Genesis 20:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider the honor bestowed upon a righteous man as he is presented to the king, a person who was previously deemed insignificant, a wanderer, and an outsider. As soon as the assembly gathered, the patriarch, who was unaware of the situation and had only learned from the king about the divine intervention done for him, was summoned. The king questioned, “Why did you seek to lead me into such a transgression?” Here, the king clearly expresses the warning he received from God. Just as God had warned him, “And if thou return not, thou shalt know that thou and all thine own shall surely die,” so too Abimelech poses the question, “What have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon me and upon my kingdom?” Was it solely upon me that this retribution was meant to fall? Your deception could have spelled doom for my entire realm. With what purpose did you engage in such actions?

Abimelech arose early in the morning and summoned Abraham, admonishing him for almost causing him to commit a serious wrong.