< Genesis 20 >

1 Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
And Abraam removed thence to the southern country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
2 And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.
And Abraam said concerning Sarrha his wife, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the city should kill him for her sake. So Abimelech king of Gerara sent and took Sarrha.
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.
And God came to Abimelech by night in sleep, and said, Behold, thou diest for the woman, whom thou hast taken, whereas she has lived with a husband.
4 Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said: Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and just?
But Abimelech had not touched her, and he said, Lord, wilt thou destroy an ignorantly [sinning] and just 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.
Said he not to me, She is my sister, and said she not to me, He is my brother? with a pure heart and in the righteousness of my 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 sleep, Yea, I knew that thou didst this with a pure heart, and I spared thee, so that thou shouldest not sin against me, therefore I suffered thee not to touch 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.
But now return the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; but if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt die and all thine.
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.
And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and he spoke all these words in their ears, and all the men feared exceedingly.
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.
And Abimelech called Abraam and said to him, What is this that thou hast done to us? Have we sinned against thee, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done to me a deed, which no one ought to do.
10 And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?
And Abimelech said to Abraam, What hast thou seen in [me] that thou hast done this?
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 Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will slay me 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.
For truly she is my sister by my father, but not by 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 it came to pass when God brought me forth out of the house of my father, that I said to her, This righteousness thou shalt perform to me, in every place into which we may enter, 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.
And Abimelech took a thousand pieces of silver, and sheep, and calves, and servants, and maid-servants, and gave them to Abraam, and he returned him Sarrha his wife.
15 And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.
And Abimelech said to Abraam, Behold, my land is before thee, dwell wheresoever it may please thee.
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 to Sarrha he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, those shall be to thee for the price of thy countenance, and to all the women with thee, and speak the truth in all things.
17 And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children:
And Abraam prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women servants, and they bore children.
18 For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech on account of Sara, Abraham’s wife.
Because the Lord had fast closed from without every womb in the house of Abimelech, because of Sarrha Abraam's wife.

< Genesis 20 >