## Radak on Genesis Chapter 20

###### Radak on Genesis 20:1:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:1:1)

**וַיִּסַּע מִשָּׁם.** מֵאֵלוֹנֵי מַמְרֵא, שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹכֵן שָׁם, וְלֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב לָמָּה נָסַע מִשָּׁם כִּי מִפְּנֵי רָעָב לֹא נָסַע מִשָּׁם כִּי לֹא הָיָה רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אֶלָּא פַּעַם אַחַת כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּיִצְחָק ״וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ מִלְּבַד הָרָעָב הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם״ (בראשית כו:א), מַשְׁמָע שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה רָעָב אַחֵר בָּאָרֶץ בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן. וְאוּלַי נָסַע מִשָּׁם לְאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים כְּדֵי לִשְׁכֹּן בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לוֹ הָאֵל פַּעַם בָּזֶה וּפַעַם בָּזֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחֲזִיק בְּכֻלָּהּ, כִּי אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים בִּכְלַל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ הָאֵל כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּמַה שֶּׁפֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ הָאֵל הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ, וְאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים בִּכְלַל אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי הִיא וּמִנַּחֲלַת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר **אַרְצָה הַנֶּגֶב** כִּי נַחֲלַת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה לִדְרוֹם אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיְתָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויסע משם, from Eloney Mamre, the place where he resided most of the time. The Torah fails to mention what prompted Avraham to leave his home in this fashion. It could not have been due to the famine, seeing that at that time no famine is reported as having existed in that region, as opposed to when Yitzchok left his home and went to the land of the Philistines as reported in 26,1. Seeing that in that connection the Torah referred to this famine as being additional to the one in the days of Avraham, and we know that at that time Avraham went to Egypt and did not settle in the region between Kadesh and Shur, we cannot attribute his move to a famine. Perhaps what motivated Avraham was the need to fulfill the commandment by G’d to dwell in all parts of the land of Canaan. The Torah would indicate, obliquely, that the land of the Philistines was included in what G’d had described as “the land of Canaan,” even though the Philistines were distant descendants of Mitzrayim, a grandson of Cham but not directly descended from Canaan. Eventually, the coastal plain inhabited by the Philistines became part of the tribal territory of Yehudah. This may be why the Torah refers to this as ארצה הנגב, the southern region, seeing that Yehudah’s territory is described as the southern part of the country in Joshua chapter15.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:1:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:1:2)

**וַיֵּשֶׁב בֵּין־קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר.** וּפֵרֵשׁ בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם אַחַר כֵּן, כִּי גָּר בִּגְרָר שֶׁהוּא בֵּין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר, כִּי **וַיֵּשֶׁב וַיָּגָר** עִנְיָן אֶחָד הוּא, וְכֵן אָמַר ״וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו״ (בראשית לז:א) וּמִנְהַג הַלָּשׁוֹן כִּי בִּכְפוֹל הָעִנְיָן יְשַׁנֶּה הַמִּלִּים. וְאֶפְשָׁר כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה יָשַׁב לוֹ בְּאַחַד הַמְּקוֹמוֹת הָאֲחֵרִים בְּאֵר לַחַי אוֹ זוּלָתוֹ, וְאַחַר כֵּן בָּא לִגְרָר, כִּי בְּאֵר לַחַי בֵּין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב ״בֵּין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין בָּרֶד״ (בראשית טז:יד) כִּי בָּרֶד הוּא שׁוּר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישב בין קדש ובין שור, the Torah did not bother to tell us precisely where Avraham settled. Later on, we are told that he settled in Gerar, the capital of the land of the Philistines. The part of the verse mentioning this fact is not related to the earlier part of the verse. Besides, the terms וישב and ויגר are totally different from one another, the former speaking of someone settling down with a view to remaining there for a long period, whereas the term ויגר always reflects the intention of the person described to remain there only for a relatively brief period of time, as for instance in Genesis 37,1 where when Yaakov settled down, the Torah contrasts this with the fact that his father and grandfather could not settle down there permanently but had only sojourned there,מגורי אביו. It is customary for Scripture to employ different words when repeating basically the same message. Perhaps, initially, Avraham had settled in one of the locations in the regions such as באר לחי רואי, subsequently moving to Gerar, seeing that באר לחי רואי was situated between Kadesh and Shur, as we know from Genesis 16,4.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:2:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:2:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ.** בַּעֲבוּר שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ, אָמַר לַשּׁוֹאֲלִים אוֹתוֹ עָלֶיהָ **אֲחֹתִי הִוא**; וְכֵן לַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּהוּ עָלֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״הֲלֹא הוּא אָמַר לִי״ (בראשית כ:ה). אוֹ יִהְיֶה **אֶל** בִּמְקוֹם ״עַל״, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״וַיַּךְ אֶת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶל מִצְחוֹ״ (שמואל א יז:מט), ״אֶל הֶהָרִים לֹא אָכָל״ (יחזקאל יח:ו) וְהַדּוֹמִים לָהֶם. וְאָמַר זֶה בְּבֹא לִגְרָר כִּי מִן הַדּוֹמֶה שֶׁשָּׁמַע כִּי הָיוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם רָעִים, וְכֵן אָמַר ״כִּי אֵין יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה״ (בראשית כ:יא) וְכֵן אָמַר יִצְחָק בְּבֹאוֹ לִגְרָר וְלֹא אָמַר כֵּן בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים. הִנֵּה כִּי הָיוּ מַחֲזִיקִים אַנְשֵׁי גְרָר בְּרָעִים. וְהָעִנְיָן לְהַפְקִיר אִשְׁתּוֹ מִבְּלִי לַעֲמֹד בְּנִסְיוֹן הֲרִיגַת עַצְמוֹ פֵּרַשְׁנוּ לְמַעְלָה בִּדְבַר שָׂרָה עִם פַּרְעֹה. וּמִן הַתֵּמָה אֵיךְ הָיְתָה שָׂרָה כָּל כָּךְ יָפָה עֲדַיִן עַד שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹמְדִים אוֹתָהּ לְרֹב יָפְיָהּ וְהִיא בַּת תִּשְׁעִים, וְנֹאמַר כִּי שָׁבָה לְעֶדְנָתָהּ וּלְדֶרֶךְ נָשִׁים כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּתְעַבֵּר, כִּי אַחַר הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה אָמַר ״וַה׳ פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה״ (בראשית כא:א).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאמר...אל שרה אשתו, concerning his wife Sarah he told anyone inquiring about her אחותי היא, he told the same to Avimelech who inquired, as we know from verse 5 when the latter referred to Avraham having told him that Sarah was his sister. We find a similar meaning of the word אל in Samuel I 17,49 when the lineויך את הפלשתי אל מצחו, means: “it struck the Philistine on his forehead,” or the line אל ההרים לא אכל in Ezekiel 18,6 where the word אל does not mean “to” but the line means: “if he has not eaten on the mountains.” Avraham said this as soon as he arrived in Gerar, as he had heard that the people of that town were wicked people, as he mentioned to Avimelech in verse 11 where he told him that there was no fear of G’d in that town. A generation later Yitzchok had a similar experience in Gerar. Neither Avraham nor Yitzchok are on record as having made similar comments about the local populations of other towns they visited. As to why Avraham risked going to a town full of wicked people and endangered both himself and his wife, this is something we discussed in 12,12. What is more surprising is the fact that Sarah, so many years after her experience in Egypt, was still so physically attractive that she inspired physical passions among the people who saw her. Clearly, her good looks must have been the result of her regaining her youthful vigour when she became pregnant at the time the angels visited Avraham, and she herself remarked on that phenomenon. The time frame in which the events reported in this chapter occurred must have been immediately after the beginning of her pregnancy, mentioned in 21,1 in the past tense, i.e. וה' פקד את שרה, “and the Lord had benevolently remembered Sarah (allowing her to become pregnant).


