Genesis 20:8 Commentary and Bible Study

This dream so impresses him as a divine communication, and the warning so troubles him that he cannot sleep, but calls all his servant and reports what God has said to him, a warning to them also as they see it. Abimelech’s servants also have a fear of the one true God. The reality of the dream is soon to be confirmed by what Abraham says. What the king believed they believed. If they were not all believers in the true God, there were believers among them. This man had a tremendous influence in his own royal household. They were deeply affected, and knew that they could not afford to delay in acting.‘Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.’ The patriarch, his spiritual superior, the one who had walked with the Lord for so many years and was renowned for his faith and his godliness, his holiness, is here having to be reproved by somebody who should sit at his feet and take instruction from him. Actually you can see that Abimelech is an experienced judge as well as king. Notice the way he interrogates Abraham. He doesn't just accuse him. He asks him questions. The whole manner and style of his approach is to bring about conviction and, as it were, to hunt Abraham down, and to make him see the full horror of what he has done. Why have you done it to me? What were you going to achieve? Why have you brought this sin upon us? ‘And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?’ Abraham is going to confess it: ‘It is not what I saw, it is what I thought. I thought you would be evil, just like everyone else in these southern parts, that you would be an utter heathen and a violent man. ‘And Abraham said, Because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wife's sake.’ Not that Abraham was personally afraid to die, we believe, but Isaac had not been conceived and born yet, and the seed had to be preserved. So to an extent Abraham's intention was faithful, but he did not believe in the preserving power of God to fulfil that promise. That is the strange contradiction.