John Calvin Commentary Genesis 20:2

"And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah." — Genesis 20:2 (ASV)

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife. In this history, the Holy Spirit presents to us a remarkable instance, both of the infirmity of man and of the grace of God. It is a common proverb that even fools become wise by suffering evil. But Abraham, forgetful of the great danger that had happened to him in Egypt, once more strikes his foot against the same stone, although the Lord had purposely chastised him, so that the warning might be useful to him throughout his whole life.

Therefore, we perceive in the example of the holy patriarch how easily forgetfulness, both of the chastisements and the favors of God, steals over us. For it is impossible to excuse his gross negligence in not calling to mind that he had once tempted God, and that he alone would have been to blame if his wife had become the property of another man.

But if we thoroughly examine ourselves, scarcely anyone will be found who will not acknowledge that he has often offended in the same way. It may be added that Abraham was not free from the charge of ingratitude; because, if he had properly considered that his wife had been wonderfully preserved for him by the Lord, he would never again, knowingly and willingly, have cast himself into similar danger.

For he makes the former favor divinely offered to him, as far as he is able, of no effect.

We must, however, notice the nature of the sin, which we have touched on before. For Abraham did not, for the sake of providing for his own safety, prostitute his wife (as impious men cavil).

But, as he had before been anxious to preserve his life until he should receive the seed divinely promised to him, so now, seeing his wife with child, in the hope of enjoying so great a blessing, he thought nothing of his wife’s danger.

Therefore, if we thoroughly weigh all things, he sinned through unbelief, by attributing less than he ought to the providence of God.

Hence, we are also admonished how dangerous it is to trust our own judgment. For Abraham’s disposition is right while fixing his attention on the promise of God; but insofar as he does not patiently wait for God’s help but turns aside to the use of unlawful means, he is, in this respect, worthy of censure.

And Abimelech sent. There is no doubt that the Lord purposed to punish his servant for the counsel he had so rashly taken.

And such fruits of distrust do all receive who do not rely, as they ought, on the providence of God.

Some perverse men quarrel with this passage because nothing seems more improbable to them than that a decrepit old woman should be desired by the king and taken from her husband.

But we answer:

1. It is not known what her appearance was, except that Moses previously declared her to be a person of singular beauty. And it is possible that she was not much worn with age, for we often see some women in their fortieth year more wrinkled than others in their seventieth.

2. Another thing to be considered is that, by the unusual favor of God, her beauty was preeminent among her other qualities. It might also be that King Abimelech was less attracted by the elegance of her form than by the rare virtues with which he saw her, as a mature woman, to be endowed.

3. We must remember that this whole affair was directed by the hand of God, so that Abraham might receive the due reward for his folly. And as we find that those who are exceedingly perceptive in discerning the natural causes of things are yet most blind concerning divine judgments, let this single fact suffice: that Abimelech, being an instrument to carry out the divine chastisement, acted under a secret impulse.