###### Radak on Genesis 20:2:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:2:2)

**וַיִּשְׁלַח.** אַחַר שֶׁשָּׁמַע מִיָּפְיָהּ הֱבִיאָהּ לוֹ וְלָקַח אוֹתָהּ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישלח, after Avimelech heard about Sarah’s beauty, he sent to have her brought to his palace.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:3:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:3:1)

**וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בַּחֲלוֹם הַלָּיְלָה.** וְכֵן נֶאֱמַר בְּלָבָן, כִּי לִכְבוֹד הַצַּדִּיקִים יָבוֹא לַאֲנָשִׁים מֵאֻמּוֹת חֲלוֹם שֶׁל נְבוּאָה, אֲבָל פַּרְעֹה לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לַחֲלוֹם שֶׁל נְבוּאָה אֲפִילוּ בַּעֲבוּר הַצַּדִּיקִים אֶלָּא הָיוּ שְׁלוּחִין מֵאֵת הָאֵל. הוּא שֶׁאָמַר אֱלִיהוּא, ״כִּי בְאַחַת יְדַבֶּר אֵל וּבִשְׁתַּיִם וְלֹא יְשׁוּרֶנָּה בַּחֲלוֹם חֶזְיוֹן לַיְלָה בִּנְפֹל תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל אֲנָשִׁים בִּתְנוּמוֹת עֲלֵי מִשְׁכָּב אָז יִגְלֶה אֹזֶן אֲנָשִׁים וּבְמֹסָרָם יַחְתֹּם״ (איוב לג:יד-טז) וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַשְּׁתַּיִם הַחֲלוֹם וְהַיִּסּוּרִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויבא אלוקים אל אבימלך בחלום הלילה, a similar mode of expression has been chosen by the Torah when reporting G’d as appearing to Lavan and warning him not to harm Yaakov (Genesis 31,24). The wicked who do not deserve a communication from G’d, sometimes experience such a visitation as a mark of honour for the righteous people who are the subject of such a visitation. Pharaoh of Egypt at the time when he had seized Sarah had not been granted even such a dream, but the plagues visited upon him and his servants had been used to indicate the displeasure of Avraham‘s G’d with Pharaoh’s conduct. The differences in G’d’s dealing with different people are described by Elihu in Job 33, 14-16, “for G’d speaks time and again- though man does not perceive it- in a dream at night, a night vision, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber in their beds. Then He opens men’s understanding and by disciplining them leaves His signature.” The two methods G’d employs are either dreams or afflictions.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:3:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:3:2)

