Abimelech

A king, in the time of the Patriarchs · Canaan · named in 23 verses

the name means father of (the) king Strong's Lexicon

Abimelech was a Philistine king who had dealings with both Abraham and Isaac, involving incidents where the patriarchs claimed their wives were their sisters.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

My father a king, or father of a king, a common name of the Philistine kings, as \"Pharaoh\" was of the Egyptian kings. (1.) The Philistine king of Gerar in the time of Abraham (Gen. 20:1-18). By an interposition of Providence, Sarah was delivered from his harem, and was restored to her husband Abraham. As a mark of respect he gave to Abraham valuable gifts, and offered him a settlement in any part of his country; while at the same time he delicately and yet severely rebuked him for having practised a deception upon him in pretending that Sarah was only his sister. Among the gifts presented by the king were a thousand pieces of silver as a \"covering of the eyes\" for Sarah; i.e., either as an atoning gift and a testimony of her innocence in the sight of all, or rather for the purpose of procuring a veil for Sarah to conceal her beauty, and thus as a reproof to her for not having worn a veil which, as a married woman, she ought to have done. A few years after this Abimelech visited Abraham, who had removed southward beyond his territory, and there entered into a league of peace and friendship with him. This league was the first of which we have any record. It was confirmed by a mutual oath at Beer-sheba (Gen. 21:22-34).

Easton's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1897 — public domain, quoted in full and unedited.

First named at Genesis 20:2.

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Verses that name Abimelech

Genesis 20:2 Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
Genesis 20:3 One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
Genesis 20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
Genesis 20:8 Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.
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.”
Genesis 20:10 Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”
Genesis 20:14 So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
Genesis 20:15 And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
Genesis 20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—
Genesis 20:18 for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
Genesis 21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
Genesis 21:25 But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
Genesis 21:26 Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.”
Genesis 21:27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.
Genesis 21:29 and Abimelech asked him, “Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?”
Genesis 21:32 After they had made the covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army got up and returned to the land of the Philistines.
Genesis 26:1 Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.
Genesis 26:8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.
Genesis 26:9 Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”
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 26:11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
Genesis 26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Depart from us, for you are much too powerful for us.”
Genesis 26:26 Later, Abimelech came to Isaac from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army.