Genesis 20

¹Abraham advanced from there into the southern land, and he lived between Kadesh and Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar.

²And he said about his wife Sarah: “She is my sister.” Therefore, Abimelech, the king of Gerar, sent for her and took her.

³Then God came to Abimelech through a dream in the night, and he said to him: “Lo, you shall die because of the woman that you have taken. For she has a husband.”

⁴In truth, Abimelech had not touched her, and so he said: “Lord, would you put to death a people, ignorant and just?

⁵Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and did she not say, ‘He is my brother?’ In the sincerity of my heart and the purity of my hands, I have done this.”

⁶And God said to him: “And I know that you have acted with a sincere heart. And therefore I kept you from sinning against me, and I did not release you to touch her.

⁷Now therefore, return his wife to the man, for he is a prophet. And he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you are not willing to return her, know this: you shall die a death, you and all that is yours.”

⁸And immediately Abimelech, rising up in the night, called all his servants. And he spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were very afraid.

⁹Then Abimelech called also for Abraham, and he said to him: “What have you done to us? How have we sinned against you, so that you would bring so great a sin upon me and upon my kingdom? You have done to us what you ought not to have done.”

¹⁰And remonstrating him again, he said, “What did you see, so that you would do this?”

¹¹Abraham responded: “I thought to myself, saying: Perhaps there is no fear of God in this place. And they will put me to death because of my wife.

¹²Yet, in another way, she is also truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her as a wife.

¹³Then, after God led me out of my father’s house, I said to her: ‘You will show this mercy to me. In every place, to which we will travel, you will say that I am your brother.’ ”

¹⁴Therefore, Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men servants and women servants, and he gave them to Abraham. And he returned his wife Sarah to him.

¹⁵And he said, “The land is in your sight. Dwell wherever it will please you.”

¹⁶Then to Sarah he said: “Behold, I have given your brother one thousand silver coins. This will be for you as a veil for your eyes, to all who are with you and wherever you will travel. And so, remember that you were taken.”

¹⁷Then when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they gave birth.

¹⁸For the Lord had closed every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, the wife of Abraham.

Genesis 20

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

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

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

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

⁵Did 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.

⁶And 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.

⁷Now 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.

⁸And 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.

⁹And 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.

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

¹¹Abraham 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:

¹²Howbeit, 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.

¹³And 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.

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

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

¹⁶And 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.

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

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