Genesis 20:11

WEB

Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'

KJV

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.

Commentary

And Abraham said,.... In defence of himself, as well as he could: because I thought; within himself, concluding from the general depravity of the Canaanites, that this was the case of the inhab itants of Gerar: surely the fear of God is not in this place; this is a certain truth, which he thought might be depended upon, and taken for granted, since so it was everywhere: or "only" (e), as the word used signifies; this was the only thing he had to plead, that he verily thought with himself that there was no true religion and godliness in Gerar: that the inhabitants of it were without any fear of God before their eyes, or in their hearts; and he knew, where this is the case, there is nothing to restrain from the commission of the grossest sins: and they will slay me for my wife's sake; that they might marry her, see Gen 12:12 . (e) "tantum", Montanus; so Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Ben Melech.