Genesis 20:1 - Meaning and Application

Here, first, we see Abraham moving away from Mamre, where he had lived for nearly twenty years, into the land of the Philistines. He settled in Gerar (Genesis 20:1). We are not told why he moved, whether he feared the destruction of Sodom, whether the people around him had become suspicious because of it, or whether, as some Jewish writers say, he was troubled by Lot’s incest with his daughters and by the shame the Canaanites brought on him and his religion because of his relative’s sin. There was certainly some good reason for the move. We should remember that in this world, where we are strangers and pilgrims, we cannot expect to stay in one place forever. Wherever we are, we should think of ourselves as temporary residents.

Second, Abraham sinned by denying his wife, as he had done before (Genesis 12:13). This was more than a half-truth that came close to a lie, and if such speech were allowed, honest conversation would collapse and falsehood would spread everywhere. It also put Sarah’s purity and honor at risk, and Abraham should have protected her. This sin was even worse because he had fallen into it before, had been corrected for it, and had already seen how foolish the idea was that led him there. Yet he returned to it. A good man can still fall into sin, and even fall again into the same sin, because temptation can be strong and human weakness is real. So those who backslide should repent, but they should not lose hope (Jeremiah 3:22).

Third, Sarah seems to have been especially vulnerable at this time. It appears that she was either already pregnant with the promised child, or at least expecting that she soon would be, according to God’s word. For that reason Abraham should have guarded her with special care, as in the case of Samson’s mother (Judges 13:4). Instead, his actions brought her into danger. The king of Gerar sent for her and took her into his house, planning to take her as his wife or concubine. We should notice how often one person’s sin leads others into sin. Anyone who breaks through God’s commands opens a gap through which many other sins can rush in. The start of sin is like letting water out of a dam.