Genesis 20

1 Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.

Afterward Abraham departed thence toward the South countrey and dwelled betweene Cadesh and Shur, and soiourned in Gerar.

2 And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. Then Abimelech King of Gerar sent and tooke Sarah.

3 And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and he said to him: Lo thou shalt die for the woman thou hast taken: for she hath a husband.

But God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night, and said to him, Beholde, thou art but dead, because of the woman, which thou hast taken: for she is a mans wife.

4 Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said: Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and just?

(Notwithstanding Abimelech had not yet come neere her) And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay euen the righteous nation?

5 Did not he say to me: She is my sister: and she say, He is my brother? in the simplicity of my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done this.

Said not he vnto me, She is my sister? yea, and she her selfe said, He is my brother: with an vpright minde, and innocent handes haue I done this.

6 And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffered thee not to touch her.

And God saide vnto him by a dreame, I knowe that thou diddest this euen with an vpright minde, and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touche her.

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

Now then deliuer the man his wife againe: for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest liue: but if thou deliuer her not againe, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast.

8 And Abimelech forthwith rising up in the night, called all his servants: and spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were exceedingly afraid.

Then Abimelech rising vp early in ye morning, called all his seruants, and tolde all these things vnto them, and the men were sore afraid.

9 And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou oughtest not to do.

Afterward Abimelech called Abraham, and said vnto him, What hast thou done vnto vs? and what haue I offeded thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdome this great sinne? thou hast done things vnto me that ought not to be done.

10 And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?

So Abimelech said vnto Abraham, What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing?

11 Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:

Then Abraham answered, Because I thought thus, Surely the feare of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wiues sake.

12 Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.

Yet in very deede she is my sister: for she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she is my wife.

13 And after God brought me out of my father’s house, I said to her: Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother.

Nowe when God caused me to wander out of my fathers house, I said then to her, This is thy kindnes that thou shalt shewe vnto me in all places where we come, Say thou of me, He is my brother.

14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.

Then tooke Abimelech sheepe and beeues, and men seruants, and women seruants, and gaue them vnto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15 And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.

And Abimelech saide, Beholde, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16 And to Sara he said: Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: this shall serve thee for a covering of thy eyes to all that are with thee, and whithersoever thou shalt go: and remember thou wast taken.

Likewise to Sarah he said, Beholde, I haue giuen thy brother a thousand pieces of siluer: behold, he is the vaile of thine eyes to all that are with thee, and to all others: and she was thus reproued.

17 And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children:

Then Abraham prayed vnto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women seruants: and they bare children.

18 For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech on account of Sara, Abraham’s wife.

For the Lord had shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abrahams wife.