• Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 20:1-18
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 61:1-10
• Apostolic (A): Galatians 3:15-29
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 16:10-11

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Leviticus 18:9 & 11, 20:17 (T)
• Genesis 12:11-19 (T)
• Genesis 14:12, 16 (T)
• Genesis 26:1-10 (T)
• Luke 4:14-21 (P)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Jubilees 12:9 (T)
• Genesis Apocryphon 1Q20 Column 19-20 (T)
• Genesis 20:1-18 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.6.5 (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.12.1 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

Bereshiyt (Genesis) 20:1-18

20:1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He sojourned in Gerar. 2 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3 But Elohim came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is married to a husband.” 4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5 Didn't he tell me, ‘She is my sister'? She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.' I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.” 6 [The Elohim]^(MTT) said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her. 7 Now therefore, return the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't return her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.” 8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. [All]^(LXX) the men were very scared. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my reign a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of Elohim is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.' 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 When Elohim caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ' ” 14 Abimelech took [a thousand double-drachmas,]^(LXX) sheep, and cattle, male servants and maids, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah, his wife, to him. 15 Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16 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." 17 Abraham prayed to [the Elohim].^(MTT) So Elohim healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maids, and they bore. 18 For [Elohim]^(LXX) had closed up tight all the bowels of the house of Abimelech, upon the word of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Prophets Portion (P)

Isaiah 61:1-10

61:1 The Spirit of [the Lord]^(DSS)(LXX) YHWH is on me, because [he]^(LXX)  has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and [recovering of sight to the blind]*,^(DSS)(LXX) 2 to proclaim the year of the favor of YHWH and the day of vengeance of our Elohim, to comfort all who mourn, 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of YHWH, that he may be decorated. 4 They will rebuild the old ruins. They will raise up the former devastated places. They will repair the ruined cities that have been devastated for many generations. 5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks. Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards. 6 But you will be called the priests of YHWH. Men will call you the servants of our Elohim. You will eat the wealth of the nations. You will boast in their glory. 7 Instead of your shame you will have double. Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they will possess double. Everlasting joy will be to them. 8 “For I, YHWH, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their seed will be known among the nations, and their seed among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed which YHWH has blessed.” 10 I will greatly rejoice in YHWH! My soul will be joyful in my Elohim, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

*The Masoretic text reads, “release to those who are bound”, however, both the Septuagint (LXX) and Dead Sea Scrolls from 250 B.C. and earlier read, “recovery of sight to the blind,” and matches Luke’s quotation of this verse in Luke 4:18.

Apostolic Portion (A)

Galatians 3:15-29

3:15 Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn’t say, “To seeds”, as of many, but as of one, “To your seed”, which is Messiah. 17 Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by Elohim in Messiah,^(mss) the Torah, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the Torah, it is no more of promise; but Elohim has granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 Then why is there the Torah? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 But the mediator is not one, but Elohim is one. 21 Is the Torah then against the promises of Elohim? Certainly not! For if there had been a Torah given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the Torah. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Yeshua the Messiah might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Torah, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 So that the Torah has become our tutor to bring us to Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But the faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all children of Elohim, through faith in Messiah Yeshua. 27 For as many of you as were immersed into Messiah have put on Messiah. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua. 29 If you are Messiah’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.

Additional Portion (ADD)

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Jubilees 16:10-11 (T)

16:10 And in this new moon Abraham moved from Hebron, and departed and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur in the mountains of Gerar. 11. And in the middle of the fifth new moon he moved from thence, and dwelt at the Well of the Oath.

Related Scriptures

Leviticus 18:9 & 11, 20:17 (T)

Leviticus 18:9 You will not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad…11 You will not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.

Leviticus 20:17 If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a shameful thing. They will be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He will bear his iniquity.

Genesis 12:11-19 (T)

12:11 When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at. 12 It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive. 13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.” 14 When Abram had come into Egypt, Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male asses, male servants, maids, female donkeys, and camels. 17 YHWH afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

Genesis 14:12, 16 (T)

14:12 They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s ^(H251) son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed…16 He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative ^(H251) Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.

