You are so focused on that, you can see anything else. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech 's servants had violently taken away. Abraham died at the good old age of 175. Then you will bear fruit that others can see (John 15:4-5), and it will bring glory to God. (Nice people.) ADD. His run-in with Abraham can only be described as divine fate. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. How about this object? But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman. (Genesis 20:3). 6 Valuable Lessons from the Life of Samuel, 10 Verses from James to Deepen Your Faith. Abimelech then became the King of Shechem, ruling for three years before a conspiracy arose against him. Jeremiah writes in Lamentations 5:7, "Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their iniquities." 12 Isaac received a 100-fold return on what he planted that year in the land he received, because the LORD blessed him. 2. Students may or may not know the stories of Abraham. Abimelech charges Abraham as having missed the standard of behavior against him and his nation. 20). This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Again, no sin is involved. So lets consider the question, who is Abimelech and what should we know about him? [This article continues after a message from the authors] These Articles are Written by the Publishers of The Amazing Bible Timeline At Nuzu there were not only marriage documents but also sistership documents (tuppi ahtti); thus some wives simultaneously had the juridicial status of a wife and sister, each recorded in separate, independent, legal documents. New International Version (NIV). After returning home, he fathered 70 sons by many wives. Standing up for himself Abimelech responded saying that he was innocent, had not laid a hand on her and had been informed that she was Abrahams sibling not his wife. This is a reminder that God made promises to Abraham, and He will fulfill them. Ahimelech ( Hebrew: mele, "my brother is king"/"brother of a king"), [1] the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar ( 1 Samuel 22:20-23 ), but described as the son of Abiathar in 2 Samuel 8:17 and in four places in 1 Chronicles. Jodi has over 20 years experience teaching children in large and small group settings. After their chat, Abraham and Sarah went through Egypt and ultimately went to Gerar by chapter 20. Say: Horses eyes are on the sides of their heads, so they have incredible peripheral vision. Isaac must have been VERY excited to hear that God was going to be with him and bless him so much. Also, Ezekiel 44:10 reads, "And the Levites who went far from Me, when Israel went astray, who strayed away from Me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity." Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Now you can only see what is in front of you. Although the story of Abimelech is episodic, it represents a shift in Israelite attitudes leading to the establishment of the monarchy. Then he settled there and dug a well. This title is used of three different persons in the OT: one during Abraham's time ( Gen 20; 21) one during Isaac's time, ( ch. A cognomen applied to Philistine rulers as Pharaoh, Agag and Jabin were also applied by the Egyptians, Amalekites, and Canaanites respectively. Ahimelech [N] [H] [S] brother of the king, the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar ( 1 Samuel 22:20-23 ). Right away the king knew Isaac had lied and that Rebekah was really his wife. As a result, youve been tremendously blessed by the LORD. 30 So Isaac held a festival for them, and they ate and drank. Only after she was returned did this curse get removed. These men were so amazed by the power of God in Isaacs life, that they begged him not to harm them. "Cedars beside the waters" is a strange illustration because normally, cedar trees do not grow beside rivers. He was the twelfth high priest, and officiated at Nob, where he was visited by . There had been a famine in the land, but in less than one year, Issacs crops multiplied 100-fold. (1997); Y. Amit, Judges (1999), 17380; D. Herr and M. Boyd, in: BAR 28/1 (2002), 3437, 62. Any minute now, one of the people could have had sex with your wife and you would have caused all of us to be guilty. 11 So he issued this order to everyone: Whoever touches this man or his wife is to be executed.. Thank you! This scripture opens a window for us to understand the effects of adultery. Well tell me what you can see. He was married to a woman who was a sister to Abraham. Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and reviseded.). Abraham, again fearing for his life as he had with Pharaoh (Gen 12:10-20), declared that Sarah was his sister. Only the period of the consolidation of the monarchal concept in Israel separated Abimelech's rule from the anointing of Saul. The Bible tells us that all of Ishmaels descendants were unfriendly to each other. Whether Abraham was implying that she was doubly protected as E. Speiser has maintained on the basis of the Nuzu documents is uncertain. In effect, Balaam is saying that, by comparison, Israel's kings will come to dominate the rulers of even the strongest nations of the time. ; "the [Divine] Father is King" or the [Divine] King is Father ), the king of Gerar, and the male offspring of Gideon the Abiezrite by his Shechemite concubine ( Judg. Rebekah was a beautiful woman who respected and followed the Lord. The name of two kings of Philistia; the first was a contemporary of Abraham, the second, probably son of the former, was king in the days of Isaac. Answer There are actually several men named Abimelech in the Bible. Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-7): Abraham's wife, Sarah, was beautifulso beautiful that when Abraham came into a new area he occasionally feared that the local ruler would kill him and take . If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Abimelech is a biblical character from the book of Judges. Further, to attest that Abraham was the one who dug the well, he also gave Abimelech seven ewes for proof. I am with you. Hold your hands up to your eyes, binocular-style. Abimelech was kind enough to give Abraham rights to graze his cattle to any place in the land that he wanted. Keep your eyes on His loving promises. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. All nations on earth will be blessed because of your children. - Genesis 26:2-4. Lets read this great quote. Anyone who does not study Scripture is far less likely to remember his name and appearance. Most commentators regard Abimelech (Ps 34) as a copyist error for Achish or a confusion with Abimelech found earlier (1 Sam 21:1). ( Genesis 26:1 ) etc. In this chapter, the couple travels to Gerar. And I will give them all these lands. He asked Isaac why he had lied. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. 2 He said, "Please ask all citizens of Shechem, 'What seems best to you? According to the Bible, the "lords of Shechem" placed "men in ambush against [Abimelech] on the mountain tops" (9:25) to prove his incompetence in the delicate area of security and to remove him from power. Background Reading: Abimelech Attempts to Become King and sixth Judge of Israel 9:1 Then Jerubbaal's son Abimelech went to his mother's relatives in Shechem. 18 Isaac re-excavated some wells that his father had first dug during his lifetime, because the Philistines had filled them with sand after Abrahams death. What can we learn from the story of the Levite and his concubine. The title of Psalm 34 gives a third Abimelech in the time of David who was the Philistine king of Gath named Achish (1 Sam 21:10ff.). It could have been an awful situation. He had six more sons with his new wife. These suggest weakness as the cause of missing the standard. There are two views: one, Abimelech was the name of a person; the other, Abimelech was a title. During the siege of the tower of Thebez he was mortally wounded by a millstone thrown down on him by a woman (9:53). I will bless you. It is found right after the book of Joshua and before 1 Samuel. And due to his power, Abimelech did not simply inquire whether or not Sarah was single, he had the married woman brought to him to become a concubine (Genesis 20:2). By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. He kept My commands, My rules and My laws. (Genesis 26:5). Genesis 12:10-20 records that the same thing occurred between Abraham and Pharaoh fifteen or twenty years earlier. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. Even so, it in no way tempered the effect of them as minor. Say: The men of Gerar noticed how beautiful Rebekah was. Zobel (1958); Reviv, in: IEJ, 16 (1966), 2527; G. Dossin, in: L'Ancien Testament et l'Orient (1957), 1637 (Orientalia et Biblica Lovaniensia, no. my father a king, or father of a king, a common name of the Philistine kings, as "Pharaoh" was of the Egyptian kings. Easily See 6017 Years of Biblical and World History Together! You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.". ABIMELECH bim lk (, father of a king or Melek is father). However, all indications point to the fact that the title "king" was used because of the lack of a more appropriate term for the type of ruler that existed in various cities in Syria and Ere Israel who performed the functions and exercised the authority of a king. Abimelech was the name of multiple Philistine kings mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Therefore, Abraham took matters into his own hands. The name is ancient, and attested in the form Abi-milki as the name of the King of Tyre in the 14th century B.C.E., but because the Philistine migrations to Canaan do not antedate 1100 B.C.E., the title King of the Philistines (26:1, 8; cf. 1000730 BCE (1996); S.D. Ask for a volunteer. 26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day. [1] He descended from Aaron's son Ithamar and the High Priest of Israel Eli. Good. This proves that there is much to learn from the Bible and while we will never know everything, we build our knowledge by continuously engaging and reading. We found water! they said. God began matters by bringing Israel up from Egypt, and He will continue to provide Israel's strength. Now that you are focused on Gods Promises, you cant see anything else. Whenever he met any resistance in a place, he moved on peacefully. Abimelech in Hebrew means: Father of the King. Phone Toll Free: 877-966-7300 or 816-584-3077, [This article continues after a message from the authors], These Articles are Written by the Publishers of, Amazing Bible Timeline with World History 2023. Prophets and Prophecy (Part 1). Isaac and Ishmael buried Abraham along side his wife Sarah. That son was Abimelech (Judges 8:31). A king of Gerar in the time of Abraham ( Gen. 20; 21:22-32; 26:1-16, 26-31 ). Finally, the covenant at a well which they called Beersheba, well of seven or swearing, was made by Abraham and Abimelech (21:22-34). Without moving your head, move your eyes to look at all the things around you. Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, lived in the city of Gerar and he reigned as king for a long time. 8 After he had been there awhile, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out through a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. Gaal apparently sought and found supporters among the Hivites (Horites) of Shechem, who were almost certainly a significant section of the city's population. All rights reserved. However, others believe "Agag" to be a royal name or title among the Amalekites, much like "Pharaoh," "Hadad," and "Abimelech" were to the Egyptians, Syrians, and early Philistines. