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14 So Abimelech gave[a] sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.”[b]

16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given 1,000 pieces of silver[c] to your ‘brother.’[d] This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.”[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 20:14 tn Heb “took and gave.”
  2. Genesis 20:15 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”
  3. Genesis 20:16 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).
  4. Genesis 20:16 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).
  5. Genesis 20:16 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).

14 Then Abimelek(A) brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham,(B) and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”(C)

16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels[a] of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 20:16 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms