Bible Study Online
After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, a short while later we find that Abraham had moved away from Mamre in which he had lived for about twenty years. He would head south and make his new home in the desert region of the Negev, somewhere between Kadesh and Shur. The Bible also points out that somewhere between him moving and settling, Abraham had stayed for awhile in Gerar which was a Philistine town and district. Now the Bible doesn't give an exact time frame on how long Abraham resided there. But we are told the story on what happen during his stay at Gerar. Come to find out, Abraham had again placed himself in a similar position that he had experience with Pharaoh, back when he had enter Egypt for the first time. Just like the plan that he had came up with, right before he had enter Egypt, we find that Abraham is hatching the same plan right before he enters the Philistine town. Abraham would once again lie and speak of Sarah as his sister instead of his wife. With Abimelech the king of Gerar believing this story that Abraham had spoke of, the king sent for Sarah and took her back to his palace. Now we are not told why Abimelech took Sarah, so she could be his wife. But when this had happen during the time when Pharaoh had taken her, the Bible had pointed out that Sarah was very beautiful, and so therefore Pharaoh wanted her. But in this case, we are not given these same kind of details, so we can only assume that he was attracted to her. Now keep in mind that Sarah was ninety years old when all this had taken place. But you must also keep in mind, that being ninety back in Abraham's time wasn't close to being ninety here in the twenty first century. Being that people lived a lot longer back in Abraham's day, the body would not have been aging nowhere near as fast as it does in today's time. But anyways... let's move on. So now we find that Abimelech is sleeping when the Lord comes to him in a dream. "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman," the Lord would tell the king. But being that Abimelech had not yet touch her and did not know that she was Abraham's wife he would make his case before God. "Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister,' and didn't she also say, 'He is my brother'? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands." "Yes I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I didn't let you touch her. 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 yours will die," the Lord would warn and instruct the king. So there was a judgment that was placed on Abimelech, because he had taken Sarah against her will. Now Abimelech was cleared of taking Sarah as being another man's wife, but he wasn't cleared for taking Sarah against her will with the intentions of making her his wife. So this is why Abraham would have to pray for the king in order for him to be saved from God's judgment. Just because Abimelech was deceived, still did not make him completely innocent of his actions. Plus, God knew the king's heart? This is why he told him that if he did not return Sarah immediately, he would surely die along with his entire household. Early the next morning after Abimelech had awakened; he summoned all of his officials. The king had told them all about his visitation from the Lord and how Abraham had deceived him. After the king's officials had heard the story that Abimelech had told them, they had become very much afraid. A short while later, the king would call Abraham to come and be before him, "What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done. What was your reason for doing this?" the disturbed king would ask him. "I said to myself, 'There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.' Besides she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God had me wander from my father's household, I said to her, 'This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, "He is my brother,"'" Abraham would tell the king. With the statement that Abraham had given Abimelech, it would be in defense of what he had done against the king. He wanted Abimelech to know that he did not do any of these things, as a personal attack towards him. He wanted the king to know that he and his wife Sarah had this understanding and arrangement, no matter where they had went. So the king brought sheep and cattle along with male and female servants and gave them to Abraham. Abimelech would also return Sarah back to her rightful place, "My land is before you; live wherever you like," the king would tell Abraham. Then Abimelech would turn his attention towards Sarah, "I'm giving your brother a thousand shekels of sliver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated," the king would tell her.
Then Abraham had prayed to God, and asked him to heal Abimelech, his wife and his servant girls so they could have children again. For the Lord had made every woman in Abimelech household barren, because of what the king had done to Abraham's wife Sarah. So once again, the Lord allowed the wicked to be punished behind Abraham's fear of being killed because of his wife. Abraham would once again be spared and blessed by the one true God, just like he was back in Egypt. 01) Introduction of Abraham - Before He was Called 02) The Divine Calling of Abraham 04) The Strife between Abram and Lot 10) Abraham the Father of a Multitude 11) Sarah the Mother of Nations 13) Abraham Bargains for Sodom 14) Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed 16) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 
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