Fear No Fear

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

“To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.””
(Genesis 20:16)

Abimelech singled out Sarah in front of everyone to make sure that everyone could be clear on this point: she had done nothing wrong. Although the two of them had not consumated anything, her reputation – just for being brought into his household – needed to be cleared before witnesses. Abimelech made sure it was done separately from anything he did with Abraham so that no one could mistake her innocence and her uprightness of behaviour. Sarah had been wronged in this situation, so Abimelech made sure she was honoured and vindicated.

The sage Rashi writes: ‘ולשרה אמר AND UNTO SARAH HE SAID — Abimelech said — out of respect for her and to mollify her: “Behold I have shown you this mark of respect, viz., I have given money to your brother — to him of whom thou didst say “he is my brother”. הנה BEHOLD, this money and this evidence of respect. לך כסות עינים לכל אשר אתך SHALL BE UNTO THEE A COVERING OF THY EYES TO ALL WHO ARE WITH THEE — these will put a covering over the eyes of all who are with thee so that they shall not hold you in light esteem. But had I sent you back empty-handed, they might have said, “After he abused her he sent her back”; now, however, that I have had to lavish money and to mollify you they will understand that I have sent you back against my own will forced to do so by a miracle. ואת כל AND WITH ALL — means and with all people in the world. ונכחת AND THOU MAYEST FACE EVERY ONE — You will have an opening of the mouth (an opportunity) to defend yourself (להתוכח) and to point to these evident facts. This expression יכח in the Hiphil means everywhere making a thing plain; in old French éprouver; English to prove. Onkelos translated in a different manner, and the words of the text fit in with the Targum in the following way: Behold this shall be to you as a veil of honour on account of my eyes which have gazed upon (literally, ruled over) you and upon all who are with you; and that is why he translates it by: “because that I saw you and your people that are with you”. There are Midrashic explanations, but I have given the more exact meaning of the text.’

The sage Rav Hirsch writes: ‘V. 16. That I, the King who only attempted to get near to you, atoned so publicly for the attempt, and exerted myself so magnificently for reconciliation, that will cause such blinkers to be placed over the eyes of all my people that no one will dare to give an improper glance at you. So that henceforth there will be no necessity for you to deny your true relationship to Abraham and you can hold your head up before everybody just as his wife.’