(14) Abimelech. . . . gave them unto Abraham.--Pharaoh's presents were given when he took Sarah, and though he did not exact them back, yet he bade Abraham "go his way" in displeasure. More generously, the Philistine gives presents on restoring Sarah, and grants her husband permission to dwell in his land wherever it pleased him. He also acknowledges thereby that he had done Abraham a wrong.

Verse 14. - And Abimelech - as Pharaoh did (Genesis 12:18), but with a different motive - took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants. The LXX. and Samaritan insert "a thousand didrachmas" after "took," in order to include Sarah's present, mentioned in Ver. 16; but the two donations are separated in order to distinguish them as Abraham's gift and Sarah's respectively (Rosenmüller, Delitzsch), or the sum of money may indicate the value of the sheep and oxen, etc. which Abraham received (Keil, Knobel, Lange, 'Speaker's Commentary'). And gave them unto Abraham. To propitiate his favor for the wrong he had suffered. Pharaoh's gifts were "for the sake of Sarah" (Genesis 12:16). And restored him Sarah his wife.

20:14-18 We often trouble ourselves, and even are led into temptation and sin, by groundless suspicions; and find the fear of God where we expected it not. Agreements to deceive generally end in shame and sorrow; and restraints from sin, though by suffering, should be thankfully acknowledged. Though the Lord rebuke, yet he will pardon and deliver his people, and he will give them favour in the sight of those with whom they sojourn; and overrule their infirmities, when they are humbled for them, so that they shall prove useful to themselves and others.And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham,.... In a good measure satisfied with what Abraham had said to excuse himself; and these gifts he gave unto him, that he might, as Jarchi observes, pray and intercede for him, that he and his family might be healed, having understood by the divine oracle that he was a prophet, and if he prayed for him he would be restored to health: and these were not given to bribe him to give his consent that Sarah might be continued with him, since it follows:

and restored him Sarah his wife; untouched by him, as he was directed by God to do.