3 And God cometh in unto Abimelech in a dream of the night, and saith to him, 'Lo, thou 'art' a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken—and she married to a husband.' 4 And Abimelech hath not drawn near unto her, and he saith, 'Lord, also a righteous nation dost thou slay? 5 hath not he himself said to me, She 'is' my sister! and she, even she herself, said, He 'is' my brother; in the integrity of my heart, and in the innocency of my hands, I have done this.' 6 And God saith unto him in the dream, 'Yea, I—I have known that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I withhold thee, even I, from sinning against Me, therefore I have not suffered thee to come against her; 7 and now send back the man's wife, for he 'is' inspired, and he doth pray for thee, and live thou; and if thou do not send back, know that dying thou dost die, thou, and all that thou hast.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 20:3-7
Commentary on Genesis 20:1-8
(Read Genesis 20:1-8)
Crooked policy will not prosper: it brings ourselves and others into danger. God gives Abimelech notice of his danger of sin, and his danger of death for his sin. Every wilful sinner is a dead man, but Abimelech pleads ignorance. If our consciences witness, that, however we may have been cheated into a snare, we have not knowingly sinned against God, it will be our rejoicing in the day of evil. It is matter of comfort to those who are honest, that God knows their honesty, and will acknowledge it. It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin; of this God must have the glory. But if we have ignorantly done wrong, that will not excuse us, if we knowingly persist in it. He that does wrong, whoever he is, prince or peasant, shall certainly receive for the wrong which he has done, unless he repent, and, if possible, make restitution.