旧约 - 创世记(Genesis)第20章

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
创世记第二十章   第 20 章 

  创 20:2> 性格中的弱点常会是人失足之处──真的?我今天最需要对付的软弱是…… 

  20:2 亚伯拉罕以前也曾使用这样的花招来保护自己( 12:11-13 )。他虽然是信心上的英雄,却没有汲取上次的教训,再一次屈服于试探之下;冒险把自己犯罪的行为变成习惯──每当觉得生命有危险时,就以撒谎来脱险。 

  无论我们怎样爱神,总会遇上一些特别难以抵抗的诱惑──我们灵命上最常受攻击之处。当我们努力战胜自己的软弱时,知道神在看顾我们,正如祂保守亚伯拉罕一样,我们就可以得到鼓励。 

  创 20:6> 神多次挽回罪中的人,也在挽回你和我,你知道吗? 

  20:6 亚比米勒因无知而娶了已婚的妇人,几乎犯了奸淫罪;幸好神阻止他玷污撒拉,使他得免犯罪。神对他是何等的怜悯!神也多次这样挽回我们,使我们不致犯罪,只是我们不察觉。在这段记载中我们可以知道,神用我们可以知道的方法,也用我们察觉不到的方法来工作。 

  创 20:11-13> 亚伯拉罕误以为眼前的困难是难以克服的,我是否相信神在我认为不可能的地方动工吗? 

  20:11-13 由于亚伯拉罕误以为亚比米勒是恶人,所以隐瞒真相。他以为瞒骗亚比米勒比信靠神在这位君王的生命中工作更来得有效。不要假设神不会在困难的情况中工作,我们未必完全明白当时的处境,但神会在我们意想不到的时候动工。 

  创 20:17-18> 有一些困难,是神出于善意拦阻人用的…… 

  20:17-18 亚比米勒并不知道撒拉是个有夫之妇,为什么在他想娶她的时候,神还要刑罚他呢?( 1 )他的意图虽是好的,但是只要撒拉住在他的宫中,他就有犯罪的可能。人吃了误以为无毒的蘑菇,虽然意图无错,还是要受苦。不管我们的目的如何,罪都是毁灭我们和周围人的毒药。( 2 )神警告亚比米勒:只要他跟撒拉有同寝的行动,祂就使他全家的妇女不能生育。神是要扭转这种情形,而不是要伤害亚比米勒。( 3 )这件事清楚表明亚伯拉罕跟全能的神站在同一阵线上,这可能使亚比米勒敬畏亚伯拉罕的神。──《灵修版圣经注释》