Genesis 20

1 And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar.

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

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

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

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou shalt die for the sake of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

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 come near to her; and he said, Lord, wilt thou then slay also a righteous 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 unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself, said, He is my brother; in the integrity of my heart and the innocency 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 unto him in the dream, Yea, I also well know that thou hast done this in the integrity of thy heart; therefore did I also withhold thee from sinning against me; for this cause I suffered thee 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 And now restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for thee, that thou mayest live; and if thou restore her not, know thou, that thou shalt surety die, thou and all that are thine.

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 told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly afraid.

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 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and in what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? deeds that ought not to be done thou hast done unto me.

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 unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou didst this thing?

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

11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me for the sake 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 And yet indeed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of 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 caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, 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 sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored to him Sarah 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, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it is pleasing in thy eyes.

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

16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, this is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee; and with all others thou canst thus justify thyself.

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 Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, so that they could bear children.

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

18 For the Lord had fast closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

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