CHAPTER 20
Now Abraham
journeyed
from there
to the region
of the Negev
and settled
between
Kadesh
and Shur.
While he was staying
in Gerar,
Abraham
said
of
his wife
Sarah,
“She
is my sister.”
So Abimelech
king
of Gerar
had Sarah
brought
to him.
One night, however,
God
came
to
Abimelech
in a dream
and told him,
“You are as good as dead
because of
the woman
you have taken,
for she
is a married
woman.”
Now Abimelech
had not
gone near her,
so he replied,
“Lord,
would You destroy
a nation
even though
it is innocent?
Didn’t
Abraham
tell me,
‘She
is my sister’?
And she
herself
said,
‘He
is my brother.’
I have done
this
with a clear
conscience
and clean
hands.”
Then God
said
to Abimelech
in the dream,
“Yes,
I
know
that
you did
this
with a clear
conscience,
and so I
have also
kept
you
from sinning against Me.
That is why
I did not
let
you touch
her.
Now
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,
be aware
that
you will surely
die—
you
and all
who belong
to you."
Early the next morning
Abimelech
got up
and summoned
all
his servants;
and when he described to them
all
that
had happened,
the men
were terrified.
Then Abimelech
called
Abraham
and asked,
“What
have you done to us?
How
have I sinned
against you,
that
you have brought
such tremendous
guilt
upon me
and
my kingdom?
You have done
things
to me
that
should not
be done."
Abraham
replied,
“I thought to myself,
‘Surely
there is no
fear
of God
in this
place.
They will kill me
on account of
my wife.’
Besides,
she
really
is my sister,
the daughter
of my father—
though
not
the daughter
of my mother—
and she became
my wife.
So when
God
had me journey
from my father’s
house,
I said
to Sarah,
‘This is how
you can show
your loyalty
to me:
Wherever
we go,
say of me,
“He is
my brother.”’”
So Abimelech
brought
sheep
and cattle,
menservants
and maidservants,
and he gave
them to Abraham
and restored
his wife
Sarah to him.
And he said
to Sarah,
“See,
I am giving
your brother
a thousand pieces
of silver.
It is
your
vindication
before all
who
are with you;
you are completely
cleared.”
Then Abraham
prayed
to
God,
and God
healed
Abimelech
and his wife
and his maidservants,
so that they could again bear children—
for
on
account
of Abraham’s
wife
Sarah,
the LORD
had completely closed
all
the wombs
in Abimelech’s
household.