**וְהִיא בְּעֻלַת בָּעַל.** וְהִיא אֲסוּרָה לְךָ, כִּי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נִצְטַוָּה עַל אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמַר ״וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ״ (בראשית ב:כד). וּפֵרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין נח) וְלֹא בְּאֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ; וְכֵן נִרְאֶה כִּי חָמוּר הָיָה אִסּוּר אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ עַל בְּנֵי נֹחַ שֶׁהֲרֵי הָיוּ מַתִּירִים אֶת עַצְמָם לַהֲרֹג אִישׁ וְלֹא לִשְׁכַּב אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם אֲסוּרִים עֲלֵיהֶם. וְדִקְדְּקוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אַחַר הַקַּבָּלָה (סנהדרין נז) מִדִּכְתִיב **בְּעֻלַת בָּעַל** וְלֹא כָּתִיב אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ כִּי אֵינָהּ אֲסוּרָה אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ עֲלֵיהֶם עַד שֶׁתִּבָּעֵל לַבַּעַל תְּחִלָּה, אֲבָל הָאֲרוּסָה אֵין חַיָּבִין עָלֶיהָ אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁתִּבָּעֵל לוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והיא בעלת בעל, she is out of bounds to you. Even the first human being had already been commanded not to commit adultery, as our sages derived from the words ודבק באשתו, meaning that he is to have intimate relations exclusively with his own wife. (Genesis 2,24) From all we read it is clear that the people of that time considered the sin of adultery so severe that they were prepared to kill the husband in order not to violate the commandment not to commit adultery. (compare the comment made by Avraham to Sarah in 12,12) They were aware of the sin of committing murder but considered it as a lesser sin. Our sages paid attention to the expression בעלת בעל as opposed to אשת איש, suggesting that according to Avimelech’s mores, a woman who had become married but whose marriage had not yet been consummated would not be included in the prohibition of being someone else’s wife. Girls who were merely betrothed would not be considered as out of bounds on account of their being betrothed. [a major difference between Jewish law and the Noachide laws. Ed.]


###### Radak on Genesis 20:4:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:4:1)

**וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ לֹא קָרַב אֵלֶיהָ.** כִּי נִמְנְעָה מִמֶּנּוּ הַתַּאֲוָה בִּרְצוֹן הָאֵל, הוּא שֶׁאָמַר ״עַל כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיךָ לִנְגֹּעַ אֵלֶיהָ״ (בראשית כ:ו).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואבימלך לא קרב אליה, the reason was that G’d had restricted his lust. This is why G’d said to him in his dream in response to the accusation that He would kill the innocent, that the only reason Avimelech had not touched her had been that He, G’d, had made him temporarily impotent.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:4:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:4:2)

**הֲגוֹי גַּם־צַדִּיק תַּהֲרֹג.** אִם תַּהַרְגֵנִי כְּאִלּוּ נֶהֱרָג עִמִּי, כִּי אֲנִי מֶלֶךְ מַנְהִיג אוֹתָם בְּמִשְׁפָּט, וְאִם אֵינֶנִּי כְּאִלּוּ הֵם מֵתִים; זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״כִּי הֵבֵאתָ עָלַי וְעַל מַמְלַכְתִּי חֲטָאָה גְדוֹלָה״ (בראשית כ:ט). וְעוֹד שֶׁאֲנִי צַדִּיק כִּי בְּחֶזְקַת פְּנוּיָה לְקַחְתִּיהָ וְאֵין עָלַי מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
?הגוי גם צדיק תהרוג, if You were to kill me just as you would kill my people. I am a leader and practice law and justice in my country. I am not on the same level as my common people. This explains also verse 9 where Avimelech distinguishes between himself and his Kingdom (subjects) by saying to Avraham “that you have brought on me and my kingdom (people) this great sin?” Furthermore, he argued that he considered himself righteous, having had reason to believe that Sarah was unattached.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:5:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:5:1)

**הֲלֹא הוּא אָמַר לִי.** כְּשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתִּיו עָלֶיהָ, כִּי לֹא סָמַכְתִּי עַל שְׁאֵלוֹת עֲבָדַי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
הלא הוא אמר לי, when I asked him concerning Sarah’s marital status. I had not even relied on what my servants had been told, but I asked him personally, to be certain.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:5:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:5:2)

**וְהִיא־גַם־הִיא.** כְּשֶׁשְּׁאַלְתִּיהָ אַחַר שֶׁלְּקַחְתִּיהָ אָמְרָה **אָחִי הוּא**, אִם כֵּן מַה עָוֹן יֵשׁ בִּי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והיא גם היא, when I asked Sarah after I had taken her to my palace she also told me that “Avraham is my brother.” In view of this, what is my sin?


###### Radak on Genesis 20:5:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:5:3)

**בְּתָם־לְבָבִי.** כִּי לֹא הָיָה לִבִּי לְרָעָה, וְאִם חָשַׁבְתִּי שֶׁהִיא אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ אֲפִלּוּ לִבִּי לֹא הָיָה עָלֶיהָ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בתם לבבי, in perfect innocence, if I had had any reason to believe that she was a married lady, even my heart would not have desired her, i.e. I would not even have lusted after her.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:5:4
[Radak on Genesis 20:5:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:5:4)

**וּבְנִקְיֹן כַּפַּי.** כְּשֶׁלְּקַחְתִּיהָ לֹא לְקַחְתִּיהָ אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ונקיון כפי, and my hands were clean! When I took her to my palace I did not demean her but I respected her dignity in every way.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:6:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:6:1)

**יָדַעְתִּי כִּי בְתָם לְבָבְךָ.** וְלֹא אָמַר ״וּבִנְקִיּוֹן כַּפֶּיךָ״, כִּי הַדָּבָר גָּלוּי אֶל הַלֵּב לֹא יֵדַע כִּי אִם הָאֵל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאמר...בתם לבבךsignificantly, G’d did not add the words ובנקיון כפיך when acknowledging part of Avimelech’s complaint. The fact that Avimelech had not touched Sarah was evident, could be proved, whereas Avimelech’s intentions were private, could not be proved. Only G’d Himself would know if he spoke the truth.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:6:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:6:2)

