Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him. Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.””
(Genesis 20:14-15)

Abimelech did what God said. He did not hold it against Abraham. I doubt he liked Abraham’s excuse, but at least Abraham wasn’t trying to harm Abimelech or his household on purpose. Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham and gave Abraham gifts.

Abimelech also made it clear that Abraham would not be accosted on account of his wife and was given permission to settle wherever he wanted in the kingdom without fear of reprisal.

This is a great picture of how God treats us. Abraham had been in the wrong, but Abimelech treated him well. We are in the wrong and need God’s mercy. He gives us and treats us according to His covenant (grace). He is a GOOD God.

The sage Rashi writes: ‘ויתן לאברהם AND GAVE THEM UNTO ABRAHAM, so that he might he mollified and pray for him. הנה ארצי לפניך BEHOLD MY LAND IS BEFORE THEE — But Pharaoh had said to him (12:19) “Behold thy wife, take her and go”, because he feared for Sarah’s safety since the Egyptians were addicted to lewd practices (see Rashi on this passage).’

The sage Tur HaAroch writes: ‘כטוב בעיניך שב, “settle wherever it pleases you.” The contrast with Pharaoh’s reaction to having felt deceived by Avraham is quite remarkable. The former could not forgive Avraham for having been the instrument that made him suffer chastisement by G’d, although he knew himself to have been wrong.’

The sage Siftei Chakhamim writes: ‘So that he be mollified and pray for him. [Rashi knows this] because for taking his wife, [gifts were not necessary]. As Avimelech did not touch her, it is like he never took her. [You might ask:] Why did Avimelech need to mollify Avraham, while Pharaoh did not? The answer is: Pharaoh was completely unaware [that he had taken a married woman], because Avraham on his own craftily told Sarah (12:13): “Please say that you are my sister.” But here, they asked Avraham if she is his wife or his sister. He feared they would kill him and was compelled to say, “She is my sister.” That is why Pharaoh was smitten only with a disease for which relations are harmful, and after he returned her he no longer needed a cure. Whereas even after Avimelech had returned her, mollified Avraham and gave gifts, nonetheless it says: “Adonoy restrained every womb.” This was because Avimelech was considered a nearly deliberate sinner, since they interrogated Avraham: “Is she your wife?” As it says in Bava Kama 92a, “When a guest arrives in a city… is he asked about his wife?” [see Rashi, v. 11].’