GENESIS 20

Genesis 20 Outline

  • God Appears To Abimelech (v3-7)
  • Abraham & Abimelech Talk (v9-15)
  • God Heals Abimelech (v17-18)

Key Verse: Genesis 20:2Information Icon

Genesis 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. (ESV)

Genesis 20

1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God 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. 7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

(ESV)

Genesis 20 ContextInformation Icon

Book: Genesis

Chapter: 20 of 50 Chapters

Author: Moses

Written In: Hebrew

Passage Type: Narrative

Writing Date Range: 1491 B.C. - 1451 B.C.

Year Events Occurred: 1897 B.C.

Genesis 20 VisualsInformation Icon

Genesis 20 TeachingsInformation Icon

Genesis 20 TimeframeInformation Icon

4004 B.C.

Creation

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Relevant Books: Genesis

Narrative Chapters: Genesis 1, Genesis 2

2446 B.C.

Life of Shem

2348 B.C.

Worldwide Flood

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Relevant Books: Genesis

Narrative Chapters: Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Genesis 8

2311 B.C.

Life of Salah

2281 B.C.

Life of Eber

2242 B.C.

Tower of Babel

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Narrative Chapters: Genesis 11

1996 B.C.

Life of Abraham

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Narrative Chapters: Genesis 11

1921 B.C.

God Promises to Bless Abraham

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Narrative Chapters: Genesis 12

1910 B.C.

Life of Ishmael

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Narrative Chapters: Genesis 16

1908 B.C.

Death of Arphaxad (438 Years Old)

1897 B.C.

God's Covenant With Abraham Through Isaac

Genesis 20 Events Timeframe: 1897 B.C.

1896 B.C.

Life of Isaac

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Narrative Chapters: Genesis 21

1878 B.C.

Death of Salah (433 Years Old)

1859 B.C.

Death of Sarah (127 Years Old)

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Narrative Chapters: Genesis 23:1

1856 B.C.

Isaac Marries Rebecca

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1836 B.C.

Birth of Jacob and Esau

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1745 B.C.

Life of Joseph

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1715 B.C.

Joseph Rules in Egypt

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1571 B.C.

Life of Moses

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1531 B.C.

Moses Flees From Egypt

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1529 B.C.

Birth of Caleb

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1492 B.C.

10 Plagues in Egypt

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Nations Involved: Egypt, Israel

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Narrative Chapters: Exodus 7, Exodus 8, Exodus 9, Exodus 10, Exodus 11, Exodus 12

1491 B.C.

Moses Leads Israel Out Of Egypt

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Nations Involved: Egypt

Relevant Books: Exodus

Narrative Chapters: Exodus 12, Exodus 13, Exodus 14, Exodus 15, Exodus 16, Exodus 17, Exodus 18, Exodus 19

Genesis 20 Written: 1491 B.C. - 1451 B.C.

1490 B.C.

Tabernacle is Setup

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Narrative Chapters: Exodus 40

Second Passover

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1489 B.C.

Israel Refuses to Enter The Promised Land

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1451 B.C.

Death of Aaron (123 Years Old)

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Narrative Chapters: Numbers 33

Moses delivers Deuteronomy

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Death of Moses (120 Years Old)

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Narrative Chapters: Deuteronomy 34

1450 B.C.

Israel Crosses Into The Promised Land

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Narrative Chapters: Joshua 3

Prophecy Chapters: Numbers 14:34

1444 B.C.

Caleb asks for his inheritance

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Narrative Chapters: Joshua 14, Joshua 15

1010 B.C.

David Reigns Over Judah

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Narrative Chapters: 2 Samuel 2, 2 Samuel 3, 2 Samuel 4

4 B.C.

Birth of Jesus

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Narrative Chapters: Luke 1, Luke 2, Matthew 1

32 A.D.

Jesus Crucified & Resurrected

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Nations Involved: Israel

Relevant Books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Narrative Chapters: Matthew 27, Matthew 28, Mark 15, Mark 16, Luke 22, Luke 23, Luke 24, John 18, John 19, John 20, John 21

Prophecy Chapters: Isaiah 53