Genesis 26:1-10 (T)

26:1 There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2 YHWH appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about. 3 Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your seed, all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and will give all these lands to your seed. In your seed all the nations of the land will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my Torot.” 6 Isaac lived in Gerar. 7 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.” 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife. 9 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister?’ ” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’ ”

Luke 4:14-21 (P)

4:14 Yeshua returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. 15 He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the scroll, and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, 19 and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (cf. Isaiah 61:1-2) 20 He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Related Additional Readings

Jubilees 12:9 (T)

12:9 And in the fortieth jubilee, in the second week, in the seventh year thereof [1925 A.M.], Abram took to himself a woman, and her name was Sarai, the daughter of his father, and she became his wife.

Genesis Apocryphon 1Q20 Column 19-20

The Genesis Apocryphon 1Q20 (1Q20), also called the Tales of the Patriarchs or the Apocalypse of Lamech and labeled 1QapGen, is one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1946 by Bedouin shepherds in Cave 1 near Qumran, a city in the northwest corner of the Dead Sea.

If present, ellipses in the text (…) represent missing fragments of the scroll. The [bold] portions of this text we’re taken from The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English 7th Edition by Geza Vermes.

Column 19 I, Abraham built and altar (at Bethel) and called to God, praising him. I then went to the Holy mountain and to Hebron where he lived for two years. Because there was famine in the land my family and I traveled to Egypt where grain was plentiful. I went across the branches of the Nile to enter Egypt, the land of the sons of Ham. I had a dream about a cedar tree and a date-palm tree. When people came to cut down the cedar tree, the date-palm tree objected, saying that they were grown from a single root. The cedar tree was spared. I became fearful of the dream and told it to my wife. I explained it as it pertained to us telling Sarah that the men will come for her and try to kill me. I warned Sarah that she must tell everyone that I am her brother so that my life can be spared. She became scared and did not want to go to Zoan for fear of being seen. Five years later, councilors of the Egyptians court and advisors of the Pharaoh of Zoan came, having heard the words of my wife. They brought gifts and requested knowledge from me. I read to them from the Book of the words of Enoch.

Column 20 The men return to the Pharaoh and describe Sarah’s features: beautiful face, supple hair, lovely eyes, pleasant nose, radiant face. He continued on describing her shapely breasts, perfect hands, and everything down to her long and delicate fingers. the men compared her to and rated her far higher than virgins and birds [brides led into the marriage chamber], and all other women alike. Hearing this, and then seeing Sarah, the pharaoh wanted her and took her for his wife. Sarah saved me by telling the pharaoh that I was her brother and that night I and my nephew Lot cried together I prayed to Lord for justice. I wanted the Lord to raise up against the pharaoh and protect Sarah. Elohim listened and sent an evil spirit to the entire household that prevented the pharaoh from having sexual relations with Sarah for the two years that they were together. At the end of the two years, the plagues and afflictions were so great that magicians and healers were sent for. They were, of course, ineffective, and they all soon left. Hyrcanos went to me pleading for help against the plague because I had been seen in a dream. I agreed to help only when my wife Sarah is returned to me. The pharaoh heard this and confronted me, himself asking why I lied saying that Sarah was my sister. He agreed to give Sarah back and I exorcised the evil spirit from the house of the pharaoh. The pharaoh swore to me that he had not touched Sarah while they were together and gave her gifts of gold, silver, linen, and purple-dyed clothing. Sarah and I were then led out of Egypt. I, Sarah, Lot, and his wife took our flocks and the gold and silver I had received and traveled together [with my nephew Lot. Lot had great flocks also, and he took a woman for himself from among the daughters of Egypt].

Genesis 20:1-18 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 A.D.). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s woman Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century A.D. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