**מֵחֲטוֹ־לִי.** כִּי לָאֵל הָיָה גָּלוּי הַחֵטְא אִם עָבַר מִצְוֹתָיו, וְהוּא צִוָּה לִבְנֵי נֹחַ עַל אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא צִוָּה עָלֶיהָ בִּפְרָט, הַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹרֶה עָלֶיהָ, וּמִי שֶׁנָּתַן שֵׂכֶל בָּאָדָם כְּאִלּוּ צִוָּהוּ עַל כָּל דָּבָר רָע, וְהֶחָמָס שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ הוּא כְּנֶגֶד הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהוּא מַפְסִיד סִדּוּר הָעוֹלָם וְיִשּׁוּבוֹ, וְאִם חָמוֹס מָמוֹנוֹ הוּא רָע, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִם חָמוֹס גּוּפוֹ, וְאִשְׁתּוֹ הִיא כְּגוּפוֹ כִּי הָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מחטו לי, the sin would have been directed against G’d only if he had transgressed the laws not to sleep with someone else’s wife, a command issued to all the descendants of Noach. Even if G’d had not issued a specific command in this regard, common sense would dictate such a law in a civilised society. The One Who had provided man with intelligence certainly expects that we use our intelligence to legislate such basic laws without which life on earth would become intolerable, anarchic. We must view our common sense as a messenger from G’d, an instrument that acts as a protection against man experiencing all kinds of harm and problems in his life on earth. When man commits violence against his fellow man this reflects an absence of common sense, i.e. a failure to use one’s common sense, seeing that the end result will be the termination of life on earth. If this is the result of violence perpetrated in order to secure land or chattels, how much more so would such a process of civilisation’s disintegration be accelerated if everyone would go assaulting people physically and raping his neighbour’s wife?


###### Radak on Genesis 20:6:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:6:3)

**מֵחֲטוֹ.** הַוָּי״ו בִּמְקוֹם הָאָלֶ״ף לָמֶ״ד הַפּוֹעַל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מחטו, the letter ו instead of the letter א in this word substitutes for the letter ל in the requisite mode of the verb.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:6:4
[Radak on Genesis 20:6:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:6:4)

**עַל־כֵּן לֹא־נְתַתִּיךָ.** כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ שֶׁמָּנַע מִמֶּנּוּ הַתַּאֲוָה, וְטוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה עָשָׂה עִמּוֹ כְּשֶׁמְּנָעוֹ בְּזֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ. וְעָשָׂה זֶה לְפִי שֶׁהִכִּיר בּוֹ כִּי **בְתָם־לְבָבוֹ עָשָׂה** וְלֹא רָצָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה פּוֹשֵׁעַ בְּאֵשֶׁת הַנָּבִיא. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָשָׂה זֶה לִכְבוֹד אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה, הָיָה יָכוֹל לִשְׁמֹר שָׂרָה בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר שֶׁיִּנָּגַע אֲבִימֶלֶךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנָּגַע פַּרְעֹה, אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁיָּדַע תֹּם לֵב אֲבִימֶלֶךְ שָׁמַר שָׂרָה בְּזֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְלֹא הָיָה לֵב פַּרְעֹה כֵּן, וּלְפִיכָךְ מְנָעוֹ בִּנְגָעִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁנָּגְעוּ וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ. וּמַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה לַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ וּלְבֵיתוֹ לֹא הָיָה רַע, כִּי אֵין מְנִיעַת הַתַּאֲוָה רַק לִשְׁעָתָהּ, וְכֵן מְנִיעַת הַלֵּדָה בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְאַמְּהוֹתָיו, וְלֹא הָיָה רַע רַק לִשְׁעָתָהּ, וּמַה שֶּׁלָּקוּ נְשֵׁי בֵיתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ הַכֹּל כִּי אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִיא וְלֹא מִקְרֶה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
על כן לא נתתיך, as we explained already, this is a reference to G’d having made Avimelech impotent. By doing this, G’d had done Avimelech a great favour. The reason why G’d extended Himself on his behalf was because He knew that Avimelech had indeed believed that Sarah was unattached. G’d did not want that Avimelech would become a sinner in regard to the wife of the prophet Avraham. Even though, granted that in the final analysis G’d intervened due to Avraham and Sarah being the potential victims, He could have saved Sarah from Avimelech’s clutches by a variety of other means. Seeing that Pharaoh’s thoughts at the time when Sarah was under his control were quite different from those of Avimelech, G’d had subjected Pharaoh and his household to a number of painful physical afflictions instead of appearing to him in a dream. The inhibitions G’d imposed on the entourage of Avimelech were temporary and left no permanent negative effect.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:6:5
[Radak on Genesis 20:6:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:6:5)

**לִנְגֹּעַ אֵלֶיהָ.** אֲפִלּוּ נְגִיעָה בְּלֹא תַשְׁמִישׁ, כְּמוֹ לְנַשֵּׁק וּלְחַבֵּק, כִּי מֵהַכֹּל מָנַעְתִּי מִמְּךָ תַּאֲוַת הָאִשָּׁה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִהְיֶה פּוֹשֵׁעַ בְּאֵשֶׁת הַנָּבִיא שׁוּם פֶּשַׁע בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא תֵּעָנֵשׁ עָלֶיהָ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לנגע אליה, even touching her without engaging in sexual intercourse. G’d had removed any desire from Avimelech to have physical contact with Sarah.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:7:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:7:1)

