Genesis 20:14 · Bible study
Genesis 20:14 Commentary: Abimelech's Gifts
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Abimelech's gifts to Abraham after restoring Sarah serve as restitution and a sign of repentance. Explore the cultural and theological meaning.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Abimelech gives livestock and servants to Abraham as restitution for taking Sarah, demonstrating repentance and recognition of Abraham's prophetic role.
- Key words: “took” (H3947 / laqach), “gave” (H5414 / nathan), “restored” (H7725 / shuv), verbs of transfer and return.
- Main debate: Whether the gifts functioned purely as compensation for honor (Cambridge, Calvin) or also as an inducement for Abraham to pray (Gill, Matthew Henry, Jarchi).
- Theological theme: God's faithfulness overrides human failure; foreign rulers can become instruments of blessing when they fear the Lord.
- Best use: Illustrates the connection between repentance and restitution; models a public act of making things right; shows how God vindicates His chosen ones.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Abimelech taketh sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and giveth to Abraham, and sendeth back to him Sarah his wife;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and bondmen and bondwomen, and gave [them] to Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara his wife,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces Abimelech tomó ovejas y vacas, y siervos y siervas, y diólo á Abraham, y devolvióle á Sara su mujer.
Então Abimeleque tomou ovelhas e vacas, e servos e servas, e deu-o a Abraão, e devolveu-lhe a Sara sua mulher.
Abimélec prit des brebis et des bœufs, des serviteurs et des servantes, et les donna à Abraham; et il lui rendit Sara, sa femme.
Da nahm Abimelech Schafe und Rinder, Knechte und Mägde und gab sie Abraham und gab ihm wieder sein Weib Sara
Toen nam Abimelech schapen en runderen, ook dienstknechten en dienstmaagden, en gaf dezelve aan Abraham; en hij gaf hem Sara zijn huisvrouw weder.
E Abimelec prese delle pecore, de’ buoi, de’ servi e delle serve, e li diede ad Abrahamo, e gli restituì Sara sua moglie. E Abimelec disse:
Tedy nabrawszy Abimelech owiec, i wołów, i sług, i służebnic, dał Abrahamowi, i wrócił mu Sarę, żonę jego.
И взял Авимелех [серебра тысячу сиклей и] мелкого и крупного скота, и рабов и рабынь, и дал Аврааму; и возвратил ему Сарру, жену его.
亞比米勒 把 牛、羊、僕 婢 賜給 亞伯拉罕，又把 他的妻子 撒拉 歸還 他。
Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 20:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Abimelech's gifts function as compensation for the injury done to Abraham's honor and as a tangible sign of the king's repentance. Calvin notes that Abimelech, having been reproved by God, sought to appease Him “by compensating, by acts of kindness, for the injury they had brought on the holy man.” The Cambridge Bible calls the gift “intended to compensate Abraham for injury to his honour,” since the head of the household embodies the rights of his family. Gill adds that Abimelech gave these gifts because he understood from the divine oracle that Abraham was a prophet and would intercede for him, not as a bribe to keep Sarah, but to secure his prayers. Matthew Henry sees the gifts as “satisfaction for the wrong he had offered to do” and as a means to “engage Abraham's prayers for him.” Thus, the sheep, cattle, servants, and the restoration of Sarah herself together form a public act of restitution.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Abimelech restored Sarah and gave a generous gift of livestock and servants in response to God's rebuke, publicly acknowledging Abraham's prophetic status and making restitution for the wrong.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the gift | The gift serves as restitution for the wrong done to Abraham's honor and as a response to God's rebuke. | Some commentators emphasize compensation for injury (Cambridge Bible, Calvin), while others stress that it was given to secure Abraham's intercessory prayers (Gill, Matthew Henry). The two purposes are not mutually exclusive. |
| Comparison with Pharaoh's gift (Gen 12:16) | Both Pharaoh and Abimelech gave Abraham livestock and servants. | Calvin notes a key difference: Pharaoh gave gifts under terror and then expelled Abraham, while Abimelech gave gifts after a more composed repentance and offered Abraham a place to dwell. Lange and Keil & Delitzsch note the structural parallel but do not fully resolve whether the gifts served identical functions. |
| Textual integrity of the gift list | Most Hebrew manuscripts and English translations list sheep, cattle, male servants, and female servants. | The Cambridge Bible notes that the LXX and Samaritan Pentateuch insert “a thousand pieces of silver” before “sheep and oxen,” possibly assimilating from verse 16. This variant affects whether the thousand shekels were part of the gift listed in verse 14 or a separate transaction to Sarah. |
| Abraham's culpability and the king's righteousness | Both Abraham's deception and Abimelech's innocence regarding Sarah are acknowledged in the narrative (see Gen 20:4, 6). | Reformed commentators (Calvin, Matthew Henry) tend to focus on Abimelech's integrity as a foil to Abraham's lack of faith. Other traditions read the episode more sympathetically toward Abraham, noting the continued threat posed by foreign rulers. The tension between Abraham's weakness and God's protection is a recurring theme. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, gifts between rulers often served to restore relationships after a breach of honor. When Abimelech took Sarah into his house (Gen 20:2), he unwittingly endangered God's covenant promise. God's dream-rebuke (Gen 20:6, 7) made clear that Abraham was a prophet whose intercession could bring healing. By offering sheep, cattle, and slaves, a standard measure of wealth, Abimelech publicly acknowledged Abraham's standing and his own wrongdoing.
