< Genesis 20 >

1 And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar.
Abraham yede forth fro thennus in to the lond of the south, and dwellide bitwixe Cades and Sur, and was a pilgrym in Geraris;
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; and Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
and he seide of Sare, his wijf, Sche is my sistir. Therfor Abymalec, kyng of Gerare, sente, and took hir.
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.
Sotheli God cam to Abymalec bi a sweuene in the nyyt, and seide to hym, Lo! thou schalt die, for the wooman which thou hast take, for sche hath an hosebond.
4 But Abimelech had not come near to her; and he said, Lord, wilt thou then slay also a righteous nation?
Forsothe Abymalech touchide not hir; and he seide, Lord, whether thou schalt sle folc vnkunnynge and iust?
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.
Whether he seide not to me, Sche is my sistir, and sche seide, He is my brother? In the symplenesse of myn herte, and in the clennesse of myn hondis Y dide 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 the Lord seide to hym, And Y woot that thou didist bi symple herte, and therfor Y kepte thee, lest thou didist synne ayens me, and I suffride not that thou touchidist hir;
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 therfor yelde thou the wijf to hir hosebonde, for he is a profete; and he schal preye for thee, and thou schalt lyue; sotheli if thou nylte yelde, wite thou that thou schalt die bi deeth, thou and alle thingis that ben thine.
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 anoon Abynalech roos bi nyyt, and clepide alle his seruauntis, and spak alle these wordis in the eeris of hem; and alle men dredden greetli.
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.
Sotheli Abymalec clepide also Abraham, and seide to hym, What hast thou do to vs? what synneden we ayens thee, for thou hast brouyt in on me and on my rewme a greuouse synne? thou hast do to vs whiche thingis thou ouytist not do.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou didst this thing?
And eft Abimalech axide, and seide, What thing seiyist thou, that thou woldist 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 answerde, Y thouyte with me, and seide, in hap the drede of God is not in this place; and thei schulen sle me for my wijf;
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.
in other maner forsothe and sche is my sister verili, the douyter of my fadir, and not the douyter of my moder; and Y weddide hir in to wijf;
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.
sotheli aftir that God ladde me out of the hous of my fadir, Y seide to hir, Thou schalt do this mercy with me in ech place to which we schulen entre; thou schalt seie, that Y am thi 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.
Therfore Abymelech took scheep, and oxun, and seruauntis, and handmaydenes, and yaf to Abraham; and he yeldide to him Sare, `his wijf, and seide, The lond is bifor you;
15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it is pleasing in thy eyes.
dwelle thou, where euere it plesith thee. Forsothe Abymelech seide to Sare, Lo!
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.
Y yaf a thousand platis of siluer to thi brother; this schal be to thee in to hiling of iyen to al men that ben with thee; and whider euere thou goist, haue thou mynde that thou art takun.
17 And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, so that they could bear children.
Sotheli for Abraham preiede, God curide Abymelech, and his wijf, and handmaydens, and thei childiden;
18 For the Lord had fast closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
for God hadde closid ech wombe of the hows of Abymelech, for Sare, the wijf of Abraham.

< Genesis 20 >