**כִּי נָבִיא הוּא.** וְקָרוֹב הוּא אֵלַי, וְגַם אֲנִי קָרוֹב אֵלָיו לִשְׁמֹעַ תְּפִלָּתוֹ, וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶסְלַח לְךָ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתָּשִׁיב אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל הוּא עָלֶיךָ, וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתְּפַיְּסֵהוּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְךָ, וְעַל יְדֵי תְּפִלָּתוֹ אֶסְלַח לְךָ וְאֶרְפָּאֲךָ מֵאֲשֶׁר הִכֵּיתִיךָ. כִּי אַתָּה צָרִיךְ סְלִיחָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ בְּתֹם לְבָבְךָ, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה אִשְׁתּוֹ אֶלָּא אֲחוֹתוֹ, דָּבָר רַע הוּא לָקַחַת אִשָּׁה שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעְתָּהּ וַאֲפִלּוּ הִיא פְּנוּיָה, כִּי עֹשֶׁק הוּא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִם הִיא אֲחוֹת אָדָם צַדִּיק שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר עַל רְצוֹנוֹ וּרְצוֹנָהּ, וְרָאוּי לְהֵעָנֵשׁ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב מִיתָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
. ועתה...כי נביא הוא. He is therefore close to Me, and I am close to him, willing to respond favourably to his prayer. I will not forgive you even when you give back this man’s wife to him, until he manages to pacify me by means of his prayer. Then I will forgive you, and you will know this when all the afflicted people will have been cured from their affliction. The fact that Sarah was married is not the only consideration in this affair. The fact that you took her against her will is a sin of violence, a very severe sin, all the more so seeing that she is the sister of such a righteous man as Avraham. Violating the feelings of such a man constitutes a sin in its own right. You are guilty of punishment, even if not of the death penalty.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:7:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:7:2)

**וֶחְיֵה.** כְּמוֹ ״וְתִחְיֶה״, וְכֵן ״וְהָיָה בְרָכָה״ (בראשית יב:ג), וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ ״וְתֵרָפֵא״, כְּמוֹ ״עַד חֲיוֹתָם״ (יהושע ה:ח), ״וַיִּמְרְחוּ עַל הַשְּׁחִין וַיֶּחִי״ (ישעיה לח:כא).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וחיה, as if the Torah had written ותחיה “and you will live.” The construction is parallel to Genesis 12,3 והיה ברכה, “you will become a source of blessing. The verb ותרפא is in a “weak” mode as in Joshua 5,8 עד חיותם, ”until they have re- covered.” We find a similar construction in Isaiah 38,21 וימרחו על השחין ויחי, “if they will smear it on the rash he will recover.”


###### Radak on Genesis 20:7:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:7:3)

**וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָךְ.** כִּי כֻלָּם הִסְכִּימוּ עִמְּךָ, אֵין אוֹמֵר הָשֵׁב.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וכל אשר לך, the reason why they have all be stricken is that they all approved of what you did and no one suggested that you give back Sarah to Avraham.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:8:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:8:1)

**וַיַּשְׁכֵּם.** לֹא הִמְתִּין לְעֵת קוּם הַמְּלָכִים מִשְּׁנָתָם, כִּי לִבּוֹ חָרֵד עַל חֲלוֹמוֹ, כִּי אָמַר לוֹ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ סְלִיחָה וּתְפִלַּת הַנָּבִיא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּשִׁיב אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישכם, he did not wait until the hour that kings normally rise from their beds seeing that his heart was trembling on account of the dream he had just experienced, in which G’d told him that he was in need of forgiveness and the prayer by the prophet even though he would restore Avraham’s wife to him.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:8:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:8:2)

**וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים מְאֹד.** עֲבָדָיו שֶׁהָיוּ מַסְכִּימִים בִּלְקִיחַת הָאִשָּׁה וְהִלְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ לוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּקָּחֶנָּה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויראו האנשים מאר, all his servants who had agreed with their king appropriating this woman, and who had praised her beauty in his ears.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:9:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:9:1)

**וַיִּקְרָא.** כְּדֵי לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת טַעֲנָתוֹ וּכְדֵי לְפַיְּסוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּמְחֹל לוֹ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויקרא, he wanted to hear Avraham’s arguments and to appease him so that he would forgive him and pray on his behalf.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:9:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:9:2)

**מֶה־עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ.** שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ אֲחוֹתִי הִיא וְשַׂמְתָּ אוֹתִי וְאֶת עֲבָדַי בְּמִכְשׁוֹל גָּדוֹל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
?מה עשית לנו, by saying that she is your sister, thereby placing traps for me and my servants.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:9:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:9:3)

**וּמֶה־חָטָאתִי לָךְ.** קֹדֶם זֶה שֶׁשִּׁלַּמְתָּ לִי רָעָה כָּזֹאת לְהַכְשִׁילֵנִי וּלְעָנְשֵׁנִי מִיתָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ומה חטאתי לך, how did I sin against you that you repaid me with evil making me guilty of death?


###### Radak on Genesis 20:9:4
[Radak on Genesis 20:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:9:4)

**וְהֵבֵאתָ עָלַי וְעַל־מַמְלַכְתִּי.** כִּי אִלּוּ הָיִיתִי אֲנִי נֶאֱבָד גַּם מַמְלַכְתִּי הָיְתָה אוֹבֶדֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״הֲגוֹי גַּם־צַדִּיק תַּהֲרֹג״ (בראשית כ:ד).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
?והבאתי עלי ועל ממלכתי חטאה גדולה, if I had been killed by G’d my kingdom would have been lost, as he said “are You going to a righteous nation also?”


###### Radak on Genesis 20:9:5
[Radak on Genesis 20:9:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:9:5)

**אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֵעָשׂוּ.** אֵינָם רְאוּיִים לְהֵעָשׂוֹת לְאָדָם כָּמוֹךָ לְהָבִיא בְּנֵי אָדָם לִידֵי מִכְשׁוֹל עָוֹן.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אשר לא יעשו, it is not fitting for a man of your stature to be the cause of your fellowmen becoming guilty of mortal sin.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:10:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:10:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר וְגוֹ׳.** אַחַר שֶׁתְּפָסוֹהוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כִּי לֹא כַדִּין עָשָׂה, שָׁאַל לוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ מִפְּנֵי מָה עָשָׂה זֶה, מָה רָאָה, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם כָּמוֹהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר זֶה בְּלֹא טַעַם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאמר, Avimelech wanted to know why Avraham had not personally protested the forced abduction of Sarah instead of allowing the king to become guilty of a greater crime. Surely a man such as he must have had a good reason for allowing this to happen without protest!?


