Genesis 20:17
in Genesis 20Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children.
KJV
So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
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This verse in Genesis 20
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut it does not seem to me superfluous that mention is made not only of Abim-elech's wife but also of his handmaids, especially in that place that says, "God healed them, and they bore children. For he had closed [their wombs] that they might not bear."
This site's exposition
Then Abraham prayed to God
Abraham prayed, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants. The cure came through the man who had caused the trouble. Two chapters earlier he interceded for Sodom and the city burned. Henry calls praying for those who need it a prophet's work and a prophet's reward.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Unless Sarah received renewed youth in the seed that she had received, Abim-elech would not have desired a woman ninety years old.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Abraham's Denial of His Wife. 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:91%@v1-3
This honour God would put upon Abraham that, though Abimelech had restored Sarah, yet the judgment he was under should be removed upon the prayer of Abraham, and not before. Thus God healed Miriam, when Moses, whom she had most affronted, prayed for her ( Num. xii. 13 ), and was reconciled to Job's friends when Job, whom they had grieved, prayed for them ( Job xlii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
So Abraham prayed unto God,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
So Abraham prayed - This was the prime office of the נביא nabi; see Gen 20:7.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל | vaiyitpalel | and he prayed | H6419 → | 84 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֖ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיִּרְפָּ֨א | vaiyirpa' | and he healed | H7495 → | 67 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֜ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֧לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אִשְׁתּ֛וֹ | ʾishto | wife his | H802 → | 781 times |
| וְאַמְהֹתָ֖יו | veamhotav | and female slaves his | H519 → | 56 times |
| וַיֵּלֵֽדוּ׃ | vaiyeledu | and they bore children | H3205 → | 496 times |
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥לand he prayed
vaiyitpalelH6419 →84 times
אַבְרָהָ֖םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
וַיִּרְפָּ֨אand he healed
vaiyirpa'H7495 →67 times
אֱלֹהִ֜יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲבִימֶ֧לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אִשְׁתּ֛וֹwife his
ʾishtoH802 →781 times
וְאַמְהֹתָ֖יוand female slaves his
veamhotavH519 →56 times
וַיֵּלֵֽדוּ׃and they bore children
vaiyeleduH3205 →496 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
Philippians 4:6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:5–6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
- Matthew 6:25–33
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more…
- Psalms 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18
Pray without ceasing.
- Proverbs 3:5–6
Through
James 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 17:3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 6.3.