LESSON 12
Genesis for Today: Chapters 20-21
by Herb Drake

Copyright (c) 1998, 2020, Herb Drake.

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Abimelech: A Doublet?

Chapter 20 finds Abraham settled in Gerar, located in an area that the Philistine would eventually control. Gerar is run by Abimelech, who is aware of Abraham's close relatinoship with God.

The events concerning Sarah in Chapter 21 are so similar to those in Chapter 12, with Abimelech in place of Pharoh, that advocates of the JEPD hypothesis see this one story merged twice into Genesis by the "redactor." Chapter 12 referred to God as "the LORD (J)," while this story has God speaking as "Elohim (E)." Some regard this as a triplet, because of its similarity with Isaac in Chapter 26. But the traditional interpretation is that Abraham, for all his virtures, doesn't learn quickly from his past mistakes.

Because Abraham again introduced Sarah as his sister, King Abimelech took her. Before he could touch her, however, God gave him a dream threatening his life on Sarah's account. Shaken, he asks Sarah if she is Abraham's wife, and she tells him that she is his sister. God demands that Abimelech return Sarah to her husband and we see, again, that his integrity exceeds that of Abraham. Abraham's response is to admit that she is his half-sister. Abimelech gives Abraham silver by way of apology, Abraham prays to God, and Abimelech's kingdom is restored.

God told Abimelech that Abraham was a "prophet," the first occurance of that word in the Old Testament. A prophet is a way that people communicate with God, which has been through the Angel of the LORD up to this point in Genesis.

The Birth of Isaac

Sarah has miraculous birth, the child being named "Isaac" (laughter), bringing back the memory of Sarah's laughter upon hearing that the child would come through her.

It is time for Hagar and her son to leave and set up their own clan. Seeing Isaac and Ishmael at play was too much for her, so she demands that they depart. This disturbs Abraham greatly, but God assured him that Sarah's demand was justified and that God would build a nation around Isaac because of his role as the boy's father. Hagar and her son nearly die of thirst, but God creates an abundant spring to save them and Ishmael thrives.

A dispute regarding a well that Abraham had dug at Beersheba ends by the cutting of a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech. Abraham gives some livestock to Abimilech who, in turn, gives clear title of the well to Abraham. Abraham plants a tree to remember the covenant and prays to God.

Genesis 18-19 | Genesis 22-23