Genesis 20

1 Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.

And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar.

2 And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.

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

3 And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and he said to him: Lo thou shalt die for the woman thou hast taken: for she hath a husband.

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.

4 Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said: Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and just?

Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, will you put to death an upright nation?

5 Did not he say to me: She is my sister: and she say, He is my brother? in the simplicity of my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done this.

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.

6 And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffered thee not to touch her.

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.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet: and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not restore her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.

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.

8 And Abimelech forthwith rising up in the night, called all his servants: and spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were exceedingly afraid.

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.

9 And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou oughtest not to do.

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.

10 And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?

And Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing?

11 Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:

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.

12 Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.

And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:

13 And after God brought me out of my father’s house, I said to her: Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother.

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.

14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.

Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah.

15 And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.

And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before you; take whatever place seems good to you.

16 And to Sara he said: Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: this shall serve thee for a covering of thy eyes to all that are with thee, and whithersoever thou shalt go: and remember thou wast taken.

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.

17 And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children:

Then Abraham made prayer to God, and God made Abimelech well again, and his wife and his women-servants, so that they had children.

18 For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech on account of Sara, Abraham’s wife.

For the Lord had kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from having children, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.