Bible Strands
Genesis 20:11
Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Abraham addresses Abimelech after the king confronts him about passing off his wife as his sister. He states his reasoning for the deception while standing before the Philistine ruler.
The words — The Hebrew phrase רַק אֵין יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים (rak ein yirat Elohim) translates literally to "surely there is not the fear of God," expressing Abraham's assessment of Gerar's moral state. The introductory כִּי אָמַרְתִּי (ki amar ti) means "that I said," marking the transition from his internal calculation to his spoken defense.
The thread — This survival rationale repeats Abraham's earlier claim in Egypt (Genesis 12:12) and resurfaces when Isaac uses the same excuse in Gerar (Genesis 26:7). The narrative later contrasts this calculated fear with the angel's declaration that God now knows Abraham truly "feared God" after the test at Moriah (Genesis 22:12).
Why it lands — The text records Abraham's pragmatic fear of human violence without validating his conclusion, showing a patriarch who trusts human assessment over divine promise. It requires the reader to confront whether their own actions stem from reverence for God or apprehension of people.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Genesis 26:7 But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”
- Genesis 12:12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live.
- Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”
- Genesis 42:18 and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live:
- Nehemiah 5:15 The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God.
- Job 28:28 And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Psalms 36:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. An oracle is in my heart regarding the transgression of the wicked man: There is no fear of God before his eyes.
- Proverbs 2:5 then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.
- Proverbs 16:6 By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
- Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.