And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
Abraham said ... I thought, Surely the fear of God is not. From the horrible vices of Sodom, he seems to have taken up the impression that all other cities of Canaan were equally corrupt. There might have been few or none who feared God; but what a sad thing when men of the world show a higher sense of honour and a greater abhorrence of crimes than a true worshipper! Abraham uses here and in Genesis 20:13 the name "God" - as being perhaps more adapted to the understanding of the king than "the Lord."