Genesis 20:9-11
New English Translation
9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom?[a] You have done things to me that should not be done!”[b] 10 Then Abimelech asked[c] Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?”[d]
11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought,[e] ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of[f] my wife.’
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- Genesis 20:9 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.
- Genesis 20:9 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.
- Genesis 20:10 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”
- Genesis 20:10 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.
- Genesis 20:11 tn Heb “Because I said.”
- Genesis 20:11 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
Genesis 20:9-11
King James Version
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
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Genesis 20:9-11
New King James Version
9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I [a]offended you, (A)that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me (B)that ought not to be done.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely (C)the fear of God is not in this place; and (D)they will kill me on account of my wife.
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- Genesis 20:9 sinned against
Genesis 20:9-11
English Standard Version
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, (A)‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and (B)they will kill me because of my wife.’
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