βAnd Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.β
Gerara; at a greater distance from the devoted country of Sodom. (Haydock)
βAnd Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.β
He said to the king, and to all others who made inquiry, as it was his custom, whenever he came into a strange land, ver. 13. He was encouraged to do this, by the protection which God had shewn him in Egypt. β Took her, against her will, as Pharao had done. (Haydock) β Though she was ninety years old, and with child, her beauty was still extraordinary, the Rabbin think miraculous. At that time people lived above 120 years; so that at the age of ninety, she would only be about as near the end of her life as our women are at forty; and we often see people sufficiently attracting at that age. (Calmet)
βBut God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. a man's: Heb. married to an husbandβ
Abimelech. This was an usual title of kings in Chanaan, and a very good one, to remind them and their subjects, of their obligations, (Haydock) as it means βmy father the king.β The behaviour of the prince shews, that as yet all sense of duty and knowledge of the true God was not banished from the country. (Calmet) β Shalt die, unless thou restore the woman, whom thou hast taken by force; on whose account I have already afflicted thee, (Ver. 7, 17.) and thus prevented thee from touching her. This testimony was more requisite, that there might be no doubt respecting Isaacβs legitimacy. (Haydock)
βSaid he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. integrity: or, simplicity, or, sincerityβ
He say, &c. The pronouns in Hebrew are printed very incorrectly. β He is my sister; and she, even he, said. (Kennicott)
βAnd God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.β
Sincere heart, abhorring adultery, but not altogether innocent. (Menochius)
βNow therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.β
A prophet. One under my particular care, to whom I reveal many things. β He shall pray for thee. Behold, God will sometimes grant, at the request of his saints, what he would deny even such as Abimelech or the friends of Job. Is not this sufficient encouragement for us, to have recourse to the intercession of the saints? And can any one be so foolish as to pretend this is making gods of them, and shewing them an idolatrous worship? (Haydock)
βTherefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.β
In the night, (de nocte) or βas soon as it began to dawn.β (Septuagint)
βThen 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.β
Why, &c. He expostulates with him in a friendly but earnest manner. β A great sin, or punishment, (Menochius) ver. 18, and exposed me to the danger of committing adultery. Abraham might have answered, this would have been his own fault, as he could not have done it without offering violence to Sara, in whose chastity he could confide. Having an opportunity here to vindicate himself, Abraham speaks freely, which he was not allowed to do in Egypt, chap. xii. 20.
βAnd yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.β
My sister, or niece, according to those who say she was daughter of Aran, who thus must have had a different mother from Abraham; (Menochius) or, as we rather think, Sara was truly his half-sister, born of Thare by another wife. His adding truly, seems to restrain it to this sense; and we know that in those countries, marriages of such near relations were allowed, though not when both had the same parents. Why should we not, therefore, believe Abraham, who certainly knew the real state of the question, and who would not tell a lie, rather than seek for improbable and far-fetched solutions? Said, who lived eight hundred years ago, mentions the name of Jona, Abrahamβs mother, as well as that of Tehevita, who bore Sara to Thare. The Hebrews, in general, give this explanation. (Calmet) β By calling Sara his sister without any addition, Abraham intended that the people should conclude he was not married: therefore he did not say she was his half-sister, as this would have frustrated his design, if, as St. Clement of Alexandria, asserts, such might and did marry under the law of nature. (Haydock) β Philo observes, the Athenian legislator, Solon, sanctioned the same practice, which was followed also by the PhΕnicians. (Calmet)
βAnd Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.β
Gave, by way of satisfaction, for having detained his wife; as also to shew his respect for him who was a prophet. (1 Kings ix. 7.) (Haydock)
βAnd unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.β
Thy brother, as thou hast agreed to call thy husband. β Pieces, or sicles of silver, worth a little above 2s. 3d. each; total Β£113 sterling. β A covering, or veil, to shew thou art married, and prevent thee from being taken by any one hereafter. It was to be so rich, that all might know her quality. St. Paul (1 Corinthians xi. 5, 15.) orders women to be covered. (Calmet)
βSo Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.β
Healed. It is not known how God afflicted Abimelech; but the women could not be delivered during the short time that Sara was detained: on her being set at liberty, they bore children. (Menochius)