John Gill Commentary Genesis 20:11

"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." — Genesis 20:11 (ASV)

And Abraham said
In defence of himself, as well as he could: because I thought ;
within himself, concluding from the general depravity of the Canaanites, that this was the case of the inhabitants of Gerar: surely the fear of God [is] not in this place ;
This is a certain truth, which he thought might be depended upon, and taken for granted, since so it was everywhere: or "only" ^F5 , as the word used signifies; this was the only thing he had to plead, that he verily thought with himself that there was no true religion and godliness in Gerar. The inhabitants of it were without any fear of God before their eyes, or in their hearts; and he knew, where this is the case, there is nothing to restrain from the commission of the grossest sins: and they will slay me for my wife's sake ;
that they might marry her, see (Genesis 12:12) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F5: (qr) "tantum", Montanus; so Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Ben Melech.