20:1 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar,
20:2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
20:5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
20:6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
20:7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die.”
20:8 Early the next morning Abimelech summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid.
20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
20:10 And Abimelech asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”
20:11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
20:12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife.
20:13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ‘”
20:14 Then Abimelech brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him.
20:15 And Abimelech said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”
20:16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again,
20:18 for the LORD had closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
20:1 And Abraham journeyed from there toward the region of the Negev and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar.
20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, You are now about to die because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man s wife.
20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her, so he said, Lord, will You slay even a righteous nation?
20:5 Did he himself not say to me, She is my sister? And even she herself said, He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.
20:6 And God said to him in the dream, Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also prevented you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
20:7 Now therefore return the man s wife, for he is a prophet; and he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.
20:8 And Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and spoke all these things in their hearing. And the men were very afraid.
20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.
20:10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, What were you thinking, that you have done this thing?
20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife.
20:12 But she is also truly my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
20:13 And when God caused me to wander from my father s house, I said to her, This is your kindness which you must do to me: At every place where we go, say of me, He is my brother.
20:14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he returned Sarah his wife to him.
20:15 And Abimelech said, My land is now before you; dwell wherever it pleases you.
20:16 And to Sarah he said, I have now given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is now your vindication in the eyes of all who are with you. And in every respect you have been cleared.
20:17 And Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female servants, so that they bore children.
20:18 For Jehovah had completely shut up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham s wife.