Genesis 20

1 And Abraham journeys from there toward the land of the south, and dwells between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourns 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 says concerning his wife Sarah, “She is my sister”; and Abimelech king of Gerar sends and takes 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 And God comes to Abimelech in a dream of the night and says to him, “Behold, you [are] a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken—and she married to 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 And Abimelech has not drawn near to her, and he says, “Lord, do you also slay 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 Has he not himself said to me, She [is] my sister! And she, even she herself, said, He [is] my brother; in the integrity of my heart, and in the innocence of my hands, I have 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 says to him in the dream, “Indeed, I have known that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I withhold you, even I, from sinning against Me, therefore I have not permitted you to come against 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 send back the man’s wife, for he [is] inspired, and he prays for you, and you live; and if you do not send back, know that dying you die, you and all that you have.”

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 rises early in the morning, and calls for all his servants, and speaks all these words in their ears; and the men fear 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 calls for Abraham and says to him, “What have you done to us? And what have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me, and on my kingdom, a great sin? Works which are not done you have done with 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 Abimelech also says to Abraham, “What have you seen that you have done this thing?”

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

11 And Abraham says, “Because I said, Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they have slain 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 also, she is truly my sister, daughter of my father, only not daughter of my mother, and she becomes 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 comes to pass, when God has caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I say to her, This [is] your kindness which you do with me: at every place to where we 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 takes sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gives to Abraham, and sends back his wife Sarah to him;

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 says, “Behold, my land [is] before you, where it is good in your eyes, dwell”;

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

16 and to Sarah he has said, “Behold, I have given one thousand pieces of silver to your brother; behold, it is to you a covering of eyes, to all who are with you”; and by all this she is reasoned with.

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 prays to God, and God heals Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bear:

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

18 for YHWH restraining had restrained 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.