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Genesis 20:18

in Genesis 20

for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

For Jehovah had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

KJV

For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

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This verse in Genesis 20

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs - Probably by means of some disease with which he had smitten them, hence it is said they were healed at Abraham’s intercession; and this seems necessarily to imply that they had been afflicted by some disease that rendered it impossible for them to have children till it was removed. And possibly this disease, as Dr. Dodd conjectures, had afflicted Abimelech, and by this he was withheld, Gen 20:6, from defiling Abraham’s bed.

This site's exposition

the LORD had completely closed all the wombs

Every womb in the king's household had been closed. Clarke takes the healing at Abraham's prayer to mean a real affliction had been laid on them. Genesis has carried one closed womb since 11:30, where Sarai's barrenness stands one verse before the promise of descendants. The next chapter opens with the LORD visiting Sarah as He had said.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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

For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech,.... With large tumours probably, so that they could not cohabit with their husbands and conceive; nor could those that had conceived bring forth: and this disorder they were smitten with: because of Sarah Abraham's wife; who was taken into the house of Abimelech, in order to be his; to rebuke and punish for which, and to convince of the evil of it, and cause to abstain from it, this disorder was inflicted on them.

The words behind it

14 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • עָצֹ֤רcertainly <to shut up>

    ʾatzorH6113 →47 times

  • עָצַר֙<he> had shut up

    ʾatzarH6113 →47 times

  • יְהוָ֔הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • בְּעַ֥דbehind

    beadH1157 →105 times

  • כָּל־every

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • רֶ֖חֶםwomb

    rechemH7358 →26 times

  • לְבֵ֣יתof [the] household of

    leveitH1004 →2046 times

  • אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְAbimelech

    ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • דְּבַ֥ר[the] matter of

    devarH1697 →1440 times

  • שָׂרָ֖הSarah

    sarahH8283 →38 times

  • אֵ֥שֶׁת[the] wife of

    ʾeshetH802 →781 times

  • אַבְרָהָֽם׃ סAbraham

    ʾavrahamH85 →175 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Genesis 29:31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.6 worksGenesis 12:17The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.6 worksGenesis 30:2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”3 worksJob 3:10For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.3 worksGenesis 20:6Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.3 worksGenesis 20:7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”2 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 16:2So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.2 works1 Samuel 1:5But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.2 works1 Samuel 5:10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”1 works1 Samuel 1:6Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 12:17

    The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.

    it leads to

  • Through

    Genesis 30:2

    Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

    it leads to

    • Genesis 16:2

      So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice…

    • Psalms 127:3

      Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

    • 2 Kings 5:7

      When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see…

    • Genesis 31:36

      Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?

  • Through

    Genesis 20:7

    Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and…

    it leads to

    • Job 42:8

      So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer…

    • Hebrews 13:4

      Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

    • 1 Samuel 7:5

      Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”

Where this verse is studied

About Genesis

The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
Genesis: the study guide →Read Genesis 20 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Genesis 20 →