< Genesis 20 >

1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
And Abraam removed thence to the southern country, and lived between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife: 'She is my sister.' And Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
And Abraam said concerning Sarrha his wife, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the city should kill him for her sake. So Abimelech king of Gerara sent and took Sarrha.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him: 'Behold, thou shalt die, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.'
And God came to Abimelech by night in sleep, and said, Behold, you die for the woman, whom you have taken, whereas she has lived with a husband.
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said: 'Lord, wilt Thou slay even a righteous nation?
But Abimelech had not touched her, and he said, Lord, will you destroy an ignorantly [sinning] and just nation?
5 Said he not himself unto me: She is my sister? and she, even she herself said: He is my brother. In the simplicity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.'
Said he not to me, She is my sister, and said she not to me, He is my brother? with a pure heart and in the righteousness of my hands have I done this.
6 And God said unto him in the dream: 'Yea, I know that in the simplicity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against Me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
And God said to him in sleep, Yes, I knew that you did this with a pure heart, and I spared you, so that you should not sin against me, therefore I suffered you not to touch her.
7 Now therefore restore the man's 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.'
But now return the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and shall pray for you, and you shall live; but if you restore her not, know that you shall die and all your.
8 And 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.
And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and he spoke all these words in their ears, and all the men feared exceedingly.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him: 'What hast thou done unto us? and wherein have I sinned against 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.'
And Abimelech called Abraam and said to him, What is this that you have done to us? Have we sinned against you, that you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me a deed, which no one ought to do.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham: 'What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?'
And Abimelech said to Abraam, What have you seen in [me] that you have done this?
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.
And Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
12 And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and so she became my wife.
For truly she is my sister by my father, but not by 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 show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me: He is my brother.'
And it came to pass when God brought me forth out of the house of my father, that I said to her, This righteousness you shall perform to me, in every place into which we may enter, say of me, He is my brother.
14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
And Abimelech took a thousand pieces of silver, and sheep, and calves, and servants, and maidservants, and gave them to Abraam, and he returned him Sarrha his wife.
15 And Abimelech said: 'Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.'
And Abimelech said to Abraam, Behold, my land is before you, dwell wherever it may please you.
16 And unto Sarah he said: 'Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee; and before all men thou art righted.'
And to Sarrha he said, Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver, those shall be to you for the price of your countenance, and to all the women with you, and speak the truth in all things.
17 And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bore children.
And Abraam prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women servants, and they bore children.
18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
Because the Lord had fast closed from without every womb in the house of Abimelech, because of Sarrha Abraam's wife.

< Genesis 20 >