Genesis 20:18

20:18 For the Lord ¹  had caused infertility to strike every woman ²  in the household of Abimelech because he took ³  Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Genesis 20:1

Abraham and Abimelech

20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev ⁴  region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident ⁵  in Gerar,

Genesis 16:1

The Birth of Ishmael

16:1 Now Sarai, ⁶  Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, ⁷  but she had an Egyptian servant ⁸  named Hagar. ⁹ 

Genesis 21:22

21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you ¹⁰  in all that you do.

Job 34:19

34:19 who shows no partiality to princes,

and does not take note of ¹¹  the rich more than the poor,

because all of them are the work of his hands?

Psalms 105:14-15

105:14 He let no one oppress them;

he disciplined kings for their sake,

105:15 saying, ¹²  “Don’t touch my chosen ¹³  ones!

Don’t harm my prophets!”

Hebrews 13:4

13:4 Marriage must be honored among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers.

[20:18]  ¹ tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”

[20:18]  ² tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[20:18]  ³ tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[20:1]  ⁴ tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”

[20:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he sojourned.”

[16:1]  ⁶ tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.

[16:1]  ⁷ sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.

[16:1]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.

[16:1]  ⁹ sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)

[21:22]  ¹⁰ sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.

[34:19]  ¹¹ tn The verb means “to give recognition; to take note of” and in this passage with לִפְנֵי (lifne, “before”) it means to show preferential treatment to the rich before the poor. The word for “rich” here is an unusual word, found parallel to “noble” (Isa 32:2). P. Joüon thinks it is a term of social distinction (Bib 18 [1937]: 207-8).

[105:15]  ¹² tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[105:15]  ¹³ tn Heb “anointed.”