< Genesis 20 >

1 And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar.
And Abraham departed thence towards the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned at Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art [but] a dead man, because of the woman that thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, will you put to death an upright nation?
But Abimelech had not come near her. And he said, Lord, wilt thou also kill a righteous nation?
5 Did he not say to me himself, She is my sister? and she herself said, He is my brother: with an upright heart and clean hands have I done this.
Did he not say to me, She is my sister? and she, even she said, He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and in the innocency of my hands have I done this.
6 And God said to him in the dream, I see that you have done this with an upright heart, and I have kept you from sinning against me: for this reason I did not let you come near her.
And God said to him in a dream, I also knew that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart, and I, too, have withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore have I not suffered thee to touch her.
7 So now, give the man back his wife, for he is a prophet, and let him say a prayer for you, so your life may be safe: but if you do not give her back, be certain that death will come to you and all your house.
And now, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and will pray for thee, that thou mayest live. And if thou do not restore [her], know that thou shalt certainly die, thou and all that is thine.
8 So Abimelech got up early in the morning and sent for all his servants and gave them word of these things, and they were full of fear.
And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and spoke all these words in their ears; and the men were greatly afraid.
9 Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, What have you done to us? what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done.
And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, What hast thou done to us? And in what have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me, and on my kingdom, a great sin? Thou hast done to me deeds that ought not to be done.
10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing?
And Abimelech said to Abraham, What hast thou seen that thou hast done this?
11 And Abraham said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place, and that they might put me to death because of my wife.
And Abraham said, Because I said, Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me for my wife's sake.
12 And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:
But she is also truly my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 And when God sent me wandering from my father's house, I said to her, Let this be the sign of your love for 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 to her, Let this be thy kindness which thou shalt shew to me: at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
14 Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah.
And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and bondmen and bondwomen, and gave [them] to Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
15 And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before you; take whatever place seems good to you.
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it is good in thine eyes.
16 And he said to Sarah, See, I have given to your brother a thousand bits of silver so that your wrong may be put right; now your honour is clear in the eyes of all.
And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand [pieces] of silver; behold, let that be to thee a covering of the eyes, in respect of all that are with thee, and with all; and she was reproved.
17 Then Abraham made prayer to God, and God made Abimelech well again, and his wife and his women-servants, so that they had children.
And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife and his handmaids, and they bore [children].
18 For the Lord had kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from having children, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
For Jehovah had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

< Genesis 20 >