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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Genesis 20:12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father--though not the daughter of my mother--and she became my wife.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/genesis/20-12.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/5/01_Gen_20_12.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Genesis 20:12 - Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father--though not the daughter of my mother--and she became my wife." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/genesis/20-12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/genesis/20-12.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/genesis/">Genesis</a> > <a href="/genesis/20.htm">Chapter 20</a> > Verse 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad12.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/genesis/20-11.htm" title="Genesis 20:11">◄</a> Genesis 20:12 <a href="/genesis/20-13.htm" title="Genesis 20:13">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/genesis/20.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/genesis/20.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/genesis/20.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/genesis/20.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/genesis/20.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/genesis/20.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And yet indeed <i>she is</i> my sister; she <i>is</i> the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/genesis/20.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />But indeed <i>she is</i> truly my sister. She <i>is</i> the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/genesis/20.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/genesis/20.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8220Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/genesis/20.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />“Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/genesis/20.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/genesis/20.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she actually is my [half] sister; she is the daughter of my father [Terah], but not of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/genesis/20.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/genesis/20.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/genesis/20.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/genesis/20.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Besides, she is my half sister. We have the same father, but different mothers. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/genesis/20.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/genesis/20.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Besides, she is my sister-my father's daughter but not my mother's. She is also my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/genesis/20.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />She really is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not of my mother, and I married her. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/genesis/20.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister—she's my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter—so she could become my wife. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/genesis/20.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father?though not the daughter of my mother?and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/genesis/20.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />What's more, she is indeed my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter. She became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/genesis/20.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/genesis/20.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And yet indeed she is my sister: she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/genesis/20.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/genesis/20.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and also, she is truly my sister, daughter of my father, only not daughter of my mother, and she becomes my wife;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/genesis/20.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and also, truly she is my sister, daughter of my father, only not daughter of my mother, and she becometh my wife;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/genesis/20.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And truly also my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother: and she was to me for wife.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/genesis/20.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/genesis/20.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Yet, in another way, she is also truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her as a wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/genesis/20.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Besides, she really is my sister, but only my father’s daughter, not my mother’s; and so she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/genesis/20.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/genesis/20.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And yet truly she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/genesis/20.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />However, she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and she became to me a wife.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/genesis/20.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and so she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/genesis/20.