתיך, "this is why I did not give you a chance, etc." Because of the special circumstances involved, I prevented you from sleeping with her; had you known she was married you would by now have been guilty of death. G'd judges the Gentiles even for a sin that has been planned but not yet carried out merely due to circumstances beyond the control of the sinner. According to Bereshit Rabbah 52:13 that an angel pushed Avimelech away when he tried to sleep with Sarah, the words: "I did not allow you to sin against me" make perfect sense.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויאמר...בתם לבבך significantly, G’d did not add the words ובנקיון כפיך/And in the cleanliness of your hands when acknowledging part of Avimelech’s complaint. The fact that Avimelech had not touched Sarah was evident, could be proved, whereas Avimelech’s intentions were private, could not be proved. Only G’d Himself would know if he spoke the truth.
מחטו לי, the sin would have been directed against G’d only if he had transgressed the laws not to sleep with someone else’s wife, a command issued to all the descendants of Noach. Even if G’d had not issued a specific command in this regard, common sense would dictate such a law in a civilised society. The One Who had provided man with intelligence certainly expects that we use our intelligence to legislate such basic laws without which life on earth would become intolerable, anarchic. We must view our common sense as a messenger from G’d, an instrument that acts as a protection against man experiencing all kinds of harm and problems in his life on earth. When man commits violence against his fellow man this reflects an absence of common sense, i.e. a failure to use one’s common sense, seeing that the end result will be the termination of life on earth. If this is the result of violence perpetrated in order to secure land or chattels, how much more so would such a process of civilisation’s disintegration be accelerated if everyone would go assaulting people physically and raping his neighbour’s wife?
לנגע אליה, even touching her without engaging in sexual intercourse. G’d had removed any desire from Avimelech to have physical contact with Sarah.

And now return the man his wife, for he is a prophet and he will pray for you and your life, but if you do nothing and do not return (her), know that you will die. You will die! You and all who are yours.”

7 וְעַתָּה הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת־הָאִישׁ כִּי־נָבִיא הוּא וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְךָ וֶחְיֵה וְאִם־אֵינְךָ מֵשִׁיב דַּע כִּי־מוֹת תָּמוּת אַתָּה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לָךְ׃

ז

The Elohim tells Avimelekh, in the name of HaShem, to return Avraham his wife, and if he decides not to, Avimelekh will die. There are no questions about it; he would have died—not only Avimelekh but all that belongs to him. But who are all who belongs to him? Skipping ahead, we get the answer, and there, in verse eighteen, it is written that all that belongs to him means all the house of Avimelekh, not the whole kingdom, just his house.
I do not know if you have noticed, but HaShem has the power not to give warnings and to do as He pleases, but He does not. I have said many times that HaShem gave us free will and the ability to choose between right and wrong, and He says that we should choose to do right so that we may live. HaShem does not threaten you to do right or you will go to hell, but tells you to make the right choice because that is the secret to your longevity of life, and not that if you don’t, it would mean you will go to an eternal lake of fire where you or your soul will burn for eternity. What does this mean to us? We are given a choice, to do the right thing or the wrong, and the good choices we make are how long we will live. In this case, choices apply to Avimelekh, too, who is not a very good man, but he gets a choice, too. Return Sarah, and you live; do not return her, and you will die.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life (right) and death (wrong), blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life (to do the right things) so that you and your offspring may live, loving YHVH your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days.

Also, Avimelekh and we are told that Avraham was a prophet. This is said in Scripture here for the first time. He is not just a man but higher than man spiritually, so much so that, as we will see in verse seventeen, Avraham tells the Elohim, in the form of a prayer, to cure Avimelekh and his house. Avraham, the prophet, commands the messengers of HaShem/angels to do as he says. This is the power of a good man who follows HaShem and his laws. Can we have this power? Yes, but in all anesty can you say that you can have no malase in you and that you will spend the rest of your life studying and following the law of HaShem to the letter? See, Avraham does not have this power just because of who he is, an honest, good man, but because he loves God. Avraham is who he is because of his love for HaShem, and HaShem sees and feels this and, in turn, helps him. Avraham is not who he is for power, but he has power because of who he is, a man who loves his God.

BeReshit/Genesis 32:2-6

Jacob went on his way, and the messengers of God (angels) met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, “This is Elohim’s (God’s or camp of angels) camp! (or camp of angels)” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim. And Jacob sent מַלְאָכִים/malakhim (messengers of God/angels) before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’”

Jacob is Avraham’s grandson through Sarah. He is also a prophet of HaShem and high in spiritual power, so much so that he can command messengers of HaShem/angels, just like his grandfather did.
We must also notice the difference between Pharaoh and Avimelech. In the case of Pharaoh, he and his people were cured from the aflictions by HaShem, without Avraham having to pray for him. However, in Avimelekh’s case, Avraham had to pray for him. Salvation was to come, of course, through HaShem, but also through Avraham, who is HaShem’s Elohim. Why? Because he is the offended party? I don’t think so, as it was in Pharaoh’s case as well. Could it be because he is a prophet now, and he was not before? That may be a very high probability. The thing is that Scripture does not say, but what it does say is that Avraham’s descendants are to be a priestly nation for the world and this is the start of it all, and they are still, to this day, trying and HaShem has not and will not give up on them, because this HaShem has also said.

Jeremaih 31:35-36

Thus says YHVH, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—YHVH of hosts is his name: “If this fixed order departs
from before me, declares YHVH, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.”

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: ועתה השב את אשת האיש, before you perish from the sickness.
וחיה, and be healed and stay alive; we find a similar construction in Joshua 5:8 עד חיותם, “until they have been healed.”

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: ועתה השב אשת האיש בי נביא הוא. "Now restore the wife to the man for he is a prophet!" Until now, Avimelech did not know who Sarah was married to. By mentioning that her husband was a prophet it became clear to Avimelech that it must be Abraham seeing he was the only prophet in that age. Another reason that G'd mentioned that Abraham was a prophet was to reassure Avimelech that Sarah's husband would know he had not defiled her because he had prophetic powers. He will still want this path: for he is a prophet, and through this he will pray for you, and his prayer will be effective, and he said to him, "Live."

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ועתה...כי נביא הוא. He is therefore close to Me, and I am close to him, willing to respond favourably to his prayer. I will not forgive you even when you give back this man’s wife to him, until he manages to pacify me by means of his prayer. Then I will forgive you, and you will know this when all the afflicted people will have been cured from their affliction.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Now, restore the man’s wife, as he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you will live. The fact that Abraham is a prophet is not the reason Avimelekh must return his wife. Rather, God is saying that as Abraham is a prophet and a holy individual, his prayer has the power to ensure that Avimelekh will be spared. Therefore, the king would be advised not merely to return Sarah, but to ask Abraham to pray for him. And if you do not restore her, know that you shall die, you and all that is yours.

And Avimelekh rose in the morning and he called for all his servants and he spoke to them all these words in there ears and the people were in fear.

8 וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקְרָא לְכָל־עֲבָדָיו וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים מְאֹד׃

ח

First thing that Avimelekh did in the morning was to gather all his people together to tell everyone about the dream. When the people heard the words from Avimelekh, they were all in fear of HaSehm and in turn, they were afraid of Avraham. They realized that they have just wrong a prophet of God and they just noticed that this is a God unlike the ones they had. This God takes action and actively takes care of His people unlike their false gods, who are nothing but objects and can not see, hear, or take any action, as they are not real gods. But why did they believe Avimelekh so easily? Well, this is because HaShem had made them sick, all at the same time and of the same afflictions. I am sure that they were trying to figure out what was going on but could not. Now, they knew and they were afraid.