Chapter 20 And Abraham went on from thence to the land of the south, and dwelt between Rekam and Chagra, and had his habitation in Gerar. And Abraham said concerning Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelek, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. [JERUSALEM. King of Arad.] And a word came from before the Lord unto Abimelek, in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou diest, because of the woman whom thou hast carried away, and she a man’s wife. But Abimelek had not come nigh to defile her; and he said, Lord, will the son of a people who hath not sinned, and whom it is right to absolve in the judgment, be killed? Did he not tell me, She is my sister? and did not she also say, He is my brother? In the truthfulness of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this. And the Word of the Lord said to him in a dream, Before Me also it is manifest that in the truthfulness of thy heart thou didst this, and so restrained I thee from sinning before Me; therefore I would not permit thee to come near her. And now let the woman of the man return; for he is a prophet; he will pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not let her return, know that dying thou shalt die, thou and all who are thine. And Abimelek arose in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these words before them; and the men feared greatly. And Abimelek called Abraham, and said, What hast thou done to us? And in what have I sinned against thee? For thou hadst brought upon me and upon my reign a great sin. Thou hast wrought with me works that are not right. And Abimelek said to Abraham, What hast thou seen, that thou didst this thing? And Abraham said, Because I said in my heart, The fear of the Lord is not in this place, and they will kill me for the sake of my wife. But in truth she is my sister, the daughter of my father’s brother, but not of the kindred of my mother; and she became my wife. And it was when they sought to turn me aside to the worship of idols, and I went forth from my father’s house, that I said to her, This is the kindness thou shalt do me: in every place to which we come, say concerning me, He is my brother. And Abimelek took sheep, and restored Sarah his wife to him. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand sileen of silver to thy brother; behold, they are to thee a veil of the eyes, inasmuch as thou wast hidden from thine husband one night, and I would have seen thee: for were I to give all that I have it would not suffice (or be proportionate). And the words were debated. And Abraham knew that Abimelek had not come near Sarah his wife. [JERUSALEM. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand sileen of silver to thy brother; behold, that silver is given to thee as a present, because thou wast hidden from the eyes of Abraham thy husband one night: and of all that I have,–for on behalf of all I am corrected,–behold, were I to give all whatever I have, it would not suffice. Let the words be approved, and may Abraham the Just learn that I have not known thee.] And Abraham prayed before the Lord: and the Lord healed Abimelek and his wife and his concubines, and they were set at large. For the Word of the Lord shutting had shut in displeasure the wombs of all the women of Abimelek’s house on account of Sarah the woman of Abraham. [JERUSALEM. closing had closed.]

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.6.5 (T)

1.6.5…Now Abram had two brethren, Nahor and Haran: of these Haran left a son, Lot; as also Sarai and Milcha his daughters; and died among the Kasdim, in a city of the Kasdim, called Ur; and his monument is shown to this day. These married their nieces. Nabor married Milcha, and Abram married Sarai…

Compare to Genesis 11:26-29 Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees, while his father Terah was still alive. 29 Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah.

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.12.1 (T)

1.12.1. Abraham now removed to Gerar of Palestine, leading Sarah along with him, under the notion of his sister, using the like dissimulation that he had used before, and this out of fear: for he was afraid of Abimelech, the king of that country, who did also himself fall in love with Sarah, and was disposed to corrupt her; but he was restrained from satisfying his coveting by a dangerous distemper which befell him from Elohim. Now when his physicians despaired of curing him, he fell asleep, and saw a dream, warning him not to abuse the stranger’s wife; and when he recovered, he told his friends that Elohim had inflicted that disease upon him, by way of punishment, for his injury to the stranger; and in order to preserve the chastity of his wife, for that she did not accompany him as his sister, but as his legitimate woman; and that Elohim had promised to be gracious to him for the time to come, if this person be once secure of his wife’s chastity. When he had said this, by the advice of his friends, he sent for Abraham, and bid him not to be concerned about his wife, or fear the corruption of her chastity; for that Elohim took care of him, and that it was by his providence that he received his wife again, without her suffering any abuse. And he appealed to Elohim, and to his wife’s conscience; and said that he had not any inclination at first to enjoy her, if he had known she was his wife; but since, said he, thou leddest her about as thy sister, I was guilty of no offense. He also entreated him to be at peace with him, and to make Elohim propitious to him; and that if he thought fit to continue with him, he should have what he wanted in abundance; but that if he designed to go away, he should be honorably conducted, and have whatsoever supply he wanted when he came thither. Upon his saying this, Abraham told him that his pretense of kindred to his wife was no lie, because she was his brother’s daughter; and that he did not think himself safe in his travels abroad, without this sort of dissimulation; and that he was not the cause of his distemper, but was only solicitous for his own safety: he said also, that he was ready to stay with him. Whereupon Abimelech assigned him land and money; and they covenanted to live together without guile, and took an oath at a certain well called Be’ersheba, which may be interpreted, The Well of the Oath: and so it is named by the people of the country unto this day.