###### Radak on Genesis 20:11:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:11:1)

**רַק אֵין־יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים.** וְטַעַם מִלַּת ״רַק״ רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָאָרֶץ טוֹבָה, רַק זֶה הַדָּבָר הָרַע בָּהּ, כִּי אֵינָם יְרֵאִים הָאֵל, וַיַּהַרְגוּנִי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לָהֶם אִשְׁתִּי מֻפְקֶרֶת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאמר..רק אין יראת אלוקים, Avraham replied that though the land was good there was no feeling of fear of the Lord in it. This was the only drawback of that country. As a result, if I would have protested they would have killed me in order not to become guilty of the greater sin of adultery.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:12:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:12:1)

**וְגַם אָמְנָה.** כְּמוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְכֵן ״אָמְנָה אָנֹכִי חָטָאתִי״ (יהושע ז:כ), וְכֵן עִנְיָנוֹ עִם הַמֵּ״ם אָמְנָם; אָמַר: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי הַדָּבָר מִפַּחַד לְאַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם, לֹא כִּזַּבְתִּי בָּזֶה, כִּי אַחֲוָה יֵשׁ לִי עִמָּהּ, כִּי בַּת אָחִי הִיא, וּבַת אָחִי הִיא בַת אָבִי, כִּי בְּנֵי בָנִים הֲרֵי הֵן כְּבָנִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וגם אמנה, besides she is indeed my sister. The expression אמנה is equivalent to באמת, “in truth.” The word occurs in the same sense in Joshua 7,20 אמנה חטאתי, where Achan admits having stolen from the booty of Jericho. The word אמנם or אמנה both mean basically the same. Avraham in effect told Avimelech: “even though I did not protest the violence committed against Sarah this does not make me a liar, as she is indeed my sister, being the daughter of my brother, Legally, nieces are just as children as grandchildren are considered as legally equivalent to children.” (compare Rashi.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:12:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:12:2)

**אַךְ לֹא בַת־אִמִּי.** כִּי הָרָן הָיָה לְתֶרַח מֵאִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת, וְאִם הָיְתָה בַּת אִמּוֹ גַּם כֵּן בָּזֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ לֹא הָיָה לוֹקֵחַ אוֹתָהּ, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן (סנהדרין נח) כִּי בְּנֵי נֹחַ אֵין לָהֶם אַחְוָה מִצַּד הָאָב כִּי אִם מִצַּד הָאֵם, וְאַבְרָהָם הָיָה יָכוֹל לָקַחַת אֲחוֹתוֹ בַּת אָבִיו מַמָּשׁ וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה בַּת אִמּוֹ, כִּי בַּת אֵם הִיא הַוַּדָּאִית.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אך לא בת אמי, seeing Avraham’s brother Haran had been born to his father Terach by another wife than his mother. Furthermore, seeing that Avimelech was certainly unaware of this, it would have been quite in order for Avraham to marry Sarah even if she had been the granddaughter of Terach from the same wife as the one who had born Avraham. Our sages, taking their cue from what Avraham said here, state that a paternal sister is not of the same category as a maternal sister, only the latter being considered as full a sister. (Sanhedrin 58). According to this, Avraham would have been entitled to marry a first generation paternal sister, not only a second generation paternal sister such as Sarah. He would not have been allowed to marry a first generation maternal sister, however.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:13:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:13:1)

**וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר הִתְעוּ.** הִתְעוּ עִנְיָנוֹ הִגְלוּ, כִּי הַגּוֹלֶה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ תּוֹעֶה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ בַּדְּרָכִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְדָעָם וְלֹא הֻרְגַּל בָּהֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
התעו אותי אלוקים, the meaning of the word התעו is similar to הגלו, “exiled.” When someone is exiled from a place with which he is familiar, he will tend to lose his way in areas with which he is unfamiliar.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:13:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:13:2)

**אֱלֹהִים.** קֹדֶשׁ; וְאָמַר **הִתְעוּ** לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים כְּנֶגֶד הַשּׁוֹמְעִים שֶׁקּוֹרְאִים אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן מָצָאנוּ אֱלֹהִים קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁיְּדַבְּרוּ בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, כְּמוֹ ״אֱלוֹהַּ עֹשָׂי״ (איוב לה:י), ״יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֹשָׂיו״ (תהלים קמט:ב), ״אֱלֹהִים קְדֹשִׁים הוּא״ (יהושע כד:יט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אלוקים, this word here is sacred. The reason why the word is used in the plural is because the listeners refer to their gods in the plural, so the Torah uses a syntax familiar to ordinary people. In spite of this the word is treated as a sacred name of G’d, one that must not be erased, such as when Job speaks of אלו-ה עושי, literally: the “G’d Who have made me.” (not: has made me). (Job 35,10). We find a similar construction where אלוקים is sacred and at the same time treated as if totally in the plural mode in Psalms 149,2 ישמח ישראל בעושיו instead of בעושו. (as opposed to בראשית ברא אלוקים where the verb is in the singular) A somewhat less perplexing construction is found in Joshua 24,19 אלוקים קדושין הוא. [even though the adjective is in the plural, at least the pronoun הוא is in the singular. Ed.]


