Discovery BoxGenesis 20:4-7 
Context20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, 1 would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 2 20:5 Did Abraham 3 not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, 4 ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience 5 and with innocent hands!”
20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. 6 That is why I have kept you 7 from sinning against me and why 8 I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 9 he is a prophet 10 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 11 But if you don’t give her back, 12 know that you will surely die 13 along with all who belong to you.”
1 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
2 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.
3 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Heb “and she, even she.”
5 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”
6 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”
7 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”
8 tn Heb “therefore.”
9 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
10 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
11 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.
sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.
12 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
13 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
