Genesis - 20


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


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


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


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


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 - 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 - 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 - 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, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.


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


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