1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and
lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foriegner in Gerar. 2 Abraham said about
Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took
Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of 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 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even
a righteous nation? 5 Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she
herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the
innocence of my hands have I done this.”
6 God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your
heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me.
Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the
man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live.
If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who
are yours.”
8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and
told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9 Then
Abimelech called 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 deeds to me that ought not to be done!”
10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this
thing?”
11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in
this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12 Moreover she is
indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my
mother; and she became my wife. 13 It happened, when God caused me to
wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness
which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my
brother.”’”
14 Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men-servants and women-servants, and
gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife to him. 15 Abimelech
said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16 To
Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of
silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with
you. In front of all you are vindicated.”
17 Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his
maid-servants, and they bore children. 18 For Yahweh had closed up tight
all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
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