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
VaYisa | Misham | Avraham | Artza | HaNegev | VaYeshev | Bein-Kadesh | UVein | Sur | VaYagar | BiGerar
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, whose fate we do not know if Avraham knew he survived or not.
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.
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: When he saw that the cities were destroyed and the travelers ceased... This explanation raises the question: Why did he go to Gerar, which is very distant? Therefore Rashi brings the alternate explanation. Since he wished to distance himself from Lot, he traveled to Gerar which was an inhabited place. (Maharshal)
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.
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וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל־שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחֹתִי הִוא וַיִּשְׁלַח אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ גְּרָר וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שָׂרָה׃
ב
VaYomer | Avraham | El-Sarah | Ishto | Akhoti | Hiv | VaYishlakh | Avimelekh | Melekh | GeRar | VaYikakh | Et-Sarah
The meaning of 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.”
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וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בַּחֲלוֹם הַלָּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִנְּךָ מֵת עַל־הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר־לָקַחְתָּ וְהִוא בְּעֻלַת בָּעַל׃
ג
VaYavo | ELOHIM | El-Avimilekh | BaKhalom | HaLaila | VaYomer | Lo | Hinekha | Met | Al-HaIsha | Asher-Lakakhta | VeHiv | BeUlat | BaAl
“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 god, 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 people who are blameless also be killed?
4
וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ לֹא קָרַב אֵלֶיהָ וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי הֲגוֹי גַּם־צַדִּיק תַּהֲרֹג׃
ד
VaAvimelekh | Lo | Karav | Eleiha | VaYomar | Adonai | Hagoi | Ham-Tzadik | Taharog
The verse starts by saying that Avimelekh had not come into Sarah, meaning that he had not had sexual relations with her, and 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 to have sexual relations with her but couldn’t. 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.
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. Pay no attention to the dreamer who changes the terms used in Scripture. The latter explains goy (nation) to mean ish (a person). I will elaborate a bit upon this in my comments on the verse to sell her unto a foreign people he shall have no power (Ex. 21:8).
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, “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
HaLo | Hu | Amar-Li | Akhoti | Hiv | VeHi-Ham-Hiv | Amra | Akhi | Hu | BeTam-LeVavi | UBenikYon | Kapai | Asiti | Zot
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.
An in the dream, ELOHIM said to him, “Also, I know, for in integrity in your heart did you do this. And I will also withhold/spare/stop/keep 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
VaYomer | Elaiv | HaELOHIM | BaKhalom | Gam | Anokhi | Yadati | Ki | VeTam-LeVaveKha | Asita | Zot | VaEkhsokh | Gam-Anokhi | Otkha | Mekhato-Li | Al-Ken | Lo-NeTatikha | Linegoa | Eleiha
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 will also stop 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? Scripture does not say, but it is apparent that it has something to do with the male organ or his sexual drive. Also, Avimelekh was dreaming, meaning he was sleeping and not trying to take Sarah by force. Which 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 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.
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: But, do not claim clean hands. You might ask: After all, was Avimelech in fact not free of sin, since he did not transgress? The answer is: Hashem was saying, “Not due to yourself are you free of sin, as you say. Rather, it is due to Me. You would have lain with her even though she told you she was his wife!”
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
VeAta | HaShev | Eshet-HaIsh | Ki-Navi | Hu | VeYitpalel | BaAdkha | VekhYe | VeIm-Einekha | Meshiv | Da | Ki-Mot | Tamut | Ata | VeKhol-Asher-Lakh
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 it in his 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 choices to choose between right and wrong, and He says that you should choose to do right so you may live. What does this mean to us? We are also given a choice, to do right or wrong, and the good choices we make are how long we will live. In this case, choices apply, even with Avimelekh, 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 met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, “This is Elohim’s (God’s) camp!” 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.
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."