The Meaning of Genesis 20:8 Explained

Genesis 20:8

KJV: Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

YLT: And Abimelech riseth early in the morning, and calleth for all his servants, and speaketh all these words in their ears; and the men fear exceedingly;

Darby: And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and spoke all these words in their ears; and the men were greatly afraid.

ASV: And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. And the men were sore afraid.

Discover Genesis 20:8

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Genesis 20:8?

MEANING: What does Genesis 20:8 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Genesis 20:8 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Genesis 20:8?

What is the context of Genesis 20:8?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

What does Genesis 20:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 20:1-18 - Abraham Again Denies His Wife

It is wonderful that Abraham should fall like this. He had walked with God for so many years, and experienced so many deliverances, that we should have expected him to have reached an unassailable position. But the best of men are men at the best; and God, who knows us better than we know ourselves, remembers that we are dust. He often steps in by His providence to intercept the full consequences of our wrongdoing, provided always that our heart is really true to Him. There is delightful reassurance in the words, "I withheld thee." God may have to chastise His children for their backslidings, but He will not hand them over to the will of their enemies, nor allow His covenant to fail. He rebukes king's for the sake of His people. See Psalms 105:15. There is a high-toned morality in some who are outside our religious pale, which may put us to shame. It crops up in unexpected places, as here in Abimelech's remonstrance. It was terrible that He was compelled to address Abraham as in Genesis 20:9. God has direct dealings with such men, but they need our prayer and help. See Genesis 20:3; Genesis 20:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 20

¹ Abraham sojourns at Gerar
² Denies his wife, who is taken by Abimelech
³ Abimelech is reproved for her in a dream
⁹ He rebukes Abraham
¹⁴ Restores Sarah;
¹⁶ and reproves her
¹⁷ Abimelech and his family are healed at Abraham's prayer

What do the individual words in Genesis 20:8 mean?

So rose early Abimelech in the morning and called all his servants and he told - all things these in their hearing and were afraid the men very much

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקְרָא֙ לְכָל־ עֲבָדָ֔יו וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־ כָּל־ הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מְאֹֽד

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם	So rose early
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: שָׁכַם Sense: to rise or start early.
אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ	Abimelech
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ Sense: king of Gerar in Abraham’s time.
בַּבֹּ֗קֶר	in the morning
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: בֹּקֶר Sense: morning, break of day.
וַיִּקְרָא֙	and called
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: קָרָא Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
עֲבָדָ֔יו	his servants
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular Root: עֶבֶד Sense: slave, servant.
וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר	and he told
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: דָּבַר Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדְּבָרִ֥ים	things
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural Root: דָּבָר Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֖לֶּה	these
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural Root: אֵהֶל Sense: these.
בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם	in their hearing
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural Root: אֹזֶן Sense: ear, as part of the body.
וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ	and were afraid
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: יָרֵא Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים	the men
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
מְאֹֽד	very much
Parse: Adverb Root: מְאֹד Sense: exceedingly, much subst.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 20:8?

Loading Information...