Genesis 20

1 Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar.

2 Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; and Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3 One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou shalt die for the sake of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?

But Abimelech had not come near to her; and he said, Lord, wilt thou then slay also a righteous nation?

5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”

Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself, said, He is my brother; in the integrity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.

6 Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I also well know that thou hast done this in the integrity of thy heart; therefore did I also withhold thee from sinning against me; for this cause I suffered thee not to touch her.

7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”

And now restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for thee, that thou mayest live; and if thou restore her not, know thou, that thou shalt surety die, thou and all that are thine.

8 Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.

And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly afraid.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and in what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? deeds that ought not to be done thou hast done unto me.

10 Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou didst this thing?

11 Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me for the sake of my wife.

12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.

And yet indeed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

14 So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.

And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored to him Sarah his wife.

15 And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”

And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it is pleasing in thy eyes.

16 And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”

And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, this is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee; and with all others thou canst thus justify thyself.

17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, so that they could bear children.

18 for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.

For the Lord had fast closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.