###### Radak on Genesis 20:13:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:13:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:13:3)

**מִבֵּית אָבִי.** מִבֵּית אַחַי וּמִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וְגוֹ׳״ (בראשית יב:א).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מבית אבי, from the house of my brothers and family, as when G’d instructed him in 12,1 מארצך ומבית אביך וגו'.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:13:4
[Radak on Genesis 20:13:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:13:4)

**וָאֹמַר לָהּ.** לְפִי שֶׁהָיִינוּ בָּאִים בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַעְנוּ תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם, הִזְהַרְתִּי אוֹתָהּ בָּזֶה מִפַּחְדִּי לְאַנְשֵׁי הָאָרֶץ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואומר לה, seeing that we were coming to countries about which we knew nothing or very little, I said to her, out of my fear of the local inhabitants,


###### Radak on Genesis 20:13:5
[Radak on Genesis 20:13:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:13:5)

**אֶל כָּל־הַמָּקוֹם.** וְהוּא לֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם, וְלֹא רָאִינוּ זֶה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת, אֶלָּא אָמַר לָהּ הוּא אֶל כָּל־מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵךְ לוֹמַר דָּבָר זֶה, שֶׁנִּשְׁמַע שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֲנָשֶׁיהָ רָעִים וְעוֹבֵר שָׁם דֶּרֶךְ עֲרַאי, כִּי בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה גָּר שָׁם דֶּרֶךְ קֶבַע הָיוּ מַכִּירִים אוֹתוֹ וּמְכַבְּדִים אוֹתוֹ מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ עָנֵר וְאֶחָיו שֶׁהָיוּ בַּעֲלֵי בְרִיתוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ בְּנֵי חֵת ״נְשִׂיא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה בְּתוֹכֵנוּ״ (בראשית כג:ו).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אל כל המקום, actually, we find that this stratagem was employed by Avraham only twice. We must therefore assume that Avraham meant that he had told Sarah that in any location which appeared to warrant such a white lie, he told her to use it. As soon as we hear from others that the people in the place which we are approaching are evil people, we need to avail ourselves of this strategy in order to enhance my chances of survival. This applied to locations in which Avraham would only be a transient. Wherever he settled down, people knew who he was and respected him, and would not dream of molesting either him or Sarah. We know that Avner, Eshkol and Mamre were actually allies of Avraham. Even the people of Kiryat Arba referred to him as a “prince in our midst.” (23,6)


###### Radak on Genesis 20:13:6
[Radak on Genesis 20:13:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:13:6)

**אִמְרִי־לִי.** בַּעֲבוּרִי, כְּמוֹ ״וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם לְאִשְׁתּוֹ״ (בראשית כו:ז), וְזוּלָתוֹ רַבִּים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אמרי לי, on my account, concerning me; Actually, many people asked Avraham concerning Sarah’s marital status.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:14:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:14:1)

**וַיִּקַּח.** פִּיְּסוֹ בִּדְבָרִים וּבְמָמוֹן וּבִקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּמְחוֹל לוֹ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדוֹ, וְגַם אָמַר לוֹ שֶׁיֵּשֵׁב בְּאַרְצוֹ בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּרְצֶה כִּי הוּא יְצַוֶּה עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יִגְּעוּ בּוֹ וּבְאִשְׁתּוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויקח, He appeased him both with words and money, asking him for forgiveness and urging him to pray on his behalf. He also told him that he was welcome to stay in his country wherever he chose to settle, seeing that he would issue orders that neither he nor Sarah be molested.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:16:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:16:1)

**אֶלֶף כֶּסֶף.** מִלְּבַד הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר וַעֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לוֹ, נָתַתִּי אֶלֶף כֶּסֶף שֶׁיַּלְבִּישֵׁךְ בָּהֶם בְּגָדִים נָאִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולשרה אמר הנה נתתי אלף כסף, in addition to the livestock, men and women servants he had given Avraham, mentioned in verse 14. The purpose of the cash was to enable her to buy herself elegant clothing.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:16:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:16:2)

וְכֵן **לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אִתָּךְ.** יַלְבִּישׁ בָּהֶם, כְּלוֹמַר הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וּבְנֵי בַיִת הָעוֹמְדִים לְשָׁמְשֵׁךְ, כִּי לִכְבוֹדֵךְ נְתַתִּים לוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וכל אשר אתך, all your entourage should also have been outfitted with elegant clothing. Anyone belonging to your household was meant to look their best thanks to this money I gave to your brother.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:16:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:16:3)

**לְאָחִיךְ.** לְמִי שֶׁנִּקְרָא אָחִיךְ עַד הֵנָּה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לאחיך, to the person you had described to me as “your brother.”


###### Radak on Genesis 20:16:4
[Radak on Genesis 20:16:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:16:4)

**כְּסוּת עֵינַיִם.** לָךְ יִקְנֶה בָּהֶן כְּסוּת נָאָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בַּעַל גְּוָנִים רַבִּים, כִּי הַגָּוֶן יִקָּרֵא עַיִן כְּמוֹ ״וְעֵינוֹ כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח״ (במדבר יא:ז), ״כְּעֵין תַּרְשִׁישׁ״ (יחזקאל א:טז). אוֹ פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָרִקְמָה שֶׁל הַכְּסוּת עֲשׂוּיָה עֵינַיִם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כסות עינים, something appealing to your eyes and all those who look at you. Your brother was supposed to use this money to buy such garments for you. What are meant are specifically coloured garments, as the word עינים frequently describes gay colours. Compare the Torah’s description of the appearance of the manna in Numbers 11,7 as ועינו כעין הבדולח, “and its colour like the colour of crystal.” Or, Ezekiel 1,16 כעין תרשיש, “as the colour of beryl.” It is possible that the embroidering on the garment consisted of a variety of colours.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:16:5
[Radak on Genesis 20:16:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:16:5)

