Genesis 20:1
in Genesis 20Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
KJV
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
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This verse in Genesis 20
Commentary
10 notes on this verseIt is, however, unknown what was his intention in removing, or what necessity impelled him to change his place: we ought, however, to be persuaded, that he had not transferred his abode to another place for any insufficient cause; especially since a son, whom he had not even dared to wish for, had been lately promised him, through Sarah.
This site's exposition
settled between Kadesh and Shur
on Genesis 20:1-2
Abraham settled between Kadesh and Shur, then stayed in Gerar. Of his wife Sarah he said, She is my sister, the same word he used in Egypt in chapter 12, so Abimelech king of Gerar had her brought to him. God had dated the birth of the son to this same year.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
We have read from the book of Genesis the story where it is related that after the appearance of the three men, after the destruction of Sodom and the salvation of Lot, either due to his hospitality or because of his kinship to Abraham, "Abraham departed thence," the text says, "to the south" and came to the king of the Philistines. It is related also that he made an agreement with Sarah his wife that she should not say that she was Abraham's wife but his sister.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Abraham departed from there to the southern land, lived between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. That Abraham came to the southern land suggests a celestial progress of the mind through his earthly journey, by which he always used to ascend to more perfect …
And he sojourned in Gerar. For by both the word of sojourning and the name of Gerar, that is, of lodging, the life of the holy ones is aptly depicted, which, as much as it is devoted to divine commands, so much it is alienated …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Abraham sojourned in Gerar - We are not told upon what occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at Lot's incest with his daughters, and the reproach which the Canaanites cast upon him for his kinsman's sake.
And Abraham journeyed from thence towards the south country,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Abraham journeyed from thence . . . and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur--Leaving the encampment, he migrated to the southern border of Canaan. In the neighborhood of Gerar was a very rich and well-watered pasture land.
And Abraham journeyed - It is very likely that this holy man was so deeply affected with the melancholy prospect of the ruined cities, and not knowing what was become of his nephew Lot and his family, that he could no longer bear to dwell within sight of the place. Having, therefore, struck his tents, and sojourned for a short time at Kadesh and Shur, he fixed his habitation in Gerar, which was a city of Arabia Petraea, under a king of the Philistines called Abimelech, my father king, who appears to have been not only the father of his people, but also a righteous man.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
- Abraham in Gerar 2. אבימלך .2 'ǎbı̂ymelek, Abimelekh, “father of the king.” 7. נביא nābı̂y' “prophet,” he who speaks by God, of God, and to God, who declares to people not merely things future, but also things past and present, that are not obvious to the sense or the reason; related: “flow, go forth.” 13. התעוּ hı̂t‛û is plural in punctuation, agreeing grammatically with אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym. ו(w), however, may be regarded as the third radical, and the verb may thus really be singular.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּסַּ֨ע | vaiyisa' | and he set out | H5265 → | 146 times |
| מִשָּׁ֤ם | misham | from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| אַבְרָהָם֙ | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| אַ֣רְצָה | ʾartzah | [the] land of towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
| הַנֶּ֔גֶב | hanegev | the Negev | H5045 → | 112 times |
| וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב | vaiyeshev | and he dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בֵּין־ | bein- | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| קָדֵ֖שׁ | kadesh | Kadesh | H6946 → | 18 times |
| וּבֵ֣ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| שׁ֑וּר | shur | Shur | H7793 → | 6 times |
| וַיָּ֖גָר | vaiyagor | and he sojourned | H1481 → | 97 times |
| בִּגְרָֽר׃ | bigrar | in Gerar | H1642 → | 10 times |
וַיִּסַּ֨עand he set out
vaiyisa'H5265 →146 times
מִשָּׁ֤םfrom there
mishamH8033 →834 times
אַבְרָהָם֙Abraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
אַ֣רְצָה[the] land of towards
ʾartzahH776 →2504 times
הַנֶּ֔גֶבthe Negev
hanegevH5045 →112 times
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁבand he dwelt
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
בֵּין־between
bein-H996 →407 times
קָדֵ֖שׁKadesh
kadeshH6946 →18 times
וּבֵ֣יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
שׁ֑וּרShur
shurH7793 →6 times
וַיָּ֖גָרand he sojourned
vaiyagorH1481 →97 times
בִּגְרָֽר׃in Gerar
bigrarH1642 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 26:1Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.
it leads to
- Genesis 12:10
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
- Genesis 25:11
After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.
- Genesis 12:10
Through
Psalms 29:8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
it leads to
- Numbers 13:26
and they went back to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for the whole congregation and showed them the fruit…
- Numbers 13:26
Through
Genesis 18:1Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
it leads to
- Genesis 14:13
Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by…
- Genesis 48:3
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me
- Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.
- Acts 7:2
And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- Genesis 17:22
When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
- Genesis 14:13
Where this verse is studied
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Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 6.1.