Now then restore the man’s wife: Now then marks a transition to a new course of action to follow. Although God accepts Abimelech’s innocence regarding his violation of the marriage bond, Abimelech must still return Sarah to her husband. Restore means to “return her,” “give her back,” “send her back.” The man’s wife in some languages can refer to someone other than Abraham, and in such cases it will be necessary to say “Give this man’s wife back,” “Give Sarah back to Abraham,” “Return Abraham’s wife to him.”

For he is a prophet: interpreters differ in their understanding of prophet (Hebrew nabiʾ) in this context. Some hold that Abraham is called a prophet here because he will speak to God on Abimelech’s behalf; and he is not to be understood as a prophet in the same sense as Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, or Jeremiah. However, the expression used in 15.1, “… the word of the LORD came to Abram,” is typically that used of God speaking to a prophet. Others hold that the words for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you have been inserted into the text long after the patriarchal period, at a time when Abraham had become famous as a godly man of the ancient period. Note the reference to Abraham and the patriarchs as “prophets” in Psa 105.15.

In general Old Testament usage a prophet is a person who speaks to the people on behalf of God, but he may also be a spokesman for another person. For example, in Exo 7.1 Aaron is said to be Moses’ prophet, and it may be that prophet is being used in this sense in our verse. The usual term for prophet used throughout the Old Testament may not be suitable in this context, as Abraham is not telling the people God’s message but is interceding before God on behalf of Abimelech. His function in this case is more similar to that of a priest in later times.

If the use of the term prophet can result in confusion for the reader, it may be better to use a more general expression such as “man of God,” “holy man,” “God’s prayer man.” However, translators in areas where there is Muslim influence should remember that in the Koran Abraham (Ibrahim) is known as one of the six great prophets to whom God delivered special laws.

The explanation that Abraham is a prophet is not to be taken as the reason Abimelech should return Sarah but rather should be understood as the qualification Abraham has for approaching God on Abimelech’s behalf. Accordingly we may say “Abraham is a prophet and so will pray for you.”

And he will pray for you: pray translates a verb that is used here and generally throughout the Old Testament with the sense of “intervene,” “mediate,” “intercede.” It is used, for example, in Num 11.2, in which “the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire abated” (Revised Standard Version). New English Bible, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant translate “and he interceded with the LORD….” To intercede in this context is to speak to God for Abimelech, or more concretely, “to ask God to be merciful to Abimelech.”

And you shall live expresses the outcome of Abraham’s praying to God for the king. This statement reverses the condemnation of Abimelech by God in verse 3: “You are going to die.” In translation it may be stylistically desirable to retain the idea of death by saying, for example, “You shall not die” or “I will not kill you.” If the statement is translated as in Revised Standard Version, you shall live may require adjustment, since Abimelech is obviously already alive. We may need to translate, for example, “your life will be spared,” “you will go on living.”

But if you do not restore her: But introduces a different consequence that contrasts with having his life spared. Restore her translates the same verb form as in the first part of the verse and means “give her back to Abraham,” “send Sarah back.”

Know that you shall surely die: know, the literal rendering, must be modified in many languages, since a person cannot be told to “know” something. The sense of know as a command serves to strengthen the certainty of the threat or warning. Good News Translation says “I warn you that…,” New English Bible, Revised English Bible “I tell you that….” We may also translate, for example, “you can be sure that,” “there is no doubt that,” or “I want you to know that.”

You, and all that are yours: this additional phrase emphasizes the inclusion of Abimelech’s household in the threat of death. All that are yours reflects the way in which the family or household of a guilty person shared in his guilt and consequent punishment. For examples see the case of Korah in Num 16.32-35; of Achan in Josh 7.24-26. In translation all that are yours may need to be rendered “all the people who live with you,” “everyone in your family.”

Following the dialogue between God and Abimelech, Abimelech prepares to confront Abraham, who he now sees as the source of his suffering, the exact nature of which is only disclosed at the end of the chapter.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .