Abimelech (1)

1. ABIMELECH, King of Gerar, having been extremely touch’d with the Beauty of Sarah, the Wife of Abraham, forced her from him, and took her for his Wife: But God did not permit him to meddle with her; for he appeared to him in the Night, and threaten’d him with death unless he restored her instantly to Abraham her Husband. Abimelech pleaded Ignorance in excuse for this Action, saying, that he took her upon Assurances from Abraham that she was his Sister: The next day therefore he sent her back to him, and complained to him of being thus deceived by him. Abraham confessed she was his Wife, but withal told him that she was his Sister also, being born of the same Father, but by another Mother. Abimelech made great Presents to him, and gave Sarah a thousand pieces of silver, desiring her to purchase a Veil with this money for a covering to her Face. At the same time he gave Abraham a Caution not to expose himself any more to the like inconveniency. He made an offer to him of chusing any part of his Dominions that was most agreeable to him for his Habitation tion, and begg’d him to intercede with God for the Cure of his Family, which, for the sake of Sarah, had been afflicted with great Plagues. Abraham did so, and the Wives of this Prince, by the favour of God, recover’d their Fertility, or the faculty of Conception. It appears by the 17th Verse of the 20th Chapter of Genesis, that Abimelech himself was seized with some indisposition, which was the Cause of Impotency. See likewise the 6th Verse of the same Genes. xx. 17. So Abraham prayed unto God, and God healed Abimelech and his Wife, and his Maid servants, and they bare Children.Chapter, Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. The Commentators may be consulted concerning the moral goodness or evil of this Action of Abraham. All this fell out in the year of the World 2107, before Jesus Christ 1893, before the vulgar Æra 1897.

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