Genesis 20:18

Gen 20:18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

Ver. 18. For the Lord had fast closed up all, &c.] In quibus peccamus, in iisdem plectimur . God oft takes notice of the offending member. Dives was tormented most in his tongue, quia lingua plus peccaverat , saith Cyprian. {a} Nestorii lingua vermibus exesa . Archbishop Arundel was so smitten in his tongue, that he could neither swallow nor speak, for serveral days before his death. Atque id multi tum fieri putabant, quod verbum Dei alligasset, ne suo tempore praedicaretur , saith the historian. {b} The like is reported of Stephen Gardiner, Fertur Heraclius Imp. inguine sursum converso faciem suam perminxisse, nisi urina (tabella imo ventri appossita) averteretur. Id ei accidisse creditum, ob incestum cum fratris filia coitum. {c}

{a} Evag., lib. i.

{b} Theo. Gascon. in Diction. Theolog.

{c} Act. and Mon. 1622.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Had taken away from them the gift of conceiving.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 18. For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs] Probably by means of some disease with which he had smitten them, hence it is said they were healed at Abraham's intercession; and this seems necessarily to imply that they had been afflicted by some disease that rendered it impossible for them to have children till it was removed. And possibly this disease, as Dr. Dodd conjectures, had afflicted Abimelech, and by this he was withheld, Ge 20:6, from defiling Abraham's bed.

1. ON the prevarication of Abraham and Sarah, see the notes and concluding observations on chap. xii.; See Clarke on Ge 12:20; and while we pity this weakness, let us take it as a warning.

2. The cause why the patriarch did not acknowledge Sarah as his wife, was a fear lest he should lose his life on her account, for he said, Surely the fear, i.e., the true worship, of the true God is not in this place. Such is the natural bigotry and narrowness of the human heart, that we can scarcely allow that any besides ourselves possess the true religion. To indulge a disposition of this kind is highly blamable. The true religion is neither confined to one spot nor to one people; it is spread in various forms over the whole earth. He who fills immensity has left a record of himself in every nation and among every people under heaven. Beware of the spirit of intolerance! for bigotry produces uncharitableness; and uncharitableness, harsh judging; and in such a spirit a man may think he does God service when he tortures, or makes a burnt-offering of the person whom his narrow mind and hard heart have dishonoured with the name of heretic. Such a spirit is not confined to any one community, though it has predominated in some more than in others. But these things are highly displeasing in the sight of God. HE, as the Father of the spirits of all flesh, loves every branch of his vastly extended family; and as far as we love one another, no matter of what sect of party, so far we resemble HIM. Had Abraham possessed more charity for man and confidence in God at this time, he had not fallen into that snare from which he barely escaped. A hasty judgment is generally both erroneous and harsh; and those who are the most apt to form it are generally the most difficult to be convinced of the truth.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. For the Lord] An editorial addition, explanatory of Gen_20:17. “Jehovah” is here used for the only time in this narrative.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech,.... With large tumours probably, so that they could not cohabit with their husbands and conceive; nor could those that had conceived bring forth: and this disorder they were smitten with:

because of Sarah Abraham's wife; who was taken into the house of Abimelech, in order to be his; to rebuke and punish for which, and to convince of the evil of it, and cause to abstain from it, this disorder was inflicted on them.

Next: Genesis Chapter 21

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This phrase elsewhere notes barrenness, as 1Sa 1:5,6, and so many understand it here. Against which some learned men object that that could not so soon be discovered, for all this happened between the conception and birth of Isaac. Which objection may seem not valid, because the evidences of women’s being with child go so long before the birth of the child, and those evidences not appearing in any of their women, who before that time were generally fruitful and child bearing, they might discern God’s hand in it, especially upon God’s admonition to their king. But because this history seems to have been done in a far less space of time, it not being probable either that God would suffer Sarah to be long with Abimelech ere he warned him, or that he being warned, and so severely threatened, and actually punished, would delay the execution of God’s command, or that upon his obedience to God the mercy and deliverence promised would be delayed by God; that seems more probable which others think, that this was an indisposition, or plague, or sore in the secret parts, by which they were hindered from cohabitation and mutual converse, and consequently from hopes of conception and child-bering; upon the removal whereof, it is said that

they bare children, where, as ofttimes in Scripture, the last and consummating act is put for all the preceding acts: q.d. and they were restored to the conjugal use, and conception, and, in due time, to child-bearing.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. The Lord — It was JEHOVAH, the covenant God, who had thus interposed.

Fast closed up all the wombs — So as to prevent conception. Compare 1Sa_1:5-6.

Because of Sarah — The malady, which is said to have been healed, Gen_20:17, was sent for Sarah’s sake, and, therefore, we naturally suppose that Sarah was kept apart from Abraham some months at least. Compare Gen_20:3-4, notes.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the Lord (Jehovah; vide supra on Ver. 3) had fast closed up all the wombs i.e. prevented conception, or produced barrenness (Gen_16:2; Isa_66:9; 1Sa_1:5, 1Sa_1:6; for the opposite; Gen_29:31 Gen_30:22) "poena convenientissima; quid enim convenientius esse poterat, quam ut amittat, qui ad se rapit aliena" (Musculus). Vide Havernick, of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham"s wife the motive obviously being to protect the purity of the promised seed.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

בעד כל רחם GOD HAD CLOSED UP EVERY רחם — means had closed up every opening (of the body)

'על דבר שרה וגו BECAUSE OF (literally, by the word of) SARAH — at Sarah’s bidding (Genesis Rabbah 52:13).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

כי עצר עצר בעד כל רחם, among the women, and possibly also among the animals which were meant to give birth at that time. (as we quoted our sages as saying). In fact the Talmud says that even hens which lay eggs instead of producing live chicks from their bodies were equally affected.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.