Abimelech, the Philistine king of Gerar, believed Abraham when he said Sarah was his sister, so Abimelech had her brought into his harem (Genesis 20:2). Then God spoke to Abimelech in a dream: “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife” (20:3). Abimelech protested that he was innocent; Abraham himself had told him that she was his sister, and besides Abimelech hadn’t touched her (20:4-5).

“Yes, I know,” God replied in the dream, “that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me” (20:6). Yet a clear conscience would not be enough: Abimelech still had to make the situation right. “Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours” (20:7).

This was quite distressing to Abimelech and his servants (20:8). Abimelech called in Abraham and complained that Abraham had treated him badly: “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?” he asked (20:910). Abraham responded that he figured they were all godless heathens, with no fear of God at all, so he was afraid they would have killed him to get his wife (20:11). Yet the text has allowed us to see that Abimelech was actually quite responsive to the revelation he received from God.

The overall narrative of the book of Genesis is the story of God’s decision to bring into being a covenant people, the descendants of Abraham, through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed (12:3): but this incident shows us it is not because Abraham was especially good and the rest of the world was especially bad. Indeed, although Abraham assumed that he was a more virtuous man than Abimelech, in today’s text the opposite appears to be the case.

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Jesus marveled at the faith of the Centurion: “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith” (Luke 7:1-10).

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We are all needy sinners, O Lord: those of us like Abraham who think we are good at following you, and those of us like Abimelech who have never heard your name. Give us your grace, we pray: for only grace is sufficient to overcome our ignorance, our fearfulness, and our superiority.

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