Genesis

Genesis 20:3–6

3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

4Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”

6Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

Read all of Genesis 20

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Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 20:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
One nightהַלָּ֑יְלָהhal·lā·yə·lāhArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
howeverהַלָּ֑יְלָהhal·lā·yə·lāhArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
Godאֱלֹהִ֛ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
cameוַיָּבֹ֧אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
in a dreamבַּחֲל֣וֹםba·ḥă·lō·wmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2472 dream
and toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himל֗וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
You are as good as deadמֵת֙mêṯVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4191 die
because ofעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the womanהָאִשָּׁ֣הhā·’iš·šāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH802 woman, wife, female
you have takenלָקַ֔חְתָּlā·qaḥ·tāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH3947 take
for sheוְהִ֖ואwə·hi·wConjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
is a marriedבְּעֻ֥לַתbə·‘u·laṯVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular constructH1166 marry, rule over
womanבָּֽעַל׃bā·‘alNoun - masculine singularH1167 owner, lord

Genesis 20:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now Abimelechוַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְwa·’ă·ḇî·me·leḵConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
had notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
goneקָרַ֖בqā·raḇVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7126 come near, approach
near herאֵלֶ֑יהָ’ê·le·hāPreposition; third person feminine singularH413 motion to
so he repliedוַיֹּאמַ֕רway·yō·marConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Lordאֲדֹנָ֕י’ă·ḏō·nāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH136 lord
would You destroyתַּהֲרֹֽג׃ta·hă·rōḡVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH2026 kill, slay
a nationהֲג֥וֹיhă·ḡō·wArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1471 nation, people
even thoughגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
it is innocentצַדִּ֖יקṣad·dîqAdjective - masculine singularH6662 just, righteous

Genesis 20:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Didn’tהֲלֹ֨אhă·lōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
tellאָֽמַר־’ā·mar-Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
meלִי֙lîPreposition; first person common singular
Sheהִ֔ואhîPronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
is my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי’ă·ḥō·ṯîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH269 sister
And sheוְהִֽיא־wə·hî-Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
herselfהִ֥ואhîPronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
saidאָֽמְרָ֖ה’ā·mə·rāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH559 utter, say
Heה֑וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
is my brotherאָחִ֣י’ā·ḥîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH251 brother
I have doneעָשִׂ֥יתִי‘ā·śî·ṯîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH6213 do, make
thisזֹֽאת׃zōṯPronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
in the integrityבְּתָם־bə·ṯām-Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8537 completeness, integrity
of my heartלְבָבִ֛יlə·ḇā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
and the innocenceוּבְנִקְיֹ֥ןū·ḇə·niq·yōnConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH5356 innocency
of my handsכַּפַּ֖יkap·payNoun - feminine dual construct; first person common singularH3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan

Genesis 20:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֜יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
saidוַיֹּאמֶר֩way·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֵלָ֨יו’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
in the dreamבַּחֲלֹ֗םba·ḥă·lōmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2472 dream
Yesגַּ֣םgamConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
Iאָנֹכִ֤י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
knowיָדַ֙עְתִּי֙yā·ḏa‘·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH3045 know
thatכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
you didעָשִׂ֣יתָ‘ā·śî·ṯāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
thisזֹּ֔אתzōṯPronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
with a clearבְתָם־ḇə·ṯām-Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8537 completeness, integrity
conscienceלְבָבְךָ֙lə·ḇā·ḇə·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
and so Iאָנֹכִ֛י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
have keptוָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְwā·’eḥ·śōḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH2820 withhold, refrain
youאֽוֹתְךָ֖’ō·wṯ·ḵāDirect object marker; second person masculine singularH853 mark of the accusative
from sinningמֵחֲטוֹ־mê·ḥă·ṭōw-Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH2398 miss
against Meלִ֑יlîPreposition; first person common singular
That is whyעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
I did notלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
letנְתַתִּ֖יךָnə·ṯat·tî·ḵāVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
you touchלִנְגֹּ֥עַlin·gō·a‘Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH5060 touch, reach, strike
herאֵלֶֽיהָ׃’ê·le·hāPreposition; third person feminine singularH413 motion to

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 20:3 Genesis 20:7 · Matthew 27:19 · Psalm 105:14 · Job 33:15 · Genesis 28:12 · Matthew 1:20 · Genesis 31:24 · Genesis 37:9 · Matthew 2:12–13 · Job 4:12–13 · Jonah 3:4 · Genesis 40:8

Genesis 20:4 2 Samuel 4:11 · Genesis 18:23–25 · 1 Chronicles 21:17

Genesis 20:5 Psalm 7:8 · 1 Kings 9:4

Genesis 20:6 1 Samuel 25:34 · 1 Samuel 25:26 · Proverbs 21:1 · Genesis 35:5 · Genesis 31:7 · Exodus 34:24 · Psalm 84:11 · 2 Thessalonians 2:7 · Psalm 51:4 · 2 Corinthians 6:17 · Genesis 39:9 · Genesis 20:18

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.