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). Faith looks at the promise. (Charles Bridges) At times, each of us is overwhelmed by hard situations or difficult people in our lives. In 1 Chronicles 18:16 he is called Abimelech, and is probably the same as Ahiah ( 1 Samuel 14:3 1 Samuel 14:18 ). Let's dive in. We will prosper in the land.. If a horse has blinders on, he cannot see the things around him, and he can only see what is directly in front of him - the track and the finish line. Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International. If both the man and woman are saying the same thing, Abimelech had no reason to suspect a lie. Verses 8-9 reiterate Israel's future military power, but the emphasis is that its power flows from God Himself. One action had a cascading effect. They trusted God and allowed their daughter to go to Isaac. He kept my instructions, commands, statutes, and laws., 7 Later on, the men of that place asked about his wife, so he replied, Shes my sister, because he was afraid to call her my wife. He kept thinking, otherwise, the men around here will kill me on account of Rebekah, since shes very beautiful.. Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary - Abimelech, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abimelech, The Philistine king of Gerar in the time of Abraham (, A king of Gerar in the time of Isaac, probably the son of the preceeding (, The son of Abiathar, and high priest in the time of David (, A Philistine, king of Gerar, Genesis 20,21, who, exercising the right claimed by Eastern princes of collecting all the beautiful women of their dominions into their harem, (, Another king of Gerar int he time of Isaac, of whom a similar narrative is recorded in relation to Rebekah. He said, I am the God of your father Abraham. As God says in Isaiah 55:11, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. A cognomen applied to Philistine rulers as Pharaoh, Agag and Jabin were also applied by the Egyptians, Amalekites, and Canaanites respectively. Abimelech sent for Isaac. It is quite possible that Abimelech was the royal title rather than the personal name. So we said, We should make an agreement by taking an oath. The agreement should be between us and you. Rebekahs family knew that it was Gods plan for her to leave her family and marry Isaac. I will be with you and give you My blessing. Ask for another volunteer, and instruct him or her to hold the Gods Promises sign in front of the first child. Amazing Bible Timeline with World History, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham#Abraham_and_Abimelech, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27King_Abimelech_Restores_Sarah_to_her_Husband,_Abraham%27,_Flemish_tapestry_by_Frans_Geubels,_Dayton.jpg. May God bless you. 27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. later between Isaac and another Abimelech of Gerar (26:1-11), king of the Philistines. Isaac claimed that Rebekah was his sister and when Abimelech attempted to move in, God intervened. From beginning to end, Abimelech is not a major character within the Bible. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. John W. Ritenbaugh A Prayer for Durable Joy - Your Daily Prayer - June 25, A Powerful Morning Prayer to Start Each Day, 10 Uncomfortable Topics Pastors Should Still Preach About, A Prayer to Remain Present - Your Daily Prayer - June 26, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, Why Christians Should Avoid Debt and 6 Steps for How to Start, The One Thing Satan Really Wants to Take from You. You are not to go down to Egypt, he said. King Abimelech had a message for Isaac. 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. Water was extremely important in the desert area where they lived. Are You Expecting Too Much from Friendships in the Church? Valuable lessons, ones that sometimes we don't get from the major character stories. Kenya. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. This sentence was carried into execution by Doeg in a cruel manner (1 Samuel 22:923). The first person who is named a prophet is Abraham. ABIMELECH. He asked, What if one of the men had taken Rebekah for himself? The king said then they would have all been guilty of doing wrong. then would I remove Abimelech. 1915. The detailed similarities between the two stories and the resemblances of both to that of Genesis 12:1020 have generally led critical scholars to assign Genesis 2021 to the e source and Genesis 12 and 26 to J, regarding all three narratives as variants of a single tradition. This had happened before, in Abrahams time. Now carry on with what happened to Jacob in Genesis Part Two. Do not be afraid. I will make your children after you as many as the stars in the sky. 25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. Try it free today. She has also spent many years mentoring Middle School and High School girls. [1] Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. 4. Sin often presents itself as helpful for the sinner, but sin also leads us away from God. Say: Believe it or not, this very thing happened two times before in the Bible. Unique Circular Format see more in less space. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo. (Genesis 12:10-20), The next time, Abraham and Sarah were back in the land of Canaan, in Gerar. Isaac made an oath of peace with the men. