“Avimelekh rose early in the morning, and he called all his servants, and spoke all these matters in their ears, and the men were very frightened” (Genesis 20:8). “Avimelekh rose early in the morning…” – Rabbi Ḥanin said: Because they were seeing the smoke of Sodom rising like a fiery furnace, they said: ‘Perhaps those angels that were sent to Sodom came here.’ That is why: “The men were very frightened.”
“Avimelekh called Abraham, and said to him: What have you done to us, and by what have I sinned against you, that you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? Deeds that should not be done, you have done to me” (Genesis 20:9). “Avimelekh called Abraham, and said to him” – “what have I sinned against you?” “What have you done to us?” – this is [referring to] what it says: “You will die because of the woman that you have taken…” (Genesis 20:3). “What have I sinned against you?” – [this is referring to what it says:] “If you do not return her, know you that you will die” (Genesis 20:7). “That you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin [ḥata’a]” – “for the Lord had obstructed all wombs of the house of Avimelekh” (Genesis 20:18).29The Midrash interprets ḥata’a to mean punishment (see Zechariah 14:19). “Deeds that should not be done” – Rabbi Ḥelbo said: [Avimelekh said to Abraham:] ‘Everywhere else [you went], prosperity used to go before you,30That is, it used to accompany you. but [when you came] here, famine goes before you.’31Situations that did not usually occur elsewhere in your travels, have occurred here. ]That is what he meant by:] “Deeds that are not done [you have done to me].” [This paragraph is the explanation of the subsequent verse:] “Avimelekh said to Abraham: What did you see, that you did this matter?” (Genesis 20:10).