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: וייראו האנשים, according to Rabbi Abba, the people of Gerar still saw smoke rising from the valley where Sodom once used to be situated, and that frightened them very much. They were afraid that the angels who had wrought that havoc would show up near them at any moment.

And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And what sin have I done to you? For you have brought upon me and my kingdom a great sin. Actions that should not have been done, you have done to me.”

9 וַיִּקְרָא אֲבִימֶלֶךְ לְאַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מֶה־עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ וּמֶה־חָטָאתִי לָךְ כִּי־הֵבֵאתָ עָלַי וְעַל־מַמְלַכְתִּי חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה מַעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֵעָשׂוּ עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי׃

ט

Avimelekh called for Avraham and started complaining, blaming him for his own wrongdoings. “What have you done to us?” referring to the penalty of death if Avimelekh did not return Sarah to Avraham, the Phophet. “And what sin have I done to you, for you have brought upon me and my kingdom a great sin, actions that should not have been done, you have done to me,” by this, Avimelekh, is saying that because of the lie, all of this is happening to Avimelekh. Avimelekh is blaming it all on Avraham, not taking any responsibility for kidnapping Sarah. Even if Avraham and Sarah were not husband and wife and only brother and sister, it is wrong to take a woman by force without even saying anything, and taking it for granted that you can have sexual relations with that person. If the king of the land behaves in such a manner, what can be said about the people of the land?

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: מעשים אשר לא יעשו THINGS THAT OUGHT NOT TO BE DONE — A plague such as does not ordinarily fall upon human beings has come upon us through you, viz, the closing up of all the secretory channels — those of semen, urine, excrement, of the ears and the nose (cf. Bava Kamma 92a).

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: Deeds that ought not to be done. You brought harm to a stranger with whom you had no prior relationship of enmity, and without profit to yourself.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: ויאמר לו מה עשית? He said to him: "What did you do to me?" What did Avimelech mean by the word: עשית? What did Abraham do? If Avimelech referred to the evil deed, i.e. the lie, he should have prefaced his remarks by referring to the sin! Perhaps the very absence of the initial מה חטאתי לך at the beginning of his complaint is the key here. It means that the words מה עשית לנו mean: "what did you do ever do for us, and how did we repay you with ingratitude that you saw fit to treat us with such suspicions!" Avimelech hinted that there is no greater evil one can do to someone than to repay kindness with evil. Abraham's conduct had almost resulted in Avimelech's death! The entire verse is to be viewed as a rebuke.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Abraham did not answer Avimelekh’s accusation, as he himself was not to blame. While Abraham had omitted some pertinent details, Avimelekh had taken Sarah without Abraham’s express permission.

And Avimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see that you did such a thing?"

10 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶל־אַבְרָהָם מָה רָאִיתָ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃

י

Avimelekh wanted to know what drove Avraham to do as he did—maybe questioning the image of his people? Avimelekh potentially wondered what a prophet would have seen in his kingdom. I'm not sure. He could be just spouting, letting his fleshly emotions take over him. Avimelekh could think that he is doing everything right, per the customs of his land. He and his kingdom might be accustomed to him just taking women whenever he desires them. So, Avimelekh continues his accusation against Avraham, but this time in a question form. Demanding an explanation.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: ויאמר אבימלך. Avimelech said. Seeing that the previous verse had been a rebuke only, he now switched to a question. This is why the sentence had to begin once more with the words: "Avimelech said," though Abraham had not yet responded to the accusation. Avimelech now conceded that he did not consider Abraham capable of wanting to harm him intentionally.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויאמר, Avimelech wanted to know why Avraham had not personally protested the forced abduction of Sarah instead of allowing the king to become guilty of a greater crime. Surely a man such as he must have had a good reason for allowing this to happen without protest!?

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: When Abraham did not respond to his accusation, Avimelekh sought to determine his motive. Avimelekh said to Abraham: What did you see that you did this thing?

And he said, Avraham, “For I said, ‘surely/altogether there is no fear of ELOHIM in this place, and they will kill me, because of my wife.’

11 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם כִּי אָמַרְתִּי רַק אֵין־יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וַהֲרָגוּנִי עַל־דְּבַר אִשְׁתִּי׃

יא

Avraham responded to Avimelekh that just by seeing the citizens of Avimelekh’s kingdom, he could see that the people did not fear God. It would seem that this was plain to see with the naked eye. We do not know what Avraham saw because Scripture does not say, but we do have examples: the people of the flood, the people of the tower, and the people of Sodom. Why would Avraham set his tents there? It could be because of all the other places, this was the best option. Makes me wonder what the other places were like.
Avraham said, “Surely/altogether there is no fear of ELOHIM in this place.” As I said before, Avraham could see that the people had no morals or hearts just by looking at their behavior. It was evident that anything goes in this kingdom: murder, robbery, kidnapping, abuse of men, women, and children. If you have a fear of God, or if you are a person who has HaShem as their God, that means that you will do anything to behave in a proper manner, by making the place they live in a better, safer place. Being afraid to disappoint HaShem by your behavior is one thing that should be in our minds constantly. The people of this kingdom behaved in a manner that showed that they feared no punishment from even their own fake gods. There was no sense of punishment or repercussions for sinning.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: רק אין יראת אלהים SURELY THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD — When a stranger arrives in a city do people ask him about what he would like to eat or to drink, or do they ask him about his wife—“Is this your wife?” or “Is this your sister?” (Bava Kamma 92a) (Surely if they ask at all, it is about his needs; if they ask regarding his relationship to the lady accompanying him, it is evidence that they are not God-fearing people!)

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: רק אין יראת אלוקים במקום הזה, there is no respect for the government’s authority. The Philistines did not have kings, but their political leaders were known as סרנים/Sarnim, as we know from the story of Goliath, who was a law unto himself due to his personal strength and was not subject to the authority of such סרנים/Sarnim. Compare Goliath’s boast הלא אנכי הפלשתי ואתם עבדים לשאול, “am I not the Philistine, whereas you are slaves of Sha-ul.” (Samuel I 17:8)

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: רק אין יראת, “there is only no awe of the Lord, etc;” Avraham could have said that there was no fear of any retribution for criminal acts from a deity. There are three diminutives in this verse, i.e. the words: ,רק/Only ,אך/but and מן/from. We have a rule that one diminutive is designed to exclude something from the rule discussed, whereas two such diminutives are a signal that something additional is to be added. It follows that when there are tree diminutives, it again is meant to exclude something. In this instance Avraham acknowledged that there were things in the universe which the Philistines feared, but it was not judgment by an invisible G-d. Rabbi Chavell refers the reader to the comment on this verse cited in Torah Shleymah #54. by an invisible G-d.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Abraham said: Because I said: Surely there is no fear of God in this place. Although I am unfamiliar with this area, the impression I received is that there is no fear of God. In such an environment no one heeds moral norms in the fundamental areas of murder and forbidden sexual relationships. And I thought: If I tell the truth about Sarah, they will kill me over the matter of my wife.

And indeed, truly, she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father; she surely is not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.

