Genesis 20

1 Abraham traveled towards the Negev, staying between Kadesh and Shur. After that he moved on to live in Gerar.

Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

2 During his time there, when Abraham told people about his wife Sarah, he said, “She's my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her to become one of his wives.

Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

3 But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “Listen! You're going to die because the woman you've taken is already married—she has a husband.”

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.”

4 Abimelech hadn't touched Sarah, and he asked, “Lord, do you kill good people?

Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?

5 Didn't Abraham tell me himself, ‘She's my sister,’ and didn't Sarah also say, ‘He's my brother’? I did this in all innocence—my conscience is clear!”

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.”

6 God told him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this in all innocence, so I prevented you from sinning against me. That's why I didn't let you touch her.

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.

7 Send the man's wife back to him. He's a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don't send her back to him, you should know for sure that you and all your family will die.”

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.”

8 Abimelech got up early in the morning and called all his servants together. He explained everything that had happened, and they were all terrified.

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.

9 Then Abimelech summoned Abraham and asked him “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you should treat me like this, bringing this terrible sin on me and my kingdom? You've done things to me that no one should ever do!”

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.”

10 Then Abimelech asked Abraham “What were you thinking when you did this?”

Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

11 “Well, I thought to myself, ‘Nobody respects God in this place. They'll kill me just to get my wife,’” Abraham replied.

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.’

12 “Anyway, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father but not my mother, and I married her.

Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.

13 Since my God made me move far away from my family home, I told her, ‘If you really love me, then wherever you go with me you must tell people: He's my brother.’”

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.”’”

14 Then Abimelech gave Abraham gifts of sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves, and returned his wife Sarah to him.

So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.

15 Abimelech told him, “Look over my land. You can choose to live anywhere you like.”

And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”

16 Abimelech also told Sarah, “Notice that I'm giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. This is to compensate you for the wrong done to you in the eyes of everyone with you, and to make sure that your name is publicly cleared.”

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.”

17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves, so that they could have children again.

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

18 For the Lord had made all the women unable to have children because Abraham's wife, Sarah, had been taken.

for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.