Abimelech, King of Gerar

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Abraham and Sarah, Old Testament Kings

Abimelech's name means, "father/leader of a king," or "my father/leader, the king."
He is mentioned twice in Genesis. Both stories involve the sister/wife narratives. (See Genesis 20, 26).
Some scholars believe the king in the second story was his son.
Gerar was a Philistine city and area located in what is now south central Israel.
According to Genesis, Gerar was halfway between Gaza and Beersheba.
After Abraham told the king Sarah was his sister, the king took her into his palace.
God came to Abimelech in a dream and said, "You are about to die because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a married woman."
But Abimelech had not touched her. He said, "Lord, will you destroy an innocent people?"
Abraham had told him directly, "She is my sister."
Sarah confirmed it by saying, "He is my brother."
Abimelech was completely innocent.
God replied in his dream. "Yes, I know you are innocent. It was I who kept you from sinning."
He was told to release Sarah to Abraham who would pray for his life.
No harm would come to Abimelech, if he let her go.
If he didn't, he would die, along with all those that were with him.
When Abimelech awoke the next morning, he called all his servants and told them what had happened.
Everyone was very frightened.
Abimelech called Abraham and confronted him.
He asked him, "What have you done to us?"
He didn't know what he could have done to Abraham to cause him to treat him so badly.
He asked, "What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?"
Abraham said he was afraid. He thought the people had no concept of God, and they would kill him because of Sarah.
Then Abraham added that she really was his sister. They had the same father, but different mothers.
Abimelech "took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him."
He told Abraham he could settle wherever he chose.
In front of everyone he also gave Abraham 1000 pieces of silver showing that Sarah was completely vindicated.
Abraham then prayed to God, and Abimelech and his wife and female slaves were healed and able to bear children.
Previously, the Lord had closed all their wombs because of Sarah.
Abimelech, with his army commander as witness, asked Abraham to swear that he would never deal falsely with him or any of his offspring ever again.
Abraham agreed.
But later, Abraham complained to Abimelech that his servants had seized a well of water.
That was news to Abimelech.
Abraham took sheep and oxen and made a covenant with Abimelech.
By accepting the sheep Abimelech agreed that Abraham had dug the well.
The covenant was made.
They called the place Beer-sheba. "Beer" means "well;" "Sheba" could mean "oath" or "seven."
Then Abimelech and his commander went back to the land of the Philistines.
Genesis 26 describes a similar situation with Isaac who also went to Gerar due to a famine.
God had instructed him to do this and promised to protect him.
When he was asked about his wife, Isaac also said, "She is my sister."
Yet, one day Abimelech looked out of a window and saw Isaac fondling Rebekah.
He confronted Isaac about her being his wife.
Isaac also said that he was afraid he would be killed because Rebekah was so attractive.
Abimelech was very upset and warned all the people, saying, "Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death."
Isaac stayed in that land for a long time and became very wealthy.
Then the Philistines stopped up all of Abraham's wells, and Abimelech asked him to leave because he had become too powerful.
Isaac moved a distance farther in Gerar.
Initially, wherever Isaac's servants dug new wells, the people quarreled with them.
Eventually they were able to dig a well.
Then they went to Beer-sheba. That very night the Lord appeared to him and repeated the promises that had been made to Abraham.
Soon, Abimelech went to him, offering peace.
In the morning they exchanged oaths, and Abimelech departed in peace.

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