12 וְגַם־אָמְנָה אֲחֹתִי בַת־אָבִי הִוא אַךְ לֹא בַת־אִמִּי וַתְּהִי־לִי לְאִשָּׁה׃

יב

If you remember back to chapter 11, that is where the story of Avraham starts. There, it says that Avraham’s brother Haran died, and in the next verse, it says that Avraham and his other brother Nakhor married—Avraham with Sarai and Nakhor with Milka. Milka was Avrahm’s and Nakhor’s niece. Daughter of their dead brother, Haran. In that chapter, we do not learn where Sarai came from, but I explain who I believe she is. Not until now have we learned that Sarai is Avraham’s half-sister, but this information does not change who I think Sarah is; it just adds to it. Sarah was Avraham’s half-sister from his father, still, not from his birth mother. This means that Terakh, Avraham’s father, had more than one wife, who were not named as they were not direct descendants of Avraham, whose story and lineage we are following.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: אחותי בת אבי היא SHE IS MY SISTER, THE DAUGHTER OF MY FATHER — And the daughter of the same father is permitted to be married to a descendant of Noah, for the paternal relationship is not taken into consideration in the case of the marriages between idolators (i.e. the “Sons of Noah”).

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: AND MOREOVER SHE IS INDEED MY SISTER, THE DAUGHTER OF MY FATHER. Some say that this verse is to be understood in the same way as O God of my father Abraham (Gen. 32:10). However, I believe that Abraham put Abimelech off with a timely excuse.

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: וגם אמנה, also you, the king himself, have sinned in taking the woman because I said she is my sister for you should have asked me if she was also my wife. The fact is that she is both my sister and my wife.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: וגם אמנה אחותי היא, "Moreover, she is in fact my sister." Here Abraham accuses Avimelech by exonerating himself also from the accusation of having lied. He implied that he never said that Sarah was not his wife! He had not deliberately misled G'd-fearing people. He had said that Sarah was his sister which did not preclude her from also being his wife. It was up to the Philistines to ascertain that she was not his wife if they were really G'd-fearing people. Perhaps Avimelech gave Abraham generous gifts because he accepted Abraham's rebuke. He may have wanted to demonstrate to one and all that Abraham had not lied. Righteous people are wont to worry that one should not even think they had done something improper.

Rabbeinu Bahya (1255 – 1340) commentary: וגם אמנם, “and besides, indeed, etc.” The word אמנם is equivalent to אמונה בפי, “I spoke truthfully; she is my sister seeing that she is the daughter of my father.” Actually this was not quite so seeing Sarah was a daughter of Haran, Avraham’s brother, a son of Terach, as we know from Genesis 11:29 “the daughter of Haran, father of both Yiskah (Sarai) and Milkah.” We learn from here that grandchildren may be described as children. The words “daughter of my father” therefore meant “daughter of my father’s son.”

Most commentators share the idea that Sarah was Haran’s daughter and Haran was Avraham’s brother, and who am I to contradict this? However, I do not see it. Scripture usually says it when a name has been changed, and in the case of Sarah, the only time that Scripture says her name was changed was when it was changed from Sarai to Sarah by HaShem because her destiny and future were changed. Additionally, I have already stated who I believe Sarah was and why. Yes, it is a complicated explanation, but it fits better than a name change that God did not mention.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: וגם אמנה, besides she is indeed my sister. The expression אמנה is equivalent to באמת, “in truth.” The word occurs in the same sense in Joshua 7:20 אמנה חטאתי, where Achan admits having stolen from the booty of Jericho. The word אמנם or אמנה both mean basically the same. Avraham in effect told Avimelech: “even though I did not protest the violence committed against Sarah this does not make me a liar, as she is indeed my sister, being the daughter of my brother, Legally, nieces are just as children as grandchildren are considered as legally equivalent to children.” (compare Rashi).
אך לא בת אמי, seeing Avraham’s brother Haran had been born to his father Terach by another wife than his mother. Furthermore, seeing that Avimelech was certainly unaware of this, it would have been quite in order for Avraham to marry Sarah even if she had been the granddaughter of Terach from the same wife as the one who had born Avraham. Our sages, taking their cue from what Avraham said here, state that a paternal sister is not of the same category as a maternal sister, only the latter being considered as full a sister. (Sanhedrin 58). According to this, Avraham would have been entitled to marry a first generation paternal sister, not only a second generation paternal sister such as Sarah. He would not have been allowed to marry a first generation maternal sister, however.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Also, I did not actually lie. Indeed, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but she is not the daughter of my mother. Apparently, even then it was considered taboo to marry a maternal sister. And she became my wife.

And it was that, when ELOHIM caused me to wander from the house of my father, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you will do to me: to all the places we come to, say of me, 'He is my brother.'"

13 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר הִתְעוּ אֹתִי אֱלֹהִים מִבֵּית אָבִי וָאֹמַר לָהּ זֶה חַסְדֵּךְ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשִׂי עִמָּדִי אֶל כָּל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר נָבוֹא שָׁמָּה אִמְרִי־לִי אָחִי הוּא׃

יג

I find it interesting that Avraham used the word Elohim, which we know now is gods in the plural form, or more precisely, it means Powers, to refer to who made him roam Khanaan, when we know that the Holy Name of HaShem was used, of who told Avraham to go to a land that He would show him. It makes me wonder if this is because HaShem ordered Avraham to separate from his father’s house, but the messengers of HaShem/angels were telling him in which direction to go, as HaShem did not tell him where to go. HaShem told Avraham to go to a place that He would show him, though He never did say where, but HaShem could have instructed the messengers of HaShem to show him the way, and these are the Elohim that Avraham mentions here. It could also mean that Avraham said Elohim because if he used HaShem’s Holy Name, Avimelekh would not have known who he was talking about.
Avraham tells Avimelekh that he made Sarah say that they were brothers, and he says that this began at the start of their journey. However, we know this started when Avraham entered Egypt and not at the start of the Journey from Kharan. I do not remember the time elapsed from Avraham leaving Kharan to entering Egypt. I would say a year to three years, at the least. I guess this could be considered very early in Avraham's journey, as he is now, at this point in the story, 99 years old, and 75 years old when he left Kharan. One to four years could be considered at the beginning of a 24-year journey.
Also, we must remember that Avraham told Avimelekh that he and Sarah were brother and sister because he saw no fear of Elohim in that place. This means they said they were brother and sister only in the areas that required it, not everywhere they went. It appears that Avraham is twisting the truth a little, which could be due to fear of Avimelekh and what he might do.

הִתְעוּ/HiTeU

This word could means to err, wander, go astray, or stagger. However, the only translation that fits with the verse and chapter is wander. Why? Because for Avraham to say that Elohim made him err would not make sense. Even if they did, meaning the messengers of God/angels, why would Avraham say this to Avimelekh? In Avimelekh’s eyes to hear someone say that the gods made him do it, when the gods of Avimelekh do nothing, for they are not real, weather he does good or bad, means nothing to him. It would sound like a poor excuse. This is why it is said of Avimelkh’s kingdom, that they do not have fear of God, because they do not know who God really is, and do not have a relationship with Him. Just like in any false religion, most of them go through their lives sinning and feeling no reprecausions from their own gods. So they keep on sinning. Until their sin is full and HaShem, the real God, takes their life away for reaching the fill of their sin. However, by that time it is sertenly too late.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: 'ויהי כאשר התעו אותי וגו AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN GOD CAUSED ME TO WANDER etc. — Onkelos translates it in his own way, but it can be explained in another manner that is also appropriate: When the Holy One, blessed be He, brought me forth from my father’s house to be a nomad, wandering from place to place, I knew that I would traverse places where there are wicked people ואמר לה זה חסדך AND so I SAID UNTO HER THIS IS THY LOVINGKINDNESS [WHICH THOU SHALT SHOW UNTO ME].
כאשר התעו WHEN GOD (CAUSED ME TO WANDER — The verb is in the plural. Do not be surprised at this for in many passages words denoting Godship or denoting Authority are grammatically treated as plural, e. g., (2 Samuel 7:23) “Whom God went (הלכו plural) to redeem”; (Deuteronomy 5:23) “the living (חיים adjective, plural) God”. If you ask why does it here use the term התעו, I reply, anyone who is exiled from his home and has no settled abode may be styled תועה a wanderer (or “one moving about aimlessly”), as (21:14) “And she, Hagar, went and strayed about (ותתע) in the wilderness”; (Psalms 119:176) “I have gone astray (תעיתי) like a lost sheep”, and (Job 38:41) “they wander (יתעו) through lack of food”, i.e. they go out and wander about to seek their food.

