Genesis 20

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

Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He was a foreigner living in Gerar.

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

Abraham said concerning Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.

3 Then 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.”

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

Now Abimelech had not come near her and he said, “Lord, would you kill even a righteous nation?

5 Did 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.”

Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister?' 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 And 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.

Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I also know that in the integrity of your heart you did this, and I also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not allow you to touch her.

7 Now 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.”

Therefore, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you and all who are yours will surely die.”

8 And 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.

Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all of his servants to himself. He told all these things to them, and the men were very afraid.

9 Then 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.”

Then Abimelech called for 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 to me that which ought not to be done.”

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

Abimelech said to Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?”

11 Abraham 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.

Abraham said, “Because I thought, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'

12 Yet, 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.

Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 Then, 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.’”

When God caused me to leave my father's house and travel from place to place, I said to her, 'You must show me this faithfulness as my wife: At every place where we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”'”

14 Therefore, 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.

Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham. Then he returned Sarah, Abraham's wife, to him.

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

Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever it pleases you.”

16 Then 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.”

To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is to cover any offense against you in the eyes of all that are with you, and before everyone, you are completely made right.”

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

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they were able to have children.

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

For Yahweh had caused all the women of the household of Abimelech to be completely infertile, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.