Genesis 20

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

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 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: My, sister, is she, —So 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.

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 touched her, and he said: Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and just?

Now, Abimelech, had not come near unto her, —so he said, O My Lord! a nation even a righteous one, wilt thou slay?

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.

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 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 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 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.

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 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 rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and spake all these words in their ears, and the men feared greatly.

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

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, —What hadst thou seen, that thou shouldst have done 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 I thought, Surely there is no fear of God, in this place, —therefore will they slay me for the sake 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.

Moreover also, in truth, my sister daughter of my father, she is, only not daughter of my mother, —so 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 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 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.

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

And Abimelech, said, Lo! my land is before thee, —wherever it may seem good in thine eyes, dwell.

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

And Abraham prayed unto God, —and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, so that they bare children,

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

For Yahweh, had restrained from bearing, every female of the house of Abimelech, —because of Sarah, wife of Abraham.