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 brake up from thence, towards the land of the South, and fixed his dwelling between Kadesh and Shur, so he 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: My, sister, is she, —So Abimelech 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.”
Then God went in unto Abimelech, in a dream of the night, —and said to him, Behold thee dead! because of the woman whom thou hast taken, seeing that, she, is a married woman.
4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
Now, Abimelech, had not come near unto her, —so he said, O My Lord! a nation even a righteous one, wilt thou slay?
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.”
Had not, he himself, said to me, My sister, is she? and even she herself, said, My brother, is he? In the integrity of my heart and in the pureness of my hand, 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 a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee 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.”
Now, therefore restore the man’s wife, for a prophet, is he, that he may pray for thee and live thou, —But if thou art not going to restore her, know, that thou shalt 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.
So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and spake all these words in their ears, and the men feared greatly.
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 to him, What hast thou done to us? and wherein had I sinned against thee, that thou shouldst have brought in over me and over my kingdom, a sin so great? Deeds, which should not be done, hast thou done with me.
10 Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, —What hadst thou seen, that thou shouldst have done 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, —therefore will they 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.
Moreover also, in truth, my sister daughter of my father, she is, only not daughter of my mother, —so 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 so it came to pass when the Gods caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, This, is thy lovingkindness, wherewith thou shalt deal with me, —Into whatsoever place we enter, say of me My brother, is he.
14 So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
Then took Abimelech sheep and oxen and men—servants and maid-servants, and gave to 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, Lo! my land is before thee, —wherever it may seem good in thine eyes, dwell.
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 to Sarah, he said, Lo! I have given a thousand of silver unto thy brother: Lo! that is for thee as a covering of eyes, to all who are with thee, —And so in every way, hath right been done.
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 bare children,
18 for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
For Yahweh, had restrained from bearing, every female of the house of Abimelech, —because of Sarah, wife of Abraham.