This incident differs from the earlier episode in Egypt (Gen 12:16, 20). Pharaoh gave Abraham gifts before discovering Sarah was his wife, then expelled him. Abimelech, by contrast, gives the gift after restoring Sarah and offers Abraham the freedom to dwell anywhere in his land (v. 15). Calvin observes this difference: Pharaoh was so terrified he “could scarcely bear the sight of Abraham,” while Abimelech, though alarmed, was soon composed by God's word that Abraham would pray for him.
The gifts also affirm Abraham's prophetic office. In a world where a king's favor meant security, Abimelech's generosity reversed Abraham's fear (Gen 20:11), the king of Gerar now showed the “fear of God” Abraham had doubted. The very items listed (sheep, cattle, male servants, female servants) mirror what Pharaoh had given earlier (Gen 12:16), suggesting a pattern: God's promise-bearer is honored even by foreign rulers when they recognize divine hand upon him.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Genesis 20:14 in the major Hebrew manuscripts. However, the Cambridge Bible observes that the LXX and the Samaritan Pentateuch insert “a thousand pieces of silver” before “sheep and oxen,” likely due to a scribal assimilation from Genesis 20:16, where a thousand shekels are mentioned separately. Most English translations follow the Masoretic Text, which lacks this insertion. No other variants are reported in the consulted sources.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have read this verse as a model of repentance issuing in concrete restitution. The Reformers, especially Calvin and Matthew Henry, emphasize that Abimelech's gifts were the fruit of genuine fear of God and a desire to be reconciled. In Jewish tradition, Rashi (citing earlier midrashim) notes that the gifts were meant to secure Abraham's prayers for healing, a point echoed later by Jarchi and picked up by Protestant commentators like Gill. The verse has also been used to illustrate God's sovereign protection of His covenant line: even a pagan king is compelled to honor and bless Abraham. In more recent exegesis, the focus has shifted to the cultural function of gift-giving as a means of restoring honor in a shame-honor society.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Repentance takes visible form. Abimelech does not simply return Sarah; he adds costly gifts. True repentance produces fruit that can be seen and counted (cf. Luke 19:8). His actions show more than words could say.
- Restitution restores honor. In Abraham's culture, a household head carried the honor of his family. By giving animals and servants, Abimelech publicly repaired the damage to Abraham's standing. Restitution is not just about replacing what was lost, it is about lifting up the one who was wronged.
- God's protection exceeds our fears. Abraham had worried that “the fear of God is not in this place” (Gen 20:11). Instead, Abimelech acts with greater integrity than Abraham anticipated. God can move the hearts of rulers to protect His people, even when our own faith wavers.
Five-point outline
- A king's fear of God. Abimelech's willingness to give shows that he took God's warning seriously. His gifts are the response of a humbled heart.
- Value attached to relationship. The gifts (sheep, cattle, servants) are not trivial, they represented a significant portion of a king's assets. Abimelech invested in making peace.
- Prophets and prayer. As Gill notes, Abimelech knew that Abraham was a prophet whose prayers could bring healing. The gifts were an implicit request for intercession.
