Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and the Lord answered him, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Genesis 25:21 (NASB)
The rabbis note that the first part of Genesis 25:21 is written backwards. Normally, it would note the ailment (the barrenness), and then follow it with prayer.
But here, Isaac prays for Rebekah, and then the text lists the ailment. The teaching: prayer is primary. Always pray.
Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and the Lord answered him, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Genesis 25:21 (NASB)
A notable contrast between Isaac and Abraham, as it relates to their barren wives, is that Isaac prays for Rebekah. We never saw Abraham pray for Sarah.
But even more, “on behalf of his wife” is literally “in front of his wife.”
Isaac prayed for Rebekah. Who knows? The text may be telling us that he prayed with her.
So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Genesis 20:17-18 (NKJV)
Abraham’s prayer at the end of Genesis 20 should surprise the reader, because his own wife is barren. It is meant to be ironic.
The rabbis have a saying about prayer: if you earnestly pray for someone who has a need, but you also have that need, God answers your need first.
And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken.
Genesis 21:1 (NKJV)
The “And” in Genesis 21:1 is meant to link this text to the end of Genesis 20 to show God answering this prayer for Sarah.
So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid.
Genesis 20:8 (NKJV)
Why does the text tell us that Abemelech’s men were afraid?
In this chapter, we read that God appeared to Abimelech by dream and threatened his life unless he returned Sarah to Abraham. Abimelech tells his servants, and then the text says that “the men” were afraid.
There are speculations about the precise locations of Gerar (likely near the Negev region in Southen Israel) and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (near the Dead Sea), but it’s assumed that the places were about 40 to 50 miles from one another.
The rabbis note that by the time Abraham arrives, the people of Gerar could still see the smoke from the burning cities.
Perhaps the arrival of a prophet of the God who destroyed the cities was enough to terrify everyone. But the text doesn’t say “everyone” was afraid. It doesn’t give a vague pronoun here, even though it could have.
It said “and the MEN” were very afraid.
While the commentaries don’t say this, I wonder if “the men” are mentioned here to tie us back to the cities that were destroyed. There were wicked men in Sodom and Gomorrah, and perhaps the men here considered their own life choices and wondered if they were next.
One Jewish commentary says that perhaps the men were afraid that Abraham would not intercede for them and shield them from doom.
The men were very frightened. They were afraid that Avraham would refuse to pray for them.
Haamek Davar on Genesis 20:8:1
We already know that Abraham is a man who pleads on behalf of others. Perhaps here, God is teaching him to pray not just for his own people, but for the well-being and protection of others as well.
Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
Genesis 20:7 (NIV)
Genesis 20:7 is the first time anyone is called a “prophet” of God. It is נָבִיא (navi) This word never appears again in Genesis, and is not mentioned until Exodus, where God tells Moses, “I have made you like a god to pharaoh, and Aaron your brother like a prophet” in Exodus 7:1.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
Matthew 7:1-3 (NIV)
The teaching about “not judging others” is a bit more nuanced than simply “don’t judge.”
If you ask God to judge between you and another, you’re putting yourself in a rather precarious position. You’d better be righteous.
Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
Genesis 16:5 (NIV)
Imagine a heavenly court whereby if you bring an accusation against someone and demand that the court determine who is at fault, the FIRST thing the court does is examine you, the accuser.
At any rate, we have a rule that if someone calls upon G-d to determine if concerning an accusation leveled against a fellow human being he or she had been correct, the first thing the heavenly tribunal does is to examine if the accuser has led a blameless life himself or herself.
Chizkuni on Genesis 16:5:4
And if they find you to be unrighteous or guilty of anything, the first thing they do is punish YOU for your sins. Only then will they address the accusation.
That is what the teaching is that informs us of this “do not judge” teaching. It is a warning.
If faults are found in the accuser’s life, he is judged, i.e. punished first, before the accusation is examined in greater detail.
Chizkuni on Genesis 16:5:4
In the case of Sarai, we want to blame her for lack of faith, or perhaps we want to apply a modern standard and accuse her of causing infidelity. But notice that God does not discipline her here.
But also, what is her accusation, exactly?
But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Genesis 15:2-3 (NIV)
The rabbis suggest that in Genesis 15, when Abram prayed for a child, he prayed only for himself and not for his wife. Remember: she was the one who was barren. She is the one who needed prayer.
She accuses him of being selfish in his prayer, and she is vindicated.
There are so many lessons to learn here, if we have the ears to hear.