For the Lord had completely closed all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
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.
- BSB for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
- NKJV for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house 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 12:17Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
- Gen 30:2Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
- Gen 20:7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”
- Gen 16:2Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
- 1 Sam 1:6Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb.
- 1 Sam 5:10So they sent God’s ark to Ekron. As God’s ark came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.