Genesis 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 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 and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

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

1 ¶ And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

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

3 ¶ But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou [art but] a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she [is] a man's wife.

4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

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 innocency of my hands have I done this.

6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man [his] wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore [her] not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that [are] thine.

8 ¶ Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

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

10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God [is] not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

12 And yet indeed [she is] my sister; she [is] the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my 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 shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He [is] my brother.

14 ¶ And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave [them] unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land [is] before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand [pieces] of silver: behold, he [is] to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that [are] with thee, and with all [other]: thus she was reproved.

17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare [children].

18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

1 And Abraham departed from thence into the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and was a stranger in Gerar.

2 And he spake of Sarah his wife: It is my sister. Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for her and took her.

3 And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said unto him, Behold, thou art dead because of the woman which thou hast taken: for she is a man's wife.

4 And Abimelech touched them not, and said, Lord, wilt thou slay even a righteous people?

5 Hath he not said unto me, She is my sister? And she also said, He is my brother. Have I done this with a simple heart and innocent hands?

6 And God said unto him in a dream, I also know that thou hast done this thing with a simple heart. Therefore I also have kept thee from sinning against me, and have not confessed unto thee that thou hast touched them.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and let him pray for thee, and thou shalt live. But if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt surely die, and all that is thine.

8 And Abimelech rose up early in the morning, and called unto all his servants, and told them all these things in their ears. And the people were sore afraid.

9 And Abimelech called Abraham also, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this thing unto us? and what have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought this great sin upon me and upon my kingdom? Thou hast dealt with me, not as one ought to deal.

10 And Abimelech said again unto Abraham, What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing?

11 And Abraham said: I thought, much light is no fear of God in these places, and will slay me for my wife's sake.

12 She also is truly my sister; for she is my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter; and she is become my wife.

13 And it came to pass, when God had sent me away out of my father's house, that I said unto her, Have mercy upon me, that whithersoever we come, thou mayest say of me, I am thy brother.

14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants, and gave them unto Abraham: and he gave him Sarah his wife again.

15 And said, Behold, my land is open unto thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16 And he said unto Sarah, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, this shall be a covering of thine eyes in the sight of all that are with thee, and of all that are with thee. And this was their punishment.

17 And Abraham prayed unto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his handmaids, that they should bring forth children.

18 For the LORD had shut up all the mothers of the house of Abimelech before, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.