Genesis 20:7 - Exposition

Now therefore restore the man his wife . Literally, the wife of the man, God now speaking of Abraham non tanquam de homine quolibet, sod peculiariter sibi charum (Calvin). For he is a prophet Nabi, from naba , to cause to bubble up; hence to pour forth, applied to one who speaks by a Divine afflatus ( Deuteronomy 13:2 ; 6:8 ; 1 Samuel 9:9 ; 1 Kings 22:7 ). The office of the Nabi was twofold—to announce the will of God to melt Exodus 4:15 ; Exodus 7:1 ), and also to intercede with God for men ( Exodus 7:7 ; Jeremiah 7:16 ; Jeremiah 11:14 ; Jeremiah 14:11 ). The use of the term Nabi in this place neither proves that the spirit of prophecy had not existed from the beginning (cf. Genesis 9:25-27 ), nor shows that the Pentateuch, which always uses this term, cannot be of greater antiquity than the time of Samuel, before which, according to 1 Samuel 9:9 , the prophet was called a seer (Bohlen, Hartmann). As used in the Pentateuch the term describes the recipient of Divine revelations, and as such it was incorporated in the Mosaic legislation. During the period of the Judges the term Roeh appears to have come into use, and to have held its ground until the reformation of Samuel, when the older theocratic term was again reverted to ( vide Havernick, § 19). And he shall pray for thee ( vide supra), and thou shalt live. Literally, live thou, the imperative being used for the future in strong prophetic assurances. And if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, —literally, dying thou shalt die (cf. Genesis 2:17 )— thou, and all that are thine.