1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur ; and he sojourned in Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister : and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken ; for she is a man’s wife.
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her : and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay even a righteous nation ?
5 Said he not himself unto me, She is my sister ? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother : in the integrity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.
6 And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me : therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
7 Now therefore restore the man’s wife ; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live : and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Note · Genèse 20.1–7
Une intervention avant l’irréparable
Abimélec reçoit un avertissement avant d’avoir eu de relation avec Sara. Son intégrité est reconnue dans le cadre de ce qu’il savait. La menace divine n’efface donc pas la question de la connaissance et de la responsabilité : le récit prend au sérieux la différence entre tromper et être trompé.
8 And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears : and the men were sore afraid.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us ? and wherein have I sinned against 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.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing ?
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.
12 And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother ; and she became my wife :
13 and it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me : at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
Note · Genèse 20.8–13
Une justification qui ne résout pas la tromperie
Abraham explique sa peur et le lien familial réel qui l’unit à Sara. Une information partielle peut pourtant servir à cacher la relation décisive. Sa présomption concernant les habitants de Guérar ne suffit pas à rendre juste le risque imposé à Sara et à la maison d’Abimélec.
14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee : dwell where it pleaseth thee.
16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver : behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee ; and in respect of all thou art righted.
17 And Abraham prayed unto God : and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants ; and they bare children.
18 For Jehovah had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Note · Genèse 20.14–18
Restituer et prier
Abimélec restitue Sara et accompagne ce geste de dons ; Abraham prie pour sa maison. Le prophète peut être appelé à intercéder alors même qu’il a besoin d’être repris. Le trouble de la fécondité dans cet épisode ne donne pas une explication générale de l’infertilité ni le droit d’y chercher une faute cachée.