- Open door, not expulsion. Unlike Pharaoh, who sent Abraham away, Abimelech invites him to stay: “My land is before you” (v. 15). Repentance can open doors that sin had closed.
- A pattern for God's people. Throughout Scripture, God's chosen are vindicated even in foreign courts. This episode foreshadows how God will later bless Israel through Gentile kings (e.g., Cyrus in Ezra 1).
Illustration hooks
- After a fight with a neighbor. Imagine causing damage to someone's property, then not only paying for repairs but also bringing a housewarming gift. That extra step shows genuine remorse, not just legal compliance.
- Corporate restitution. A company that overcharges customers and then not only refunds the difference but also gives a gift card for future purchases. The bonus gesture signals that the relationship matters, not just the debt.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell if my apology is sincere enough? Is there a place for restitution in everyday relationships today?
- Abraham lied about Sarah, why does the story focus on the king's repentance rather than Abraham's failure?
- What do I do when someone I have hurt offers gifts? Should I accept them as part of reconciliation?
Leading a Discussion
Genesis 20:14 shows us a moment of public restitution. Abimelech, having been warned by God, returns Sarah and adds a generous gift. This action stands in contrast to Abraham's earlier fear that Gerar had no fear of God. The passage invites us to consider how repentance, restitution, and relationships work together.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 20:14, 18 together. What do you notice about Abimelech's actions and words? How do they follow from God's warning in verses 6, 7?
- Why do you think Abimelech gave such a substantial gift, sheep, cattle, servants, in addition to returning Sarah? What does the gift communicate?
- Compare Abimelech's response with Pharaoh's in Genesis 12:17, 20. Both kings were confronted by God, but their reactions differed. What might account for the difference?
- Abraham had feared that “the fear of God is not in this place” (Gen 20:11). How does Abimelech's behaviour challenge or confirm Abraham's assumption?
- In what ways does restitution, making things right materially, matter in our own relationships? Can true repentance exist without some form of reparation?
- How does this passage show God's protection of His covenant promises, even when His servant makes mistakes?
- What does Abimelech's gift teach us about how to treat people whom God has called and anointed, even when they have flaws?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 12:16 | He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. |
| Genesis 12:19 | Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.” |
| Genesis 12:20 | Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had. |
| Genesis 20:2 | Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. |
| Genesis 20:7 | Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.” |
| Genesis 20:11 | Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights the contrast between Pharaoh, who drove Abraham away in terror, and Abimelech, who offered him a home after God added a word of consolation. He argues that fear alone produces only forced obedience, but when God declares His favor, the sinner responds with genuine, composed penitence. Abimelech's kindness also brought a blessing: Isaac was born in his territory.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Abimelech's gift compensates Abraham for the injury to his honor, since the head of a household embodies the rights of everyone belonging to him. The Septuagint and Samaritan Pentateuch wrongly insert "a thousand pieces of silver" before "sheep and oxen," misreading the later verse about the silver.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe that Abimelech’s generous gifts to Abraham, along with restoring Sarah, show his genuine fear of God after being confronted. By returning the wife and adding livestock and servants, Abimelech publicly acknowledges Abraham’s prophetic authority and seeks to make full amends for his unwitting offense.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasises that Abimelech gave gifts to Abraham not as a bribe to keep Sarah, but to secure Abraham's prayer for healing. Having learned that Abraham was a prophet, Abimelech wanted his intercession, and the gifts accompanied the honest restoration of Sarah untouched.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch clarifies that the “covering of the eyes” is not a veil for Sarah but a figurative atoning gift, like bribing a judge to overlook an offense. The thousand shekels represent the value of Abraham’s present, indicating full restitution. The phrase “so you are justified” means justice has been done to her, clearing her honor.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange traces Abraham's repeated deception to a calculating prudence rooted in fear of man, not malice. After witnessing Sodom's judgment, Abraham's shaken confidence led him to rely on human schemes rather than God's promise. The episode exposes how even a believer's well-intentioned caution can endanger God's plan until divine intervention and a pagan king's integrity correct the error.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that Abraham’s fear of being killed for Sarah proved completely unfounded; Abimelech instead loaded him with gifts. He sees this as a practical lesson: it is wise to secure the goodwill of those who have influence with heaven, since their prayers are valuable.