1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
Shur means "going round about," "wall," "fortification," "ox." Shur represents the never-ceasing progress, and development of man. In his evolution man has apparently always moved in cycles; but each time he comes again to his starting place he seems to be a little in advance of his former state. When he begins to awaken spiritually his progress is more rapid. There is also a thought of strength and might ("wall," "ox"). Kadesh means "pure," "bright," "holy," "sacred." Kadesh represents the inherently pure, sinless, perfect, ideal state in the depths of the consciousness of every individual. Gerar symbolizes subjective substance and life. Abraham had on one hand Kadesh --the inherently pure, sinless, ideal state--and on the other hand Shur (unceasing progress) while he had his existence in Gerar (substance and life). Thus, does spiritual consciousness (typified by Abraham) develop in the spiritually awakening individual.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent for and took Sarah.
3 But Gods came to Abimelech in a dream by 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 approached her; so he said, "YHVH, wilt thou slay an innocent people?
5 Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."
6 Then the Gods said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
7 Now then restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you, and all that are yours."
Abimelech (unregenerate will) was quickened to the point where he could receive instruction through dreams. Spirit revealed to Abimelech the true relationship between Abraham and Sarah, and thus he was saved from making an unlawful union.
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done."
10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?"
11 Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, There is no fear of Gods at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
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 And when Gods caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.'"
If spiritual faith through the affectionate side of one's nature (Sarah) makes union with the controlling unregenerate Will in the subconscious (Abimelech) there is a reversal of the progressive law and bodily ills (the plagues of Egypt) are brought forth, as we noted with reference to a previous experience of Abraham. (See interpretation of Gen. 12:10-20.) However in an instance like this, when faith, lacking understanding, would have repeated the error, the soul has progressed until the subconscious has come under the guidance of Spirit, and the plagues that came as a result of a former mistake are not repeated on this occasion. When Abimelech (will) faced Abraham (pioneering faith) with the fact, Abraham admitted that he had lost sight of the possibilities of the divine omnipresence and was not aware that the all-knowing Spirit could penetrate into every consciousness. "Because I thought, There is no fear of Gods at all in this place..." Abraham and Sarah were of the same blood and therefore he said truly, "She is my sister."
14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
15 And Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you."
The unregenerate will becomes redeemed by submitting to the spiritual consciousness. This is symbolized by Abimelech giving sheep, oxen, and slaves to Abraham and restoring his wife
16 To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your vindication in the eyes of all who are with you; and before every one you are righted."
17 Then, Abraham prayed to the Gods; and Gods healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.
18 For YHVH had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
This is a situation where there is apt to be contention between the soul and the material consciousness unless adjustment is made. Pioneering faith (Abraham) in union with the spiritual soul (Sarah) issues in a high realization of both soul and body. It is only the highest emanation of physical consciousness that is ready for transmutation. Consequently, there needs to be an equalizing and adjusting power to establish peace and safety in the physical consciousness in order to avoid some form of plague. To teach this truth, Abimelech (the ruling power that controls the substance side of man's being), his wife, and maidservants are represented as being unproductive for a season, but as being healed through faith (Abraham interceded with YHVH).