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />For truly she is my sister by my father, but not by my mother, and she became my wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/genesis/20-12.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ehevn8iSgc?start=4478" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/genesis/20.htm">Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">11</span>Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’ <span class="reftext">12</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/1571.htm" title="1571: wə·ḡam- (Conj) -- Also, moreover, yea. ">Besides,</a> <a href="/hebrew/1931.htm" title="1931: hî (Pro-3fs) -- He, she, it. ">she</a> <a href="/hebrew/546.htm" title="546: ’ā·mə·nāh (Adv) -- Verily, truly, indeed. Feminine form of 'omen; adverb, surely.">really</a> <a href="/hebrew/269.htm" title="269: ’ă·ḥō·ṯî (N-fsc:: 1cs) -- Sister. Irregular feminine of 'ach; a sister (like 'Ezrachiy), literally and figuratively).">is my sister,</a> <a href="/hebrew/1323.htm" title="1323: ḇaṯ- (N-fsc) -- Daughter. From banah; a daughter.">the daughter</a> <a href="/hebrew/1.htm" title="1: ’ā·ḇî (N-msc:: 1cs) -- Father. A primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application).">of my father—</a> <a href="/hebrew/389.htm" title="389: ’aḵ (Adv) -- Surely, howbeit. Akin to 'aken; a particle of affirmation, surely; hence only.">though</a> <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm" title="3808: lō (Adv-NegPrt) -- Not. Or lowi; or loh; a primitive particle; not; by implication, no; often used with other particles.">not</a> <a href="/hebrew/1323.htm" title="1323: ḇaṯ- (N-fsc) -- Daughter. From banah; a daughter.">the daughter</a> <a href="/hebrew/517.htm" title="517: ’im·mî (N-fsc:: 1cs) -- A mother. A primitive word; a mother; in a wide sense (like 'ab).">of my mother—</a> <a href="/hebrew/1961.htm" title="1961: wat·tə·hî- (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs) -- To fall out, come to pass, become, be. A primitive root; to exist, i.e. Be or become, come to pass.">and she became</a> <a href="/hebrew/lî (Prep:: 1cs) -- ">my</a> <a href="/hebrew/802.htm" title="802: lə·’iš·šāh (Prep-l:: N-fs) -- Woman, wife, female. Feminine of 'iysh or 'enowsh; irregular plural, nashiym; a woman.">wife.</a> </span><span class="reftext">13</span>So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/12-13.htm">Genesis 12:13</a></span><br />Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/11-29.htm">Genesis 11:29</a></span><br />And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/17-15.htm">Genesis 17:15-16</a></span><br />Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah. / And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/24-4.htm">Genesis 24:4</a></span><br />but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/24-15.htm">Genesis 24:15</a></span><br />Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/24-67.htm">Genesis 24:67</a></span><br />And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/26-7.htm">Genesis 26:7</a></span><br />But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/29-10.htm">Genesis 29:10</a></span><br />As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/29-12.htm">Genesis 29:12</a></span><br />He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/29-18.htm">Genesis 29:18</a></span><br />Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/29-28.htm">Genesis 29:28</a></span><br />And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/30-4.htm">Genesis 30:4</a></span><br />So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/30-9.htm">Genesis 30:9</a></span><br />When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/31-15.htm">Genesis 31:15</a></span><br />Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/35-22.htm">Genesis 35:22</a></span><br />While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.</p><p class="hdg">And yet.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/11-29.htm">Genesis 11:29</a></b></br> And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife <i>was</i> Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/12-13.htm">Genesis 12:13</a></b></br> Say, I pray thee, thou <i>art</i> my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/1_thessalonians/5-22.htm">1 Thessalonians 5:22</a></b></br> Abstain from all appearance of evil.</p><p class="hdg">she is the.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/1_timothy/6-6.htm">Actually</a> <a href="/genesis/19-12.htm">Besides</a> <a href="/genesis/19-38.htm">Daughter</a> <a href="/1_john/5-2.htm">Fact</a> <a href="/genesis/18-24.htm">Indeed</a> <a href="/genesis/17-16.htm">Moreover</a> <a href="/genesis/17-16.htm">Mother</a> <a href="/genesis/18-24.htm">Really</a> <a href="/genesis/20-5.htm">Sister</a> <a href="/genesis/20-11.htm">Wife</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/genesis/37-8.htm">Actually</a> <a href="/genesis/26-1.htm">Besides</a> <a href="/genesis/24-15.htm">Daughter</a> <a href="/genesis/40-15.htm">Fact</a> <a href="/genesis/22-17.htm">Indeed</a> <a href="/genesis/22-24.htm">Moreover</a> <a href="/genesis/21-12.htm">Mother</a> <a href="/genesis/26-9.htm">Really</a> <a href="/genesis/24-30.htm">Sister</a> <a href="/genesis/20-14.htm">Wife</a><div class="vheading2">Genesis 20</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-1.htm">Abraham sojourns at Gerar.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">2. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-2.htm">Denies his wife, who is taken by Abimelech.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">3. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-3.htm">Abimelech is reproved for her in a dream.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-9.htm">He rebukes Abraham.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">14. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-14.htm">Restores Sarah;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">16. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-16.htm">and reproves her.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">17. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/20-17.htm">Abimelech and his family are healed at Abraham's prayer.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/genesis/20.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/genesis/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/genesis/20.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Besides, she really is my sister</b><br>In this phrase, Abraham is speaking to Abimelech, explaining his relationship with Sarah. The term "sister" here is used in a broader sense, common in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where familial terms could denote various degrees of kinship. Abraham's claim is technically true, as Sarah is his half-sister. This reflects the complex family structures and marriage practices of the time, which were often different from modern norms. The use of "sister" also highlights the recurring theme of deception in Abraham's life, as seen earlier in <a href="/genesis/12-13.htm">Genesis 12:13</a> when he similarly misled Pharaoh.<p><b>the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother</b><br>This phrase clarifies the familial relationship between Abraham and Sarah, indicating that they share the same father, Terah, but have different mothers. Such marriages were not uncommon in ancient times and were later explicitly prohibited in the Mosaic Law (<a href="/leviticus/18-9.htm">Leviticus 18:9</a>). This detail underscores the patriarchal lineage and the importance of maintaining family ties within the clan, which was crucial for inheritance and social stability.<p><b>and she became my wife</b><br>Sarah's role as Abraham's wife is central to the Abrahamic covenant, as she is the mother of Isaac, the child of promise. This marriage is significant in the biblical narrative, as it sets the stage for the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham regarding his descendants and the land. The union of Abraham and Sarah also prefigures the relationship between Christ and the Church, with Sarah representing the faithful who are part of God's covenant community. This typology is further explored in the New Testament, particularly in <a href="/galatians/4-22.htm">Galatians 4:22-31</a>, where Paul uses Sarah and Hagar to illustrate the difference between the old and new covenants.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/a/abraham.htm">Abraham</a></b><br>The patriarch of the Israelites, who is speaking in this verse. He is explaining his relationship with Sarah to Abimelech, the king of Gerar.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/s/sarah.htm">Sarah</a></b><br>Abraham's wife and half-sister, as revealed in this verse. Her relationship with Abraham is central to the account of God's covenant with Abraham.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/a/abimelech.htm">Abimelech</a></b><br>The king of Gerar, who unknowingly took Sarah into his household, believing she was Abraham's sister, not his wife.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/g/gerar.htm">Gerar</a></b><br>A Philistine city where Abraham and Sarah sojourned. It is the setting for the events of <a href="/bsb/genesis/20.htm">Genesis 20</a>.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/g/god's_covenant.htm">God's Covenant</a></b><br>The broader context of this event is God's covenant with Abraham, promising him descendants and land.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_cultural_context.htm">Understanding Cultural Context</a></b><br>Recognize the cultural norms of Abraham's time, where marriage between half-siblings was not uncommon. This helps us understand the actions and decisions of biblical figures within their historical context.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_and_protection.htm">God's Sovereignty and Protection</a></b><br>Despite Abraham's fear and deception, God protected Sarah and upheld His covenant promises. This teaches us about God's faithfulness even when we falter.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_complexity_of_human_relationships.htm">The Complexity of Human Relationships</a></b><br>Abraham and Sarah's relationship illustrates the complexities and imperfections in human relationships, yet God works through them to fulfill His purposes.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/f/faith_and_fear.htm">Faith and Fear</a></b><br>Abraham's actions were driven by fear, yet God used the situation to demonstrate His power and protection. This encourages us to trust God rather than act out of fear.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/i/integrity_and_honesty.htm">Integrity and Honesty</a></b><br>The account challenges us to consider the importance of honesty and integrity in our relationships and how God values truthfulness.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_genesis_20.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Genesis 20</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/do_you_respect_and_honor_your_parents.htm">Do you respect and honor your parents?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_did_abram_call_sarai_his_sister.htm">Why did Abram claim Sarai was his sister?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_penalize_abimelech,_not_deceiver.htm">Why would an omniscient God penalize Abimelech and his household in Genesis 20:18 when Abraham was the one who deceived him? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_was_cain's_wife_in_the_bible.htm">Who was Cain's wife in the Bible?