Gen 20:3-7 | MHM | STEP | Genesis 20:3-7: God Warns Abimelech in a Dream In these verses, God speaks to Abimelech, king of Gerar, through a dream because Abimelech has taken Sarah into his house, not knowing she is Abraham’s wife. God warns Abimelech that he is in great danger for this act, even though he did not know the truth. God also explains that He Himself prevented Abimelech from sinning further. God tells Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham, who is a prophet and will pray for him. This passage shows that God sometimes reveals Himself even to people outside His chosen nation, especially to protect His own people (Genesis 20:3-7 ). v. 3 : God comes to Abimelech at night in a dream and tells him he is as good as dead because he has taken another man’s wife. God’s warning shows the seriousness of sin and that God sees everything (Psalm 105:14-15 ).

‏ Genesis 20:3-7

Genesis 20:3-7: God Warns Abimelech in a Dream

In these verses, God speaks to Abimelech, king of Gerar, through a dream because Abimelech has taken Sarah into his house, not knowing she is Abraham’s wife. God warns Abimelech that he is in great danger for this act, even though he did not know the truth. God also explains that He Himself prevented Abimelech from sinning further. God tells Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham, who is a prophet and will pray for him. This passage shows that God sometimes reveals Himself even to people outside His chosen nation, especially to protect His own people (Genesis 20:3-7 ^a).

v. 3: God comes to Abimelech at night in a dream and tells him he is as good as dead because he has taken another man’s wife. God’s warning shows the seriousness of sin and that God sees everything (Psalm 105:14-15 ^b).

v. 4-5: Abimelech has not touched Sarah and pleads his innocence, saying that Abraham and Sarah both told him they were siblings. He asks God not to punish a nation that is innocent, showing that he acted with a clear conscience (1 John 3:21; Genesis 18:23 ^c).

–

v. 6: God agrees that Abimelech acted in honesty and says it was God Himself who kept him from sinning. This teaches us that God often stops people from doing wrong, even when they plan it. It is a special mercy to be kept from sinning (1 Samuel 25:32-33 ^d).

v. 7: God tells Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham, because Abraham is a prophet who will pray for him. If Abimelech does not obey, he and his family will die. This shows the importance of restitution and that God protects His people. It also teaches that God expects us to correct our wrongs when we learn the truth (Leviticus 5:3-5; Colossians 3:25 ^e).