18
ForכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhad completelyעָצֹרclosedעָצַרeveryבְּעַד כָּלwombרֶחֶםin the houseלְבֵיתof Abimelechאֲבִימֶלֶךְbecause ofעַל דְּבַרSarah,שָׂרָהAbraham’sאַבְרָהָםwife.אֵשֶׁת
Genesis 20:18
Study it in the app“For YHWH had completely closed every womb in the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 20:18, word by word
- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- had completelyעָצֹרatsor
restrain
To stop something, like rain or a plague.
Where else “atsor” appears- wombרֶחֶםrechem
womb
The part of a mother's body where the child grows before birth.
Where else “rechem” appears- in the houseבֵיתvet
household
The family, everyone living under one roof.
Where else “vet” appears- of Abimelechאֲבִימֶלֶךְavimelech
Abimelech
Abimelech, the name of Philistine kings of Gerar in the days of Abraham and of Isaac, and of other men, such as a son of Gideon. The name means "my father is king"; it may have been a title of the kings of that place.
Where else “avimelech” appears- because ofדְּבַרdevar
thing
A matter, a thing; with "not", nothing.
Where else “devar” appears- Sarahשָׂרָהsara
Sarah
Sarah, the name God gave to Sarai, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. It means "princess".
Where else “sara” appears- Abraham’sאַבְרָהָםavraham
Abraham
Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.
Where else “avraham” appears- wifeאֵשֶׁתeshet
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “eshet” appears
The context
17Then Abraham prayed to Elohim, and Elohim healed Abimelech, his wife, and his slave women, so that they bore children.
18 · This verse (above)
To study Genesis 20 in a group
1. What it says
What did Abraham say about Sarah in front of Abimelech, and how did Elohim step in (vv. 2-3)?
2. What it means
What does Elohim say about Abimelech’s integrity of heart, and how does he deal with him (vv. 5-6)?
3. How I live it
How can you be honest today, even when fear tempts you to hide the truth?