< Genesis 20 >

1 And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar.
Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the Negev, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.
Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Look, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, will you put to death an upright nation?
Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
5 Did he not say to me himself, She is my sister? and she herself said, He is my brother: with an upright heart and clean hands have I done this.
Did not he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself, said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
6 And God said to him in the dream, I see that you have done this with an upright heart, and I have kept you from sinning against me: for this reason I did not let you come near her.
God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not allow you to touch her.
7 So now, give the man back his wife, for he is a prophet, and let him say a prayer for you, so your life may be safe: but if you do not give her back, be certain that death will come to you and all your house.
Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you do not restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours."
8 So Abimelech got up early in the morning and sent for all his servants and gave them word of these things, and they were full of fear.
Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
9 Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, What have you done to us? what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done.
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done."
10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing?
Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking, to do this thing?"
11 And Abraham said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place, and that they might put me to death because of my wife.
Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place, so they will kill me because of my wife.'
12 And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:
Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 And when God sent me wandering from my father's house, I said to her, Let this be the sign of your love for me; wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother.
It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"
14 Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah.
Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
15 And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before you; take whatever place seems good to you.
Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you."
16 And he said to Sarah, See, I have given to your brother a thousand bits of silver so that your wrong may be put right; now your honour is clear in the eyes of all.
To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Look, it is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."
17 Then Abraham made prayer to God, and God made Abimelech well again, and his wife and his women-servants, so that they had children.
Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
18 For the Lord had kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from having children, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
For God had made every woman infertile in the household of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

< Genesis 20 >