Genesis, 20

1. Abraham left there for the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While staying in Gerar,

1. And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2. Abraham said of his wife Sarah, 'She is my sister,' and Abimelech the king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

2. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She [is] my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3. But God visited Abimelech in a dream one night. 'You are to die,' he told him, 'because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.'

3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou [art but] a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she [is] a man's wife.

4. Abimelech, however, had not gone near her; so he said, 'Lord, would you kill someone even if he is upright?

4. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

5. Did he not tell me himself, "She is my sister"? And she herself said, "He is my brother." I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands.'

5. 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 innocency of my hands have I done this.

6. 'Yes, I know,' God replied in the dream, 'that you did this with a clear conscience and I myself prevented you from sinning against me. That was why I did not let you touch her.

6. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7. Now send the man's wife back; for he is a prophet and can intercede on your behalf for your life. But understand that if you do not send her back, this means death for you and all yours.'

7. Now therefore restore the man [his] wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore [her] not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that [are] thine.

8. Early next morning, Abimelech summoned his full court and told them the whole story, at which the people were very much afraid.

8. Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

9. Then summoning Abraham, Abimelech said to him, 'What have you done to us? What wrong have I done you, for you to bring such guilt on me and on my kingdom? You had no right to treat me like this.'

9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10. Abimelech then said to Abraham, 'What possessed you to do such a thing?'

10. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11. 'Because', Abraham replied, 'I thought there would be no fear of God here and that I should be killed for the sake of my wife.

11. And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God [is] not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

12. Anyway, she really is my sister, my father's daughter though not my mother's, besides being my wife.

12. And yet indeed [she is] my sister; she [is] the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13. So when God made me wander far from my father's home I said to her, "There is an act of love you can do me: everywhere we go, say of me that I am your brother." '

13. 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 shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He [is] my brother.

14. Abimelech took sheep, cattle, men and women slaves, and presented them to Abraham, and gave him back his wife Sarah.

14. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave [them] unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15. And Abimelech said, 'Look, my land is open to you. Settle wherever you please.'

15. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land [is] before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16. To Sarah he said, 'Look, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. This will allay suspicions about you, as far as all the people round you are concerned; you have been completely vindicated.'

16. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand [pieces] of silver: behold, he [is] to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that [are] with thee, and with all [other]: thus she was reproved.

17. Abraham then interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave-girls, so that they could have children,

17. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare [children].

18. for Yahweh had made all the women of Abimelech's household barren on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

18. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.