For many readers like myself, this chapter feels like a case of déjà vu. It seems as though we’ve read this story before—until we flip back a few pages and realize, “Oh, that was with a different king.” The storyline is nearly identical, only with a new setting, a different king, altered circumstances, and a different point in time—yet it’s still the same old Abraham.
Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. – Genesis 20:1 (NIV)
Escaping From God
Abraham left the place where he had met God and settled in Gerar. The most likely reason was famine, which was common at the time due to the lack of irrigation systems and was often the chief cause for nomadic tribes to migrate. It could also have been because of a regional war, with Abraham seeking the protection of a powerful king like Abimelek. Perhaps a more logical reason would be Abraham’s anger at God over what happened to Lot, would have played a role in his sudden move to Gerar.
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that there is a clear distance between God and Abraham during this period. In our own lives, too, moments of doubt or even anger at God can lead us to make hasty choices and attempt to flee from His presence. Yet even then, God continues to watch over us and ready to draw us back, granting us another opportunity to return to Him.
Once in Gerar, Abraham, once again fearing for his own safety, had no hesitation in putting Sarah at risk. He feared for his safety especially that he was running away from the presence of the LORD. He asked Sarah to lie, presenting her as his sister and allowing her to be taken by the king of Gerar as his wife. After experiencing intimate communion with God (The Visitor) and witnessing the destruction of the twin cities (Sodom & Gomorrah), one would expect Abraham to draw even closer to the Lord.
Instead, he reverted to his old habits. Like with Egypt, he moved to Gerar without waiting for God’s guidance. That perhaps describes our walks with God and how when we take one step forward, we quickly take two steps back. Once there, we never see him commune with God; he did not even build an altar or offered any prayers and was incommunicado with God. He endangered Sarah again by letting everyone believe she was his sister so that the local ruler would take her as his wife and benefit from the king’s guilt.
God Preserves His Redemption Plan
But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman. – Genesis 20:3 (NIV)
God punishes Abhimelek by closing the wombs of the women in his household when it was Abraham who led him to believe that Sarah was available for marriage. God’s intervention with Abimelek—unlike His dealings with Pharaoh—comes through a direct revelation in a dream. This shows us that God reaches whoever He chooses, just as He did with Daniel and Joseph’s adversaries. When Abraham repeats his deception about Sarah, God steps in to protect His covenant people.
Although Abraham fails to heed God’s protection and guidance, God nonetheless speaks to Abimelek, an otherwise pagan king, so that he might come to know the Lord’s power and holiness. God is not limited to addressing a “chosen race”; He speaks to all of His creations. Remember that Abraham also practised pagan rituals when God met him. Yet, God still chose him not on merit but on grace, which is proved by Abraham’s return to sin time and time again. God’s repeated interventions serve both to correct Abraham’s missteps and to extend His revelation and mercy even to those outside Abraham’s family line.
Then God said to him in the dream, “… Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.” – Genesis 20:6-7 (NIV)
A Prophet of God
God calls Abraham a prophet, but we never see him making any prophecies. In fact, many religions around the world revere him as a prophet, even though he never actually prophesied. This shows that God often calls us not based on what we are, but on what He intends to make of us. He called Abraham the father of many nations at a time when Abraham didn’t even have a child.
It’s surprising to find this story at this stage in Abraham’s life—after the covenant was renewed, after he had been circumcised, after his name was changed, and even after the Lord Himself visited his tent. But the truth is, people often stumble at the very same point more than once. Failure can happen even after significant spiritual enlightenment. Peter returned to his old trade after spending three life-changing years with the Son of Man. In the same way, we too can spend years walking with God, yet still be led astray by greed and selfish desires that draw us away from His path.
Abraham continues to deceive Abimelek by insisting that Sarah is technically his sister. But this claim doesn’t hold up—if it were true, the author would have made it clear when recording Terah’s (Abraham’s father’s) lineage. The silence in the genealogy suggests that Abraham’s justification is more of an excuse than a fact.
Accepting Gifts for Prayers
Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.” – Genesis 20:14-15 (NIV)
Abraham had once made a point of refusing anything from the king of Sodom in return for his bravery, determined that no one could claim to have made him rich. Yet here, he willingly accepts wealth from Abimelek—a man trying to atone for his mistake and appease God’s anger. It’s evident that Abraham is not walking closely with God at this moment, as he completely forgets his earlier conviction and readily receives restitution for a situation he himself caused.
By accepting these gifts, it gives the impression that God’s favour can be bought, and that Abraham’s position before God is something Abimelek earned through compensation rather than repentance. Jesus warned against when He sent out His disciples two by two—He instructed them not to take money or gifts. The focus was to remain on the message, not the reward.
Today, we often do the opposite. Instead of responding to God’s Word with repentance and change, people try to earn favour through offerings, hospitality, or gifts. And when we, like Abraham or Gehazi (The Cleansing of Naaman), accept these gifts, we may unknowingly prevent people from truly reflecting on God’s message. Instead of conviction, they walk away satisfied, thinking they are right with God because of what they gave. We must be extremely careful—our actions, even with good intentions, can stand in the way of someone turning their heart fully to God.
Abraham Prays for Abimelek
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again – Genesis 20:17 (NIV)
Ironically, Sarah herself was still unable to conceive, yet through Abraham’s prayer for Abimelek’s household, God opens the wombs of other women. Throughout Scripture, we see that God uses whoever He chooses, regardless of their standing or situation. He used a donkey to convey his message, and even Judas, was part of proclaiming the message and casting out demons. God is not limited by the vessel; He works through anyone to accomplish His purpose.
Perhaps this was allowed to strengthen Sarah’s faith. Watching other women conceive while she still waited on God’s promise may have deepened her trust in what God would eventually do for her. It’s also worth noting that she must have stayed in Abimelek’s household long enough for these women to conceive and be visibly pregnant, which means this situation lasted for some time.
Abraham was supposed to be a witness to God’s power through the miraculous birth of his son. Yet by putting Sarah in the Abimelek’s house, he tainted that testimony. And then, not long after this failure, Isaac was born. What would people have thought? Would they have questioned whether God was truly behind the birth of their son, or whether it was somehow connected to the events in Gerar? Abraham’s actions complicated what was meant to be a clear and powerful witness of God’s promise fulfilled.
Let us seek God’s help to remain on the right path and not be led astray. In times of doubt, pain, or anger, we must resist the urge to let those feelings fester or turn to the world for answers. Instead, let us bring our weaknesses before God, asking Him to strengthen our faith and guide us forward. Even the father of faith faced moments of uncertainty—yet by God’s grace, those moments serve as lessons for us, warning of the perils of turning back to our former ways.
Discussion Questions
- Why would Abraham repeat the same mistake after already being corrected by God once before?
- Why is Abimelek punished for a deception caused by Abraham?
- Why doesn’t God appear to Abraham in a dream this time?
- Is it right for Abraham to accept restitution from Abimelek when he was the one who deceived him?
- Isn’t it ironic that Abraham is asked to pray for the barrenness that has struck Abimelek and his household while his own wife is barren?
The Jordan Valley 
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