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/genesis/20.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(12) <span class= "bld">Not the daughter of my mother.</span>--This disproves the notion that Sarah was the same as Iscah (<a href="/genesis/11-29.htm" title="And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.">Genesis 11:29</a>); for as Iscah was Terah's granddaughter, the distinction between the identity of the father and the diversity of the mother would in her case be unmeaning. Sarah was apparently Abraham's half-sister, being Terah's daughter by another wife; and we gather from her calling her child Sarai--that is, <span class= "ital">princely </span>(see <a href="/genesis/17-15.htm" title="And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.">Genesis 17:15</a>)--that she was not a concubine, but belonged to some noble race.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/genesis/20.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 12.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And yet indeed she is my sister</span>. This was the second of the patriarch's extenuating pleas, that he had not exactly lied, having uttered at least a half truth. She is the daughter of my father (Temh), But not the daughter of my mother. That Sarah was the grand-daughter of Terah, <span class="accented">i.e.</span> the daughter of Haran, and sister of Lot, in other words, Iscah, has been maintained (Josephus, <span class="accented">Augustine</span>, Jerome, Jonathan). That she was Terah's niece, being a brother's daughter adopted by him, has received some support (Calvin); but there seems no reason for departing from the statement of the text, that she was her husband's half-sister, <span class="accented">i.e.</span> Terah's daughter by another wife than Abraham's mother (Rosenmüller, Kalisch, Keil, Knobel). <span class="cmt_word">And she became my wife.</span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/genesis/20-12.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Besides,</span><br /><span class="heb">וְגַם־</span> <span class="translit">(wə·ḡam-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1571.htm">Strong's 1571: </a> </span><span class="str2">Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and</span><br /><br /><span class="word">she</span><br /><span class="heb">הִ֔וא</span> <span class="translit">(hî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1931.htm">Strong's 1931: </a> </span><span class="str2">He, self, the same, this, that, as, are</span><br /><br /><span class="word">really</span><br /><span class="heb">אָמְנָ֗ה</span> <span class="translit">(’ā·mə·nāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_546.htm">Strong's 546: </a> </span><span class="str2">Verily, truly, indeed</span><br /><br /><span class="word">is my sister,</span><br /><span class="heb">אֲחֹתִ֤י</span> <span class="translit">(’ă·ḥō·ṯî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_269.htm">Strong's 269: </a> </span><span class="str2">Sister -- a sister</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the daughter</span><br /><span class="heb">בַת־</span> <span class="translit">(ḇaṯ-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1323.htm">Strong's 1323: </a> </span><span class="str2">A daughter</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of my father—</span><br /><span class="heb">אָבִי֙</span> <span class="translit">(’ā·ḇî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1.htm">Strong's 1: </a> </span><span class="str2">Father</span><br /><br /><span class="word">though</span><br /><span class="heb">אַ֖ךְ</span> <span class="translit">(’aḵ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_389.htm">Strong's 389: </a> </span><span class="str2">A particle of affirmation, surely</span><br /><br /><span class="word">not</span><br /><span class="heb">לֹ֣א</span> <span class="translit">(lō)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb - Negative particle<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3808.htm">Strong's 3808: </a> </span><span class="str2">Not, no</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the daughter</span><br /><span class="heb">בַת־</span> <span class="translit">(ḇaṯ-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1323.htm">Strong's 1323: </a> </span><span class="str2">A daughter</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of my mother—</span><br /><span class="heb">אִמִּ֑י</span> <span class="translit">(’im·mî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_517.htm">Strong's 517: </a> </span><span class="str2">A mother, )</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and she became</span><br /><span class="heb">וַתְּהִי־</span> <span class="translit">(wat·tə·hî-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1961.htm">Strong's 1961: </a> </span><span class="str2">To fall out, come to pass, become, be</span><br /><br /><span class="word">my wife.</span><br /><span class="heb">לְאִשָּֽׁה׃</span> <span class="translit">(lə·’iš·šāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_802.htm">Strong's 802: </a> </span><span class="str2">Woman, wife, female</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/genesis/20-12.htm">Genesis 20:12 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/genesis/20-12.htm">OT Law: Genesis 20:12 Besides she is indeed my sister (Gen. Ge Gn)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/genesis/20-11.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 20:11"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 20:11" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/genesis/20-13.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 20:13"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 20:13" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>