Bible Strands
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Abimelech summons Abraham after waking early and describing the night’s events to his terrified servants, confronting him about the deception surrounding Sarah.
The words — The Hebrew מֶה־עָשִׂיתָ (meh-‘asita) translates literally as “what have you done,” while חָטָאתִי (chatati) means “I have sinned,” establishing the king’s opening as a direct inquiry into Abraham’s actions and Abimelech’s own perceived guilt.
The thread — This confrontation mirrors the sequence in Genesis 12:18 where Pharaoh summons Abram to demand accountability, and repeats in Genesis 26:10 when Abimelech again questions a patriarch over deception involving his wife.
Why it lands — The text records Abimelech’s explicit question about his sin and the guilt brought upon his kingdom before addressing the moral failure, requiring readers to note the sequence of accusation, self-interrogation, and the king’s demand for explanation.
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
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.
Cross-references
- Genesis 12:18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
- Genesis 26:10 “What is this you have done to us?” asked Abimelech. “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
- Genesis 39:9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
- Genesis 34:7 When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.
- Genesis 38:24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
- Exodus 32:21 “What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
- Exodus 32:35 And the LORD sent a plague on the people because of what they had done with the calf that Aaron had made.
- Leviticus 20:10 If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.
- Joshua 7:25 “Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies.
- 1 Samuel 26:18 And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?