20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, 2 would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 3
1 tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.
2 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
3 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.