for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
Parallel translations
- WEB For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
- KJV For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
- NKJV for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
- NASB For the Lord had completely closed all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
- NLT For the Lord had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The chapter explains that the Lord had closed all the wombs of Abimelech's house because of Sarah. God's judgment had fallen to protect Sarah's purity.
Overview
This closing note reveals the hidden cause behind the household's distress, a divine intervention guarding Sarah and the promised seed. God's sovereign control over fertility, opening and closing the womb, is a recurring biblical theme that sets up the miraculous birth of Isaac in the next chapter. The Lord's jealous protection of His promise assures readers that nothing can thwart His redemptive plan.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Gen 12:17The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.
- Gen 30:2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
- Gen 20:7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
- Gen 16:2So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
- 1 Sam 1:6Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.
- 1 Sam 5:10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 20:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.