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: WHEN GOD CAUSED ME TO WANDER. The word Elohim is to be rendered as God. The meaning of hitu oti Elohim (God caused me to wander) is that God made Abraham journey from place to place without Abraham knowing where he would go next. To’eh (wandering) in and, behold he was wandering (to’eh) in the field (Gen. 37:15) is similar. Hitu (caused me to wander) in our verse is not to be translated as caused me to err. We find the Bible using the word to’eh in the sense of erring in O Lord, why does Thou make us to err (tatenu) from thy ways (Is. 63:17).

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: התעו אותי אלוקים, on account of the various alien gods which I despise I have been forced to leave my father’s house and to travel to areas I did not know, not to places of my own choice. This is why he described himself as תועה, someone who wanders, does not have a fixed destination.

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: ויהי כאשר התעו אותי אלוקים, "Ever since G'd caused me to wander, etc." Now Abraham explained the background to his behaviour from the start. It had been based on the premise that there was lack of fear of the Lord in the place. He explained that his conduct was not directed specifically against the people of Geror. He had made it a general rule in his wanderings to suspect people of lack of fear of the Lord. The Philistines had not done anything to cause him to exempt them from such a doubt.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: התעו אותי אלוקים, the meaning of the word התעו is similar to הגלו, “exiled.” When someone is exiled from a place with which he is familiar, he will tend to lose his way in areas with which he is unfamiliar.
ואומר לה, seeing that we were coming to countries about which we knew nothing or very little, I said to her, out of my fear of the local inhabitants.
אל כל המקום, actually, we find that this stratagem was employed by Avraham only twice. We must therefore assume that Avraham meant that he had told Sarah that in any location which appeared to warrant such a white lie, he told her to use it. As soon as we hear from others that the people in the place which we are approaching are evil people, we need to avail ourselves of this strategy in order to enhance my chances of survival. This applied to locations in which Avraham would only be a transient. Wherever he settled down, people knew who he was and respected him, and would not dream of molesting either him or Sarah. We know that Avner, Eshkol and Mamre were actually allies of Avraham. Even the people of Kiryat Arba referred to him as a “prince in our midst.” (23:6)
אמרי לי, on my account, concerning me; Actually, many people asked Avraham concerning Sarah’s marital status.

Rashbam (approximately 1085 – approximately 1158) commentary: כאשר התעו אותי, He exiled me from my home by ordering me “go forth for yourself from your homeland.” (12:1). This is the true meaning of Deut. 26:5 ארמי אובד אבי. Yaakov’s troubles stemmed from having been exiled from his father’s home, at the behest of his father, whereas Avraham’s exile was at the behest of G’d. Both the expression התעו אותי and אובד אותי are repeats of the same expression similar to Psalms 119:176 תעיתי כשה אובד, “I wandered without destination, lost like a sheep.” Lost sheep were my companions, their shepherd having misled them.

And Avimelekh took flock/sheep, cattle, servants, and maidservants, and gave them to Avraham, and he returned to him Sarah, his wife.

14 וַיִּקַּח אֲבִימֶלֶךְ צֹאן וּבָקָר וַעֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחֹת וַיִּתֵּן לְאַבְרָהָם וַיָּשֶׁב לוֹ אֵת שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ׃

יד

Avimelekh offers Avraham his land and free rein to settle wherever he pleases. Of course, this is now that he is afraid for his life, but there are no guarantees that it will stay the same after he is cured from his and his people’s affliction. Some fear of God and Avraham will remain, but there are no guarantees with corrupt people. Avimelekh is doing everything in his power to appease God and Avraham, and with good reason, for he now knows that there is a God who does something, unlike the many false idol gods that never do anything for him, whether good or bad.
This verse also contrasts with when Pharaoh took Sarah. In that chapter, Pharaoh drove Avraham and his people out of the country while Avimelekh afforded his land to Avraham to dwell wherever he pleased.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: ויתן לאברהם AND GAVE THEM UNTO ABRAHAM, so that he might he mollified and pray for him.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויקח, He appeased him both with words and money, asking him for forgiveness and urging him to pray on his behalf.

Shabbethai ben Joseph Bass (1641–1718) (Hebrew: שבתי בן יוסף; also known by the family name Strom[1]), born at Kalisz, was the founder of Jewish bibliography[2] and author of the Siftei Chachamim supercommentary on Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch. Commentary: So that he be mollified and pray for him. [Rashi knows this] because for taking his wife, [gifts were not necessary]. As Avimelech did not touch her, it is like he never took her. [You might ask:] Why did Avimelech need to mollify Avraham, while Pharaoh did not? The answer is: Pharaoh was completely unaware [that he had taken a married woman], because Avraham on his own craftily told Sarah (12:13): “Please say that you are my sister.” But here, they asked Avraham if she is his wife or his sister. He feared they would kill him and was compelled to say, “She is my sister.” That is why Pharaoh was smitten only with a disease for which relations are harmful, and after he returned her he no longer needed a cure. Whereas even after Avimelech had returned her, mollified Avraham and gave gifts, nonetheless it says: “Adonoy restrained every womb.” This was because Avimelech was considered a nearly deliberate sinner, since they interrogated Avraham: “Is she your wife?” As it says in Bava Kama 92a, “When a guest arrives in a city... is he asked about his wife?” [see Rashi, v. 11].

Avimelekh said, “Behold my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”

15 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ הִנֵּה אַרְצִי לְפָנֶיךָ בַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֵׁב׃

טו

Avimelekh offers Avraham his land and free rein to settle wherever he pleases. Of course, this is now that he is afraid for his life, but there are no guarantees that it will stay the same after he is cured from his and his people’s affliction. Some fear of God and Avraham will remain, but there are no guarantees with corrupt people. Avimelekh is doing everything in his power to appease God and Avraham, and with good reason, for he now knows that there is a God that really does something besides being an idol that never does anything for him, whether good or bad.
This verse also contrasts with when Pharaoh took Sarah. In that chapter, Pharaoh drove Avraham and his people out of the country while Avimelekh afforded his land to Avraham to dwell wherever he pleased.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: הנה ארצי לפניך BEHOLD MY LAND IS BEFORE THEE — But Pharaoh had said to him (12:19) “Behold thy wife, take her and go”, because he feared for Sarah’s safety since the Egyptians were addicted to lewd practices.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: Avimelekh said: Behold, my land is before you: Live where it is fit in your eyes. I will not hold this episode against you, and I grant you permission to stay here if you wish.