**וְאֵת כֹּל וְנֹכָחַת.** וְהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר כִּי עִם כָּל זֶה שֶׁקָּרָה לְשָׂרָה עִם פַּרְעֹה וְעִם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ נוֹכְחָה וְנוֹסְרָה שָׂרָה מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרָה עוֹד ״אָחִי הוּא״ (בראשית כ:יג). וְאִלּוּ הָיְתָה מִלַּת **וְנֹכָחַת** דִּבְרֵי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ לְשָׂרָה, הָיְתָה הַתָּי״ו דְּגוּשָׁה, וְהִנֵּה הִיא רָפָה, וְהִיא בִּמְקוֹם הֵ״א הַנְּקֵבָה הַנִּסְתֶּרֶת, כְּמוֹ ״וְנִשְׁכַּחַת צֹר״ (ישעיה כג:טו).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואת כל ונוכחת, the Torah tells its readers that after all that Sarah had experienced at the hands of Pharaoh and Avimelech, she never again described Avraham as her brother instead of as her husband. If the word ונוכחת were to be understood as part of what Avimelech had said to Sarah, the letter ת at the end of this word would have required to have a dot, dagesh in it, whereas it is spelled “weak,” i.e. without such a dagesh, to indicate that it is in a third person feminine mode and not part of direct speech, second person feminine. (compare a similar construction in Isaiah 23,15)


###### Radak on Genesis 20:17:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:17:1)

**וַיִּרְפָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ.** שֶׁחָזְרָה לוֹ הַתַּאֲוָה כָּרִאשׁוֹנָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויתפלל...את אבימלך, he again possessed an active libido, just as he had before G’d struck him.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:17:2
[Radak on Genesis 20:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:17:2)

**וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַמְהֹתָיו וַיֵּלֵדוּ.** שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לִזְמַן הַלֵּדָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָלֶדֶת, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתַּאֲרִיךְ הַלֵּדָה לִשְׁאָר נָשִׁים הַיּוֹשְׁבוֹת עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר יוֹם אוֹ יוֹמַיִם אוֹ יוֹתֵר לִפְעָמִים, הִנֵּה אֲחָזוּם חִיל בְּיוֹם שֶׁנִּלְקְחָה שָׂרָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָלֶדֶת כָּל הַיּוֹם הַהוּא וְכָל הַלַּיְלָה וְכֵן יוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת עַד אַחַר תְּפִלַּת אַבְרָהָם. וְיָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אָדָם רְפוּאָה לְאִשָּׁה הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר וְאֵין בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ חָסֵר רוֹפְאִים בְּקִיאִים, וּבֶאֱמֶת נִסּוּ בָּהֶם הַדְּבָרִים הַמּוֹעִילִים וְלֹא הוֹעִילוּ לָהֶן. אָז יָדְעוּ כִּי אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִיא.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואת אשתו ואמהותיו, the ones who had been supposed to give birth but had been unable to due to this affliction. Even though, generally speaking, we cannot determine precisely when a baby that is due to be born will be born, the women who had entered labour at the time the affliction struck could not give birth so that it was clear what the affliction was connected to. After Avimelech had dreamt the dream which the Torah described in detail, he called together both his servants as well as Avraham early in the morning. If so, when did they experience the impediment to delivering the babies due? Perhaps they experienced labour pains which were not relieved for even brief periods in between. Or, perhaps, Avraham took his time before he appealed to G’d in prayer to relieve the situation. We know that when women are in labour there are a number of ways in which their husbands can alleviate their pains and bring on the birth. All of these attempts had failed so that it became clear that some supernatural power had its hand in what was happening.


###### Radak on Genesis 20:17:3
[Radak on Genesis 20:17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:17:3)

וּמִלַּת **וַיֵּלֵדוּ.** שָׁבָה לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַמְהֹתָיו אוֹ גַּם לַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ, וְעִנְיָנוֹ הוֹצָאַת זֶרַע. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם ״וְאִתְרְוָחוּ״, וְאֶפְשָׁר כִּי דַּעְתּוֹ עַל הַלֵּדָה, וְאָמַר ״וְאִתְרְוָחוּ״ וְלֹא אָמַר ״וִילִידוּ״ בַּעֲבוּר הָעֹצֶר שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם מִלֶּדֶת, אוֹ הָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ כְּדַעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא קמא צב) שֶׁאָמְרוּ כִּי עֲצִירַת הַנְּקָבִים הָיְתָה בָּהֶם שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לְהִפָּנוֹת לֹא לִגְדוֹלִים וְלֹא לִקְטַנִּים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וילדו, this word may refer to Avimelech’s wife and his maidservants; alternately, it may refer to Avimelech’s ability to ejaculate semen again, something he had not been able to do. Onkelos translates this as ואתרוחו, meaning that their orifices which had been closed opened up again. Why would he not translate the word וילדו as “they gave birth?” Perhaps what he meant was that they did give birth, and he did not really mean that their orifices had been closed so that they could neither urinate nor defecate, as seems to be the opinion of our sages (Baba Kama 92b).


###### Radak on Genesis 20:18:1
[Radak on Genesis 20:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/20:18:1)

**כִּי עָצֹר וגו׳.** בְּנָשִׁים אוֹ גַּם בִּבְהֵמוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם), וְכֵן אָמְרוּ אֲפִלּוּ תַּרְנְגֹלֶת לֹא הִפִּילָה בֵּיצָתָהּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי עצר עצר בעד כל רחם, among the women, and possibly also among the animals which were meant to give birth at that time. (as we quoted our sages as saying). In fact the Talmud says that even hens which lay eggs instead of producing live chicks from their bodies were equally affected.