Genesis 20:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The passage reiterates, "And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they began to give birth; for the Lord had closed every womb in the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife." Although the king was restrained from wrongdoing, the good Lord allowed this affliction to come upon him so that, in response to the petitions of the righteous, He could bring relief to the king and thereby further elevate and honor the righteous man. In this manner, the Lord consistently orchestrates and governs all occurrences to ensure that those who faithfully serve Him shine brightly as lights, and their righteousness is recognized throughout.

This enigmatic statement can also be seen as symbolizing both the synagogue and the Church: the synagogue is unable to bear fruit when it loses its inheritance, while the assembly of nations, which was once barren due to a lack of knowledge of God, continues to produce offspring. As the Scripture states: "Rejoice, O barren one, that bearest not; exclaim and cry out, she that hath not travailed; for she that is forsaken hath many more children than she that hath a husband" (Isaiah 54:1).