< Genesis 20 >

1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the Negev, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar.
2 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; and Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3 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."
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou shalt die for the sake of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
But Abimelech had not come near to her; and he said, Lord, wilt thou then slay also a righteous nation?
5 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."
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 the innocency of my hands have I done this.
6 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.
And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I also well know that thou hast done this in the integrity of thy heart; therefore did I also withhold thee from sinning against me; for this cause I suffered thee not to touch her.
7 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."
And now restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for thee, that thou mayest live; and if thou restore her not, know thou, that thou shalt surety die, thou and all that are thine.
8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly afraid.
9 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."
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and in what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? deeds that ought not to be done thou hast done unto me.
10 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking, to do this thing?"
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou didst this thing?
11 Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place, so they will kill me because of my wife.'
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me for the sake of my wife.
12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
And yet indeed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 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."'"
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.
14 Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored to him Sarah his wife.
15 Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you."
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it is pleasing in thy eyes.
16 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."
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, this is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee; and with all others thou canst thus justify thyself.
17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, so that they could bear children.
18 For God had made every woman infertile in the household of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
For the Lord had fast closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

< Genesis 20 >