20
1 Abraham
traveled from
there toward the land
of the South,
and lived between
Kadesh and Shur.
He lived as
a foreigner in
Gerar.
2 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 of the
night, and said to
him, “Behold, 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. He said,
“Lord, will you
kill even a
righteous nation?
5 Didn’t he tell
me, ‘She is
my sister’? She,
even she herself,
said, ‘He is
my brother.’ I
have done this
in the integrity
of my heart
and the innocence
of my hands.”
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 didn’t
allow you 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 don’t
restore her, know
for sure that
you will die,
you, and all
who are yours.”
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.
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!”
10 Abimelech
said to Abraham, “What
did you see,
that you have
done this thing?”
11 Abraham
said, “Because I
thought, ‘Surely
the fear of God
is not in
this place. They
will kill me
for my wife’s
sake.’
12 Besides,
she is indeed
my sister, the
daughter of
my father, but not
the daughter of
my mother; and she
became my wife.
13 When God
caused me to
wander from
my father’s house,
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 Abimelech
took sheep and
cattle, male
servants and
female servants,
and gave them
to Abraham, and
restored Sarah,
his wife, to him.
15 Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is
before you. Dwell
where it pleases
you.”
16 To
Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given
your brother a thousand pieces
of silver. Behold,
it is for
you a covering
of the eyes
to all that
are with you.
In front of all
you are vindicated.”
17 Abraham
prayed to God. So God
healed Abimelech, his wife,
and his female servants,
and they bore
children.
18 For
the LORD had
closed up tight
all the wombs
of the house
of Abimelech, because
of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.