Tur HaArokh is an important Halakhic code by Jacob ben Asher (approximately 1270–1340), commentary: כטוב בעיניך שב, “settle wherever it pleases you.” The contrast with Pharaoh’s reaction to having felt deceived by Avraham is quite remarkable. The former could not forgive Avraham for having been the instrument that made him suffer chastisement by G’d, although he knew himself to have been wrong..

And to Sarah (he) said, “See, I gave one thousand silver to your brother. See, it is a covering for you, for the eyes of all who are with you, and all who rebuke.”

16 וּלְשָׂרָה אָמַר הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי אֶלֶף כֶּסֶף לְאָחִיךְ הִנֵּה הוּא־לָךְ כְּסוּת עֵינַיִם לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אִתָּךְ וְאֵת כֹּל וְנֹכָחַת׃

טז

What Avimelekh said in this verse was directed to Sarah, I would guess as a form of apology. As to what he actually said is that the money that was given was for a covering of the eyes or proof that Sarah was intact and no harm was done to her in any way. For the people that Sarah knew and for all of those that might want to talk wrongly of Sarah.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: ולשרה אמר AND UNTO SARAH HE SAID — Abimelech said — out of respect for her and to mollify her: “Behold I have shown you this mark of respect, viz., I have given money to your brother — to him of whom thou didst say “he is my brother”. הנה BEHOLD, this money and this evidence of respect.
לך כסות עינים לכל אשר אתך SHALL BE UNTO THEE A COVERING OF THY EYES TO ALL WHO ARE WITH THEE — these will put a covering over the eyes of all who are with thee so that they shall not hold you in light esteem. But had I sent you back empty-handed, they might have said, “After he abused her he sent her back”; now, however, that I have had to lavish money and to mollify you they will understand that I have sent you back against my own will forced to do so by a miracle.
ונכחת AND THOU MAYEST FACE EVERY ONE — You will have an opening of the mouth (an opportunity) to defend yourself (להתוכח) and to point to these evident facts. This expression יכח in the Hiphil means everywhere making a thing plain; in old French éprouver; English to prove. Onkelos translated in a different manner, and the words of the text fit in with the Targum in the following way: Behold this shall be to you as a veil of honour on account of my eyes which have gazed upon (literally, ruled over) you and upon all who are with you; and that is why he translates it by: “because that I saw you and your people that are with you”. There are Midrashic explanations, but I have given the more exact meaning of the text.

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: הנה נתתי אלף כסף לאחיך, as dowry, as was the custom for any groom marrying the daughter or sister of a man.
הנה לך כסות עינים, clothing consisting of a variety of colours which women used to wear as a mark of distinction. The dowry he gave her brother was intended to show that he did not consider her a whore but someone reputable, and that he did not mean her to be his concubine but his regular wife. Also, he meant that he would not have let Sarah go so easily except for Divine intervention which forced him to let her go.
לכל אשר אתך, before the eyes of everybody, so that they know in your household that everything is above board.
ואת כל ונוכחת, and you will be perceived exonerated in every respect even in the eyes of those who would have felt tempted to interpret what happened to you in a negative light, reflecting discredit upon you.

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: הנה נתתי אלף כסף לאחיך, “here I have given 1000 pieces of silver to your brother;” Avimelech uses the word “your brother” sarcastically, meaning that he had given this amount of money to the person whom she had described as her brother. It was customary in those days to give expensive gifts to a bride’s brother. (Rash’bam) (We find that Eliezer had done the same to Rivkah’s brother and family.)
הנה הוא לך כסות עינים לכל אשר אתך, “this is to enable you to call your husband your brother, i.e. as a cover up, but this is to be used only as an explanation to your immediate entourage.
ואת כל, but concerning the general population in my country you must not continue to describe your husband as your brother. Otherwise other people may become the victims of the same error I have become a victim of. The letter ו in the word: ונוכחת is superfluous, as are numerous letters, [especially when the Torah quotes human beings rather than G-d as the speaker. Ed] In the Jerusalem Targum we find the following translation/exegesis: “the money I have given to your brother as compensation that he has been deprived of your presence for a single night; even if I would give you all my wealth it would not be enough to compensate you for the embarrassment that I have caused you. Suffice it to say that your husband Avraham is a righteous man who is aware that I have not violated you.”An alternate exegesis: הנה נתתי, if I have only given 1000 pieces of silver and nothing else to the person whom you describe as your brother, this will serve as something small enough for him to hide, and you would become embarrassed because people would say that I have paid a bribe to your brother to keep him from raising a fuss, but they would still think that I have violated you. Now that I have also given you sheep and cattle, male and female slaves, openly, everyone will know that you and I have nothing to hide. You will be able to hold your head high and argue with everyone, seeing that your hands are clean and I have returned you to your husband against my will. Yet another explanation of this difficult verse: “Your brother Avraham is the one that can serve as your blindfold. It was he who had hidden from one and all that he was your husband and that you were his wife. He had commanded your entire entourage to go along with this charade, You have also played along, so that my sin must be viewed in that context and not be considered as so severe.”

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ולשרה אמר הנה נתתי אלף כסף, in addition to the livestock, men and women servants he had given Avraham, mentioned in verse 14. The purpose of the cash was to enable her to buy herself elegant clothing.
וכל אשר אתך, all your entourage should also have been outfitted with elegant clothing. Anyone belonging to your household was meant to look their best thanks to this money I gave to your brother.
לאחיך, to the person you had described to me as “your brother.”
כסות עינים, something appealing to your eyes and all those who look at you. Your brother was supposed to use this money to buy such garments for you. What are meant are specifically coloured garments, as the word עינים frequently describes gay colours. Compare the Torah’s description of the appearance of the manna in Numbers 11:7 as ועינו כעין הבדולח, “and its colour like the colour of crystal.” Or, Ezekiel 1:16 כעין תרשיש, “as the colour of beryl.” It is possible that the embroidering on the garment consisted of a variety of colours.
ואת כל ונוכחת, the Torah tells its readers that after all that Sarah had experienced at the hands of Pharaoh and Avimelech, she never again described Avraham as her brother instead of as her husband. If the word ונוכחת were to be understood as part of what Avimelech had said to Sarah, the letter ת at the end of this word would have required to have a dot, dagesh in it, whereas it is spelled “weak,” i.e. without such a dagesh, to indicate that it is in a third person feminine mode and not part of direct speech, second person feminine. (compare a similar construction in Isaiah 23:15)

Rashbam (approximately 1085 – approximately 1158) commentary: ולשרה אמר, words of appeasement and consolation, explaining to her that when he had first taken her he had not employed forceful means but had treated her as if she had been a willing bride, giving her a dowry as was customary in those days for the groom to do. He had given 1000 pieces of silver to her brother, seeing that he had assumed that Avraham was no more than her brother to her as he had been led to believe. She herself had said so. This is not to be confused with the livestock which Avimelech gave Avraham at the conclusion of this story, the gifts mentioned in verse 14. The 1000 pieces of silver he had given before Sarah was taken to his palace. Even Pharaoh who had been punished more severely had made generous gifts not only to Avraham but even Lot had been enriched. (12:15). All this had been before any marriage ceremony. Avimelech clearly had been at least as generous.
הנה הוא לך כסות עינים לכל אשר אתך ואת כל, the thousand pieces of silver I had given to your brother represent a great honour for you, and they will serve as proof for one and all that you have not been disgraced in any way. Nobody will ever be able to claim that you have been treated as helpless, as a woman who had no honour to lose.
ונוכחת, you will be able to hold your head high in view of the fact that you have been treated with so much honour and respect. Avimelech said all this in honour of Sarah and not as a rebuke to her.

