Norwegian 2018 (Bibelen - Guds Ord Hverdagsbibelen (Hermon Forlag))
Men Abimelek hadde ikke rørt henne ennå, og han sa: «Herre, vil Du slå meg i hjel enda jeg ikke har gjort noe galt? Sa ikke mannen til meg at hun var søsteren hans? Og hun, hun sa også selv at han var broren hennes. Dette har jeg gjort med et uskyldig hjerte og rene hender.» Gud svarte: «Ja, Jeg vet at du ikke visste noe om det og at du er uskyldig, derfor har Jeg passet på, så du ikke skulle røre henne. Jeg holdt deg tilbake, så du ikke skulle synde mot Meg. Men gi nå kona tilbake til mannen, for han er en profet, og han skal gå i forbønn for deg, så du skal leve. Men hvis du ikke gir henne tilbake, skal du sannelig vite at du skal dø, både du og alle dine.»
What Does This Mean?
In this verse, Abimelech, the king of Gerar, speaks to God, saying he had not come close to Sarah. He asks if God would punish a righteous nation for something they did not know about. The key message is about the innocence of a nation when they are unaware of a wrongdoing.
Explained for Children
Imagine you and your friends are playing a game, and someone accidentally takes a toy that doesn't belong to them. Your friend, who is like Abimelech, tells the teacher, 'We didn't know it wasn't ours! Are you going to punish us?' It's like saying, 'We didn't do anything wrong, so why punish us?'
Historical Background
Genesis was written by Moses around 1400 BC, and this chapter is part of the narrative of Abraham's life. The text is set in the context of the patriarchal culture, where leaders like Abimelech would interact with foreign visitors, and the fear of divine punishment was a significant concern.
Living It Out Today
Think of a situation where you might be blamed for something you didn't know about, like a misunderstanding at work. This verse teaches us to speak up and clarify our innocence when we are wrongly accused, and trust in God's justice.