Genesis 20

1 And Abraam removed thence to the southern country, and lived between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.

Abraham advanced from there into the southern land, and he lived between Kadesh and Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar.

2 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.

And he said about his wife Sarah: “She is my sister.” Therefore, Abimelech, the king of Gerar, sent for her and took her.

3 And God came to Abimelech by night in sleep, and said, Behold, you die for the woman, whom you have taken, whereas she has lived with a husband.

Then God came to Abimelech through a dream in the night, and he said to him: “Lo, you shall die because of the woman that you have taken. For she has a husband.”

4 But Abimelech had not touched her, and he said, Lord, will you destroy an ignorantly [sinning] and just nation?

In truth, Abimelech had not touched her, and so he said: “Lord, would you put to death a people, ignorant and just?

5 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.

Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and did she not say, ‘He is my brother?’ In the sincerity of my heart and the purity of my hands, I have done this.”

6 And God said to him in sleep, Yes, I knew that you did this with a pure heart, and I spared you, so that you should not sin against me, therefore I suffered you not to touch her.

And God said to him: “And I know that you have acted with a sincere heart. And therefore I kept you from sinning against me, and I did not release you to touch her.

7 But now return the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and shall pray for you, and you shall live; but if you restore her not, know that you shall die and all your.

Now therefore, return his wife to the man, for he is a prophet. And he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you are not willing to return her, know this: you shall die a death, you and all that is yours.”

8 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.

And immediately Abimelech, rising up in the night, called all his servants. And he spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were very afraid.

9 And Abimelech called Abraam and said to him, What is this that you have done to us? Have we sinned against you, that you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me a deed, which no one ought to do.

Then Abimelech called also for Abraham, and he said to him: “What have you done to us? How have we sinned against you, so that you would bring so great a sin upon me and upon my kingdom? You have done to us what you ought not to have done.”

10 And Abimelech said to Abraam, What have you seen in [me] that you have done this?

And remonstrating him again, he said, “What did you see, so that you would do this?”

11 And Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.

Abraham responded: “I thought to myself, saying: Perhaps there is no fear of God in this place. And they will put me to death because of my wife.

12 For truly she is my sister by my father, but not by my mother, and she became my wife.

Yet, in another way, she is also truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her as a wife.

13 And it came to pass when God brought me forth out of the house of my father, that I said to her, This righteousness you shall perform to me, in every place into which we may enter, say of me, He is my brother.

Then, after God led me out of my father’s house, I said to her: ‘You will show this mercy to me. In every place, to which we will travel, you will say that I am your brother.’”

14 And Abimelech took a thousand pieces of silver, and sheep, and calves, and servants, and maidservants, and gave them to Abraam, and he returned him Sarrha his wife.

Therefore, Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men servants and women servants, and he gave them to Abraham. And he returned his wife Sarah to him.

15 And Abimelech said to Abraam, Behold, my land is before you, dwell wherever it may please you.

And he said, “The land is in your sight. Dwell wherever it will please you.”

16 And to Sarrha he said, Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver, those shall be to you for the price of your countenance, and to all the women with you, and speak the truth in all things.

Then to Sarah he said: “Behold, I have given your brother one thousand silver coins. This will be for you as a veil for your eyes, to all who are with you and wherever you will travel. And so, remember that you were taken.”

17 And Abraam prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women servants, and they bore children.

Then when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they gave birth.

18 Because the Lord had fast closed from without every womb in the house of Abimelech, because of Sarrha Abraam's wife.

For the Lord had closed every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, the wife of Abraham.