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: And to Sarah he said: The appearance of having left your husband’s house and stayed with another man could cause a scandal. Therefore, behold, I have given your brother Abraham sheep, cattle, slaves, and maidservants worth a large sum, a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it, the gift, is for you a covering of the eyes for all who are with you, and it will cover the eyes of all who would look at you in a disparaging manner and malign you, and for all people it is proven by the compensation that you have behaved honorably and need not be ashamed.

And Abraham prayed to/towards the ELOHIM, and ELOHIM healed Avimelekh, his wife, and his female servants, and begot.

17 וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּרְפָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַמְהֹתָיו וַיֵּלֵדוּ׃

יז‎

Okay, the wording of this verse is interesting for many, but not for me, and not to those who have read my commentaries so far. What does Scripture mean by “the Elohim”? I am sure, with one hundred percent certainty, that in all your Bibles, it says that Avraham prayed to God, which is very misleading. One other thing we should know is, what is a prayer? In my opinion, a prayer is you conversing with the Most High. In most cases, with a lot of respect, but still a conversation. A prayer is not some words you have memorized and say over and over nightly or daily during the days, weeks, and months. You talk to HaShem as if He were in front of you. Telling him your feelings, your deepest thoughts. Not your wants and needs, for He already knows that, but you talk to him about the important things in your life. Your dreams and hopes, how people made you feel during the day, and what hurt or made you happy. You thank him for the life you have, whether it is a good one or not, and if it is not, do not ask for a better one, but tell him that you will do the best you can to achieve the life you envision for yourself, and He will help you with it. HaShem will not just give you that life; He will help you in your efforts to get there.
Having said all of these, when Scripture says Avraham prayed to/towards Elohim,” who he was praying to, directing his prayer to, or talking to are the messengers of HaShem/Angels. Avraham was telling the messengers of HaShem, with HaShem's permission already being given, to heal Avimelekh and his house. Basically, Avraham was providing respectful orders to the messengers of God to heal Avimelekh and his household, and at Avraham’s command, prayer, or one-way conversation, it was done.

Now for the second part of the verse. This is something that we have to think about, and it is tied together with the next verse. Basically, HaShem stopped or/and sealed all wombs. When I say sealed, this comes into play in the next verse. By the wording, “they did beget,” we know that HaShem had stopped pregnancies in Avimelekh’s household altogether, but how would the people know that this was going on? This is the question you have to ask yourself: how? When a man and a woman have intimacy, you can not tell if a woman gets pregnant or not; a person can't know just by having intimacy. So why? Why and how did the people of the house of Avimelekh know that this was going on? This is going to come into play or be explained in the next verse.

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: AND THEY BORE CHILDREN. That is, Abimelech’s wife and maidservants. It does not refer to Abimelech. The following are similar: and shed the blood of war in peace (I Kings 2:5); He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud (Ps. 99:7); These are the sons of Adah (Gen. 36:12); for whom I have served thee (Gen. 30:26), and the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods (Josh. 24:2). That and they bore children does not apply to Abimelech is obvious from the fact that Abimelech per se is omitted from the verse which follows, For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife (v. 18). I dwell on this point because there are commentators who insist that Abimelech’s bowels were closed up and he could not eliminate.

Ramban (1194-1270) commentary: ‘VAYEILEIDU’ (AND THEY BORE CHILDREN). If this is understood literally as referring to his wife, and his maidservants and stating that the Eternal had restrained their wombs, it is astonishing! For it appears that on the first night that Sarah was taken to Abimelech’s house, and he had not even approached her, G-d immediately came to him in the dream, and in the morning he rose early and called his servants and also Abraham. When then did they experience this restraining of the womb? Perhaps it so happened that they were in their due time, experiencing the pangs of childbirth, unable to be relieved by giving birth. Perhaps, also, Abraham delayed his prayer for many days. But according to this interpretation, the nature of Abimelech’s healing as well as his sickness have not been explained in Scripture.
Now Rashi comments: “Vayeileidu — and they were relieved, their channels were opened, and they brought forth their wastes. This was the leidah (bringing forth) as it referred to them. All the wombs means every opening of the body.”
But this is not correct. Even if we were to say concerning the word vayeileidu that it means “bringing forth” — as we do indeed find the word leidah used in many contexts, such as: Yea, he conceiveth mischief ‘veyolad’ (and bringeth forth) falsehood; Before the decree ‘ledeth’ (bring forth); for thou knowest not what a day ‘yolad’ (may bring forth), meaning what the days will bring forth and originate — but the word rechem (womb) never refers to any other openings. This is not contradicted by the verse, Or, who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb, for this is merely a figure of speech, similar to “the belly of the earth.”
Now Onkelos’ opinion is not like that of the Rabbi for even if he translated, “and they were relieved,” yet the word rechem (womb) he renders literally as “the opening for giving birth to a child.” However, [the reason why Onkelos translated it, “and they were relieved,” and not “and they gave birth,” is that] he wanted to include Abimelech also in the word vayeileidu.
In Bereshith Rabbah it is said: “For the Eternal had fast closed up (‘atzor atzar’), i.e., closed up the mouth, closed up the neck, closed up the eye, closed up the ear, closed up above, and closed up below.” Now the Rabbis derived this exposition from the double usage of the expression, atzor atzar, but they did not explain the expression, every womb, as meaning every opening of the body.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that from the day Sarah was taken to Abimelech’s house, Abimelech was stricken in his limbs and was unable to fulfill his needs. This is [what the verse alludes to when it says], Therefore I did not suffer thee to touch her, as “touching” or “approaching” women are euphemisms for sexual intercourse, as in the verse, Draw not near a woman; And I came unto the prophetess. And He restrained the wombs of his wife and his maidservants who were pregnant so they could not give birth. “Restraining a womb” means that the woman could not conceive, even as it says, And the Eternal had closed up her womb. But “restraining the womb” denotes inability to give birth, similar in usage to the verse, He hath hedged me about, that I cannot go forth.
Sarah stayed in Abimelech’s house many days, and Abimelech did not repent his way as he did not understand his transgression until G-d came to him in a dream and informed him of it. Now Scripture does not explain Abimelech’s sickness explicitly but mentions it only by hint in an ethical manner and out of respect for Sarah. After Abraham’s prayer, Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants were healed, and the women gave birth.

Chizkuni (13th Century) commentary: וילדו, “they gave birth.” Avimelech is not included in the statement: “they gave birth.” It refers only to the females mentioned in the verse. We have proof that this is the correct interpretation from Genesis 29:39 ויחמו הצאן, when the sheep were in heat, where the Torah uses the masculine mode, although obviously it was the female sheep which were in heat, as the male do not conceive and give birth. There is further proof that the expression וילדו, “they gave birth,” cannot refer to Avimelech personally, from verse 18, where the Torah relates that while Sarah was in Avimelech’s palace, captive, all the women in his household, had been unable to give birth though highly pregnant. After Avraham prayed for Avimelech, G-d healed them so that they all gave birth simultaneously as a sign of G-d’s intervention. Another example of a similar formulation in the Torah, which at first glance appears incredible is in Genesis 30:26, where after the birth of Joseph, and completion of a total of 14 years of service to Lavan, Yaakov demands: תנה את נשי ואת ילדי אשר עבדתי אותך בהן, “Hand over my wives and my children for whom I have served you!” Yaakov had served Lavan only for his wives, not for his children.

