Chapter 20

And Abraham journeyed⁴ from thence toward the south country, and dwelled⁴ between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned⁴ in Gerar.

And Abraham said⁴ of Sarah his wife, She [is] my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent,⁴ and took⁴ Sarah.

But God came⁴ to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said⁴ to him, Behold, thou [art but] a dead man,⁵ for the woman which thou hast taken;¹ for she [is] a man's wife.⁷

But Abimelech had not come near¹ her: and he said,⁴ Lord, wilt thou slay⁴ also a righteous nation?

Said¹ he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said,¹ He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done¹ this.

And God said⁴ unto him in a dream, Yea, I know¹ that thou didst¹ this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld⁴ thee from sinning² against me: therefore suffered¹ I thee not to touch² her.

Now therefore restore⁵⁴ the man [his] wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray¹⁰¹ for thee, and thou shalt live:³ and if thou restore⁵⁶ [her] not, know³ thou that thou shalt surely² die,⁴ thou, and all that [are] thine.

Therefore Abimelech rose early⁵⁵ in the morning, and called⁴ all his servants, and told¹⁷ all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.⁴

Then Abimelech called⁴ Abraham, and said⁴ unto him, What hast thou done¹ unto us? and what have I offended¹ thee, that thou hast brought⁵² on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done¹ deeds unto me that ought not to be done.¹¹

And Abimelech said⁴ unto Abraham, What sawest¹ thou, that thou hast done¹ this thing?

And Abraham said,⁴ Because I thought,¹ Surely the fear of God [is] not in this place; and they will slay me¹ for my wife's sake.

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.

And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander⁵² from my father's house, that I said⁴ unto her, This [is] thy kindness which thou shalt shew⁴ unto me; at every place whither we shall come,⁴ say³ of me, He [is] my brother.

And Abimelech took⁴ sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave⁴ [them] unto Abraham, and restored⁵⁵ him Sarah his wife.

And Abimelech said,⁴ Behold, my land [is] before thee: dwell³ where it pleaseth thee.

And unto Sarah he said,¹ Behold, I have given¹ 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.¹²

So Abraham prayed¹⁰¹ unto God: and God healed⁴ Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare⁴ [children].

For the LORD had fast² closed up¹ all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.