Single lesson
Abraham, Sarah and Abimelech
Genesis 20:1–18
In this lesson, children will follow the account of Abraham, Sarah and Abimelech in order, notice the choices each person made, and see how God spoke, protected Sarah, and brought healing at the end.
Before you teach
Genesis 20:1–18 tells what happened when Abraham lived as a foreigner in Gerar. Abraham called Sarah his sister, Abimelech took Sarah, and God warned Abimelech in a dream. The passage then shows Abimelech confronting Abraham, restoring Sarah, and Abraham praying for healing.
Students will be able to retell the sequence of Genesis 20:1–18 and name at least two outcomes that followed the choices in the passage.
Welcome: Who did what first?
4 minWelcome children and explain that today’s story has several important actions in a clear order. Introduce the main people named in the passage: Abraham, Sarah, Abimelech and God. Tell children to listen for what Abraham says about Sarah, what Abimelech does, and how God responds in a dream.
Genesis 20:1, Genesis 20:2, Genesis 20:3
Read and explain: God warns Abimelech
8 minRead verses 1–7 aloud. Explain that Abraham said Sarah was his sister, and Abimelech took Sarah. Then God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and told him Sarah was married. Point out that Abimelech had not come near her, and God said he had been withheld from sinning. God told Abimelech to restore Sarah.
Genesis 20:2, Genesis 20:3, Genesis 20:4, Genesis 20:6, Genesis 20:7
Discuss: Choices and outcomes in the middle of the story
6 minRead verses 8–13. Help children trace the choices and words in the passage. Abimelech quickly told his servants, and they were very scared. He asked Abraham why he had done this. Abraham explained that he feared the people would kill him because of Sarah, and he said they had used this plan in different places.
Genesis 20:8, Genesis 20:9, Genesis 20:10, Genesis 20:11, Genesis 20:13
Make and respond: Put the story in order
8 minChildren make simple sequence cards for key moments in the passage. After arranging them, ask them to retell the account using the Bible order. Emphasise that the text shows God’s warning, Abimelech’s response, Sarah’s restoration, and Abraham’s prayer. Keep the focus on what the verses say happened.
Genesis 20:3, Genesis 20:7, Genesis 20:14, Genesis 20:17
Closing: Healing after prayer
4 minRead verses 14–18 to finish the account. Explain that Abimelech restored Sarah and spoke publicly to Sarah. Abraham then prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech’s household so that they could bear children. Finish by reviewing the whole sequence from Abraham’s words to God’s healing.
Genesis 20:14, Genesis 20:16, Genesis 20:17, Genesis 20:18
Questions to explore
What did Abraham say about Sarah, and what happened next?
Look at the first actions in the passage and connect Abraham’s words with Abimelech’s response.
Genesis 20:2
What did God tell Abimelech to do, and why was that important?
Find God’s command in the dream and notice that Sarah is called Abraham’s wife.
Genesis 20:3, Genesis 20:7
How does the passage end, and what did Abraham do before that outcome?
Read the final verses and look for Abraham’s prayer and God’s healing.
Genesis 20:17, Genesis 20:18
Make, think or respond
Genesis 20 Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or crayons
- scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Write or draw 5 to 6 key moments from the passage on separate cards, such as Abraham speaks, God warns, Abimelech asks, Sarah is restored, Abraham prays, God heals.
- Mix the cards up and ask children to place them in the order given in Genesis 20:1–18.
- Let pairs retell the story using the ordered cards and the Bible text for support.
- Finish by asking children to name one choice and one outcome from the ordered cards.
This activity helps children trace the sequence of Genesis 20:1–18 and connect choices in the passage with the outcomes that followed.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare picture prompts or draw simple symbols on the cards so they can order the events more easily.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to add the verse number for each sequence card and explain why that moment matters in the account.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “God, thank you that you spoke, protected Sarah, and brought healing in this passage. Please help us listen carefully to your word and learn from what we have read. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Genesis 20
1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
2 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.”
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
5 Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
6 God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her.
7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”
8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!”
10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”
11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’
12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”
14 Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
15 Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.”
16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”
17 Abraham prayed to God. So God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
18 For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.