Rabbeinu Bahya (1255 – 1340) commentary: ויתפלל אברהם אל האלוקים, “Avraham prayed to G’d, etc.” Using a kabbalistic approach, the (unusual) name for G’d used here by Avraham is a reference to the tenth emanation. [this is the “lowest” of the ten emanations and therefore closest to our world. Ed.] As a result, his prayer was answered immediately as we read in the very same verse that “G’d healed Avimelech, his wife, his maidservants, and all those who were expecting to give birth could do so again and did so successfully.” As a result of Avraham’s prayer the attribute of Justice which had been active in that region was supplanted by the attribute of Mercy. We had previously read that the attribute of Mercy i.e. ה', had been exchanged for the attribute of Justice as you will see by reading the text carefully. In verse three G’d appears to Avimelech as אלוקים, i.e. as the attribute of Justice in honour of Avraham. When Avimelech justified his behaviour he addressed the attribute א-דני. G’d responds to him as ה-אלוקים, the definite article ה indicating that it was the same attribute that had appeared to him in verse three. At that point G’d tells Avimelech that He too is aware of Avimelech’s thoughts as well as his deeds. G’d used the אנכי rather than the pronoun אני when referring to Himself. This word אנכי refers to the One who is invisible, who was instrumental in preventing Avimelech from committing any sin with Sarah. This aspect of G’d is less manifest than that represented by the term אני when employed as G’d speaking, or identifying himself to His creatures. Perhaps the absence of the letter א in the word מחטו-לי in verse 6 is a hint that when someone commits a sin against G’d [as distinct from a sin against his fellow man, Ed.] he actually rebels against G’d in His Uniqueness, Oneness, i.e. against the invisible non-manifest G’d.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: ויתפלל...את אבימלך, he again possessed an active libido, just as he had before G’d struck him.
ואת אשתו ואמהותיו, the ones who had been supposed to give birth but had been unable to due to this affliction. Even though, generally speaking, we cannot determine precisely when a baby that is due to be born will be born, the women who had entered labour at the time the affliction struck could not give birth so that it was clear what the affliction was connected to. After Avimelech had dreamt the dream which the Torah described in detail, he called together both his servants as well as Avraham early in the morning. If so, when did they experience the impediment to delivering the babies due? Perhaps they experienced labour pains which were not relieved for even brief periods in between. Or, perhaps, Avraham took his time before he appealed to G’d in prayer to relieve the situation. We know that when women are in labour there are a number of ways in which their husbands can alleviate their pains and bring on the birth. All of these attempts had failed so that it became clear that some supernatural power had its hand in what was happening.
וילדו, this word may refer to Avimelech’s wife and his maidservants; alternately, it may refer to Avimelech’s ability to ejaculate semen again, something he had not been able to do. Onkelos translates this as ואתרוחו, meaning that their orifices which had been closed opened up again. Why would he not translate the word וילדו as “they gave birth?” Perhaps what he meant was that they did give birth, and he did not really mean that their orifices had been closed so that they could neither urinate nor defecate, as seems to be the opinion of our sages (Baba Kama 72).

For YHVH had closed up, had shut, through all womb to the house of Avimelekh, upon the matter/thing/word of Sarah, the wife of Avraham.

18 כִּי־עָצֹר עָצַר יְהוָה בְּעַד כָּל־רֶחֶם לְבֵית אֲבִימֶלֶךְ עַל־דְּבַר שָׂרָה אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָהָם׃ס

יח‎

עצר/Atzor o Atzar

The meaning of this word, “עצר/Atzor o Atzar” is: 1) to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain, 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to restrain, halt, stop, 1a2) to retain, 1b) (Niphal) to be restrained, be stayed, be under restraint.

This word is used twice in this verse, one after the other. I translated this as “had closed up, had shut,” which are two meanings of the word “עצר/Atzor.” For the word restrained, I already commented that HaShem could have made the women infertile, and I also said that this can not be observed by the people of the house of Avimelekh; there is just no way of knowing by just having intimacy. However, using the other word of the meaning for עצר/Atzor, which means to close up. Now, the women and the men would notice this change for reasons that I will discuss next.

Recap of the affliction and explanation as I see it

Verse 3: And ELOHIM went towards Avimelekh in a dream of the night, and He said to him, “Behold, you will die upon the woman whom you have taken, and she is a man’s wife/woman.” Meaning: Avimelekh went to sleep, instead of assaulting Sarah sexually. As soon as Avimelekh would lie on top of Sarah, he would die.
Verse 6: And in the dream, the ELOHIM said to him, “Also, I know, for in integrity in your heart did you do this. And I also withheld/spared/stopped/kept you from sinning against me; therefore, I will not allow you to touch her. Meaning: Elohim, by the orders of HaShem, stopped Avimelekh from taking Sarah by force.
Verse 8: And Avimelekh rose in the morning, and he called for all his servants, and he spoke to them all these words in their ears, and the people were in fear. Meaning: Were they in fear because of the words that Avimelekh said, or because some of them had found out that something was wrong?
Verse 17: And Abraham prayed to/towards the ELOHIM, and ELOHIM healed Avimelekh, his wife, and his female servants, and begot. Meaning: Who was healed? Avimelekh, his wife, and his female servants, but not his male servants.
Verse 18: For YHVH had closed up, had shut, through all womb to the house of Avimelekh, upon the matter/thing/word of Sarah, the wife of Avraham. Meaning: A closing was done, a shutting of some body parts. This verse says that the wombs of the females, but what about Avimelekh? What does the closing of the womb mean for him?

For this, I think it will make more sense if I go backwards. Verse 18 says, “For YHVH had closed up, had shut, through all womb to the house of Avimelekh.” The question is, in what manner did HaShem closed up or shut the wombs? Another thing of note is verse 8, Avimelekh told all his servants his dream, and they were all afraid. I believe that they were afraid because some of them, or all of them, knew that something was very wrong. What HaShem did to close off or chut their wombs was physical, something noticible to the sight or the touch. Verse 17 mentions that Avimelekh, his wife, and his female servants were healed, but not the male servants. That means that only females of the house of Avimelekh and Avimelekh himself were affected. They were healed from the closing and shutting of the wombs. But what did Avimelekh have to be healed from, as he has no womb? Well, the womb, for a female, is the reproductive organ, and what is the reproductive organ for Avimelekh? The penis. So, Avimelekh’s penis was closed off, shut off. Now, what might closing up or shutting off the womb mean? This has to be a noticeable change, not infertility. As commented before, if it were just infertility, no one would have noticed. The change had to be Physical. I think that HaShem physically closed off and shut all the females’ vigina cavities with flesh, flesh that sexual activities could not penetrate, possibly right at the entrance, making them unable to urinate. This would ensure unpleasantness, and that everyone would notice right away. I say this because when Avimelekh told his dream to all his people, they were already afraid, knowing something was wrong. Why Avimelekh only and not the other men? This is because Avimelekh is the only man from whom Sarah was in danger of being sexually assaulted. So that means that Avimelekh’s aflictin was a closing off of his penis, once again with flesh and could not urinate or ejaculate. I say that they could not even urinate because this had to be something extreme and rare and never seen before. Something that would cause them to worry and make them forget about everything else. Especially Avimelekh, who went so far as to kidnap Sarah to have sexual relations with her. Going towards the beginning of this chapter, some more. While Avimelekh was worrying about his inability to urinate, the ruakh/spirit of HaShem, as I believe it, made Avimelekh go into a deep sleep, just like it happened to Avraham when HaShem gave him his vision in chapter 15 verse 12, which reads,

“And as the sun was coming in/setting, a deep sleep fell upon Avram, and a great/big/large dark terror fell upon him.”

After Avraham fell into this great sleep, he had a vision of the future—the vision of Avraham’s descendants in captivity in Egypt.

We need to talk about one more thing, and I have not heard or read anything about this from commentators. This is the way that HaShem is doing all of this. What I mean is that Avimelekh took Sarah with the intent to have his way, sexually, with Sarah. This means that if HaShem had not intervened, Sarah would have likely been pregnant by Avimelekh. So HaShem punished them by the very sin that Avimelekh wanted to do, and stopped the women of the house of Avimelekh from having sexual intercourse, and went a step further and made it impossible for them to even have sexual intercourse by sealing up the women’s viginal canal. As for Avimelekh, he got his penis shut and he would have faced certain death for his sin if he had not set everything right by returning Sarah intact to Avraham.

This is also a perfect example of what happens when we sin, because sin is part of life, and none of us is without sin. When we do sin, repentance is not enough. You do not just repent, and everything is okay; you must correct your wrong action. Now, this is a difficult thing to do if your repentance is not genuine, if you do not truly feel it within you, but it is necessary for forgiveness. For example, you steal and even if you spend the money, to get forgiven for that sin, you must now return the money to whomever you stole it from, and according to the Law of God outlined in these five books of the Torah, with interest.

Exodus 21:37

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.”

This verse is just one of many examples of stealing in Scripture. However, the point is that Avimelekh and the people of his household would not be forgiven, and HaShem's actions would be reversed not just by feeling repentant, but by putting everything back in order. This is what we need to do about our sins: correct the sin and set everything right, including all the damage our sins caused.

Also, we must notice that the Holy Name of HaShem is used in this verse, when the word “Elohim” has been used all this time. Why? This is so that we know that no matter who HaShem chooses to use to do His work, whether a spirit, a messenger of HaShem/angel, or a man, as Moses was used to bring out the Israelites from Egypt, it is HaShem who does all things. By His orders, all gets done.

In closing this chapter, the chapter lets us know the nature of the miracle that HaShem did for Avraham and Sarah, two chapters prior. It also allows us to know that even though HaShem looks after His people who choose Him as their God, bad things still may happen to us. Therefore, we must be cautious about our actions and avoid putting ourselves in dangerous situations. But if we do, HaShem may help us. I mean, we are no Avraham or Sarah, we are not prophets, but we need to be careful and not put HaShem in a position where He needs to intervene for us. Another thing we learned is that repentance must be genuine; it must be so real that we would rather come clean and make amends for our sin, even though we probably will not emerge looking like very good people in the eyes of our loved ones and enemies alike. Also, HaShem is King and above all, and He uses spirits, His messengers/angels, and men to do work for him on earth. And finally, sin is paid with an equal measure of the sin you have committed, but this only happens if you have HaShem as your God in your heart and reflect this love through your actions. Suppose you do not have only Him as your God and worship other gods or a god different from Him. In that case, He will leave you be and wait until one of two things happens: either you come back to Him and only love Him, or until your sin is full and then is done, HaShem will take His spirit back, and without that spirit, you can not continue living.

Rashi (approximately 1040 - approximately 1105) commentary: בעד כל רחם GOD HAD CLOSED UP EVERY רחם — means had closed up every opening (of the body).
'על דבר שרה וגו BECAUSE OF (literally, by the word of) SARAH — at Sarah’s bidding (Genesis Rabbah 52:13).

Ibn Ezra (approximately 1089 - 1092 to approximately 1164 - 1167) commentary: However, the presence of the phrase all the wombs (v. 18) clearly refutes their interpretation. The term va-yeledu (and they bore children) is used when referring to women even though it is a masculine form. Compare, va-yechemu ha-tzon (and the flocks conceived) (Gen. 30:39).

Sforno (approximately 1470/1475-1549) commentary: כי עצר עצר ה' בעד כל רחם/For the Lord had closed up all the wombs, to kill their (unborn) offspring if Avimelech would not display remorse and penitence. G’d had warned him specifically that not only his own life was at risk (verse 7).

Or HaChaim (approximately 1696 - 1743) commentary: כי עצור עצר ה׳ בעד כל רחם. For G'd had blocked all body orifices. This was so that people should not be able to say that Sarah had become pregnant by Avimelech. Avimelech was impotent during that period. The Torah also wanted to demonstrate that Abraham's prayer was effective to make the formerly barren fertile again. We also learn from this that if someone prays for someone else to be healed in an area that he himself needs healing, his own needs will be attended to by G'd first. This is why the next verse tells us about Sarah having become pregnant. While it is true that G'd had already promised this previously, if a certain sequence in scripture is not applicable to the subject under immediate discussion, it may be applied to another subject as will be discussed shortly.

Rabbeinu Bahya (1255 – 1340) commentary: כי עצור עצר ה' בעד כל רחם ”for the Lord had closed fast every womb, etc.” This refers both to large and small orifices. This is why the Torah repeats the verb עצר. The words בעד כל רחם are a reference to the closing of the birth-canal; it included all orifices amongst man and beast. Our sages in Baba Kama 92 state that even the hens in Avimelech’s palace stopped laying eggs. At this point the Torah spelled out the afflictions suffered by both Avimelech and his household, whereas up until now it had not specified the nature of these afflictions. It had also not mentioned Avimelech by name until he was healed in order to preserve as much of the Royal Dignity and as a sign of respect for Sarah. These names were mentioned only when they served the immediate purpose of enhancing the stature of Sarah.

Radak (1160-1235) commentary: כי עצר עצר בעד כל רחם/For he has restrained every womb, among the women, and possibly also among the animals which were meant to give birth at that time. (as we quoted our sages as saying). In fact the Talmud says that even hens which lay eggs instead of producing live chicks from their bodies were equally affected.

Shabbethai ben Joseph Bass (1641–1718) (Hebrew: שבתי בן יוסף; also known by the family name Strom[1]), born at Kalisz, was the founder of Jewish bibliography[2] and author of the Siftei Chachamim supercommentary on Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch. Commentary: According to Sarah’s words. על דבר cannot mean “because of,” as it does in Devarim 23:5 על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם, because [of the following difficulty:] it is written earlier (v. 6), “Also, I prevented you from sinning against Me.” This implies that Hashem deprived Avimelech alone of the ability to have relations. Yet in our verse it is written, “For Hashem had restrained every womb.” Perforce, in our verse על דבר means Adonoy did this “according to Sarah’s words.” And when it said (12:17) וינגע ה' את פרעה... על דבר שרי, on which Rashi commented: “According to her commands,” this explanation was learned from here, based on the phrases’ similarity. (author’s commentary)

Steinsaltz (1937-2020) commentary: The Torah explains why Avimelekh submitted so quickly to God’s command: For the Lord had obstructed all wombs of the house of Avimelekh, over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. During the time that Sarah was in Avimelekh’s house, no children were born to the household, neither to Avimelekh’s wives nor to his maidservants. Avimelekh feared that this condition would become even more serious. Once Abraham prayed for him, this affliction in Avimelekh’s household abated.