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. Listen for answers. The king was angry that Isaac had lied. Thank your volunteers. Abimelech (also spelled Abimelek or Avimelech; Hebrew: / , Modern Avmle / Avmle Tiberian Amele / Amle, "my father is a king"/"my father reigns") was the generic name given to all Philistine kings in the Hebrew Bible from the time of Abraham through King David. God has much to teach. So finally God stepped in, giving Abimelech a dream that told him he was keeping His prophet's wife, and he had better give her back. It seems Isaac may have been searching for God to reveal the right spot to settle down. See, how God withheld the king from touching Abrahams wife, and again the stern warning, that if you dont return her, You and all yours will die. Required fields are marked *. Allow the child to shift his or her eyes if needed. Soon after that, King Abimelech traveled to Beersheba to meet with Isaac. That night the Lord appeared to him. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Top 50 American Jews Join our mailing list Join Support JVL Donate Abimelech (Heb. Ehrlich, The Philistines in Transition: A History from ca. Say: A famine struck the land where Isaac was living. Now, there are atleast three Abimelechs mentioned in the Bible. At first glance, his story does not sound too different from other characters in the Bible, or even our own. God allowed Abimelech to live upon returning Sarah to her husband. He left and settled in the valley near by. Abimelech in Hebrew means: Father of the King. Bibliography Information Orr, James, M.A., D.D. Genesis 26:1-33 A ruler of this kind was chosen by the municipal institutions. It helps to be aware of these terms so that we can extract more knowledge and understanding. Since Abimelech had to be informed about the events in Shechem by Zebul's messengers (9:31), it would seem that he was not a permanent resident but lived outside the city proper. ADD. And his young man thrust him through, and he died (Judges 9:54). He named it Rehoboth which means wide spaces. He said, Now the Lord has given us room. Solomon writes in Proverbs 8:36, "But he who sins against me [wisdom personified] wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death." Only one named Jotham escaped. ; 24:3, 6, 31. The water is ours, they said. At any rate, Abimelech maintained close ties with the Israelites, since he ruled [not 'judged'] over Israel three years (9:22). God closed all of the womens wombs as a result of the king taking Sarah for himself. But he kept believing in Gods promise. Sarah too, added to the lie, reaffirming that she was only a sister. J. Skinner, Genesis (ICC, 19302), S.V. The person is failing to live up to the moral or ethical standard. He currently contributes work to iBelieve, Crosswalk, and supports various clients through the platform Upwork. He was in power when Abraham was traveling through Kadesh and Shur inside Philistine territory. Some have thought that this is a prophecy of the Amalekite king Saul defeated and Samuel slew (I Samuel 15). The king brought his personal advisor and his army commander with him. Just in time, God sent terrible diseases to Pharaoh and his family because Sarah was in his palace. Thus, God tells the king that he has been kept from sinning by the Lords will. Here Enoch, before the Flood, prophesies of the return of Jesus Christ with the saints. This was another blessing from God. ; "the [Divine] Father is King" or the [Divine] King is Father), the king of Gerar, and the male offspring of Gideon the Abiezrite by his Shechemite concubine (Judg. 34). During the period of the Judges, Abimelech became the ruler of Shechem through the support of his mother's family and the local oligarchy ("the lords of Shechem"; Judg. Hence in the title of ( Psalms 34:1 ) the name of Abimelech is given to the king, who is called Achish in ( 1Samuel 21:11 ) A Philistine, king of Gerar, Genesis 20,21, who, exercising the right claimed by Eastern princes of collecting all the beautiful women of their dominions into their harem, ( Genesis 12:15 ; Esther 2:3 ) sent for and took Sarah. A priest in the days of David (1 Chron 18:16). Learn facts that you cant learn just from reading the bible The water imagery shifts in the second clause of verse 7 from the land's abundance to the people's fertility. and (2.). Note to Teacher: Beer Lahai Roi is the well where God met with Hagar in Genesis 16:7-14. Indeed she is my sister,the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother (20:12). Ahimelech's death was seen as a partial fulfilment of the curse on the House of Eli that none of Eli's male descendants would live to old age; the other part of the curse on the House of Eli that the priesthood would pass out of his descendants (1 Samuel 2:2736) was fulfilled when Abiathar was deposed from the office of High Priest. According to the Hebrew Bible, Abraham's well was seized by Abimelech's men ( Genesis 21:25 ), and Isaac 's servants also dug a well at Beersheba ( Genesis 26:25 ). While believers spend a great deal of time in Bible study or church discussingheroes like David or Jesus, there are lessons to learn from other characters too. He spoke to them and his mother's whole family. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Easton, Matthew George (1897). Hold up the signs that say, Trouble and Fear, out of the childs sight. The mighty King of Gerar, who was named Abimelech, had an important role in the life of Abraham.Their interaction is shown on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1854 BC.It all started when Abraham and Sarah set foot upon the king's land. 9:23). At those times, focus on Almighty God. He left all that he owned to his son Isaac. So Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.
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