The Meaning of Genesis 20:9 Explained

Genesis 20:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: and Abimelech calleth for Abraham, and saith to him, 'What hast thou done to us? and what have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought upon me, and upon my kingdom, a great sin? works which are not done thou hast done with me.'

Darby: And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, What hast thou done to us? And in what have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me, and on my kingdom, a great sin? Thou hast done to me deeds that ought not to be done.

ASV: Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And wherein have I sinned against 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 20:9 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 20:9 mean?

And called Abimelech Abraham and said to him what have you done to us and how have I offended you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a sin great deeds that not ought to be done You have done to me
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְאַבְרָהָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ מֶֽה־ עָשִׂ֤יתָ ؟ לָּ֙נוּ֙ וּמֶֽה־ חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־ הֵבֵ֧אתָ עָלַ֛י וְעַל־ מַמְלַכְתִּ֖י חֲטָאָ֣ה ؟ גְדֹלָ֑ה מַעֲשִׂים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ יֵֽעָשׂ֔וּ עָשִׂ֖יתָ עִמָּדִֽי

וַיִּקְרָ֨א  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.
אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ  Abimelech 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king of Gerar in Abraham’s time.
לְאַבְרָהָ֗ם  Abraham 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֜וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
עָשִׂ֤יתָ  have  you  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
؟ לָּ֙נוּ֙  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
וּמֶֽה־  and  how 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
חָטָ֣אתִי  have  I  offended 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הֵבֵ֧אתָ  you  have  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עָלַ֛י  on  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְעַל־  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מַמְלַכְתִּ֖י  my  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
חֲטָאָ֣ה  a  sin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲטָאָה  
Sense: sin, sin offering.
؟ גְדֹלָ֑ה  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מַעֲשִׂים֙  deeds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יֵֽעָשׂ֔וּ  ought  to  be  done 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עָשִׂ֖יתָ  You  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עִמָּדִֽי  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִמָּד  
Sense: with.