Genesis 20
20
Abraham and Abimelech
1And Abraham journeyed from #Gen. 18:1there to the South, and dwelt between #Gen. 12:9; 16:7, 14Kadesh and Shur, and #Gen. 26:1, 6stayed in Gerar. 2Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, #Gen. 12:11–13; 26:7“She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and #Gen. 12:15took Sarah.
3But #Ps. 105:14God came to Abimelech #Job 33:15in a dream by night, and said to him, #Gen. 20:7“Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
4But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, #Gen. 18:23–25; Num. 16:22will You slay a righteous nation also? 5Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ #1 Kin. 9:4; 2 Kin. 20:3; Ps. 7:8; 26:6In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”
6And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For #Gen. 31:7; 35:5; Ex. 34:24; 1 Sam. 25:26, 34I also withheld you from sinning #Gen. 39:9; 2 Sam. 12:13against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; #1 Sam. 7:5; 2 Kin. 5:11; Job 42:8; James 5:14, 15for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, #Gen. 2:17know that you shall surely die, you #Num. 16:32, 33and all who are yours.”
8So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 9And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, #Gen. 26:10; 39:9; Ex. 32:21; Josh. 7:25that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me #Gen. 34:7that ought not to be done.” 10Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
11And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely #Gen. 42:18; Neh. 5:15; Ps. 36:1; Prov. 16:6the fear of God is not in this place; and #Gen. 12:12; 26:7they will kill me on account of my wife. 12But indeed #Gen. 11:29she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13And it came to pass, when #Gen. 12:1–9, 11; (Heb. 11:8)God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, #Gen. 12:13; 20:5say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”
14Then Abimelech #Gen. 12:16took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15And Abimelech said, “See, #Gen. 13:9; 34:10; 47:6my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; #Gen. 26:11indeed this vindicates you #Mal. 2:9before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked.
17So Abraham prayed #Num. 12:13; 21:7; Job 42:9; (James 5:16)to God; and God #Gen. 21:2healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18for the Lord #Gen. 12:17had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Genesis 20
20
Sarah Rescued from Abimelech
1From there Abraham traveled to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived in Gerar, # Gn 26:1,6 2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” # Gn 12:13; 26:7 So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.” # Lit is possessed by a husband
4Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5Didn’t he himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this with a clear conscience # Lit with integrity of my heart and clean # Lit cleanness of my hands.”
6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. # Lit with integrity of your heart I have also kept you from sinning against Me. Therefore I have not let you touch her. 7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, # 1Sm 7:5; 2Kg 5:11; Jb 42:8 and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.”
8Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally # Lit in their ears told them all these things, and the men were terrified.
9Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, “What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” # Gn 12:19; 26:9 10Abimelech also said to Abraham, “What did you intend when you did this thing? ”
11Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. # Neh 5:15; Pr 16:6 They will kill me because of my wife.’ 12Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13So when God had me wander from my father’s house, # Gn 12:1 I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go and say about me: ‘He’s my brother.’ ” # Gn 12:13; 20:5
14Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female slaves, gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. # Gn 13:9; 34:10; 47:6 Settle wherever you want.” # Lit Settle in the good in your eyes 16And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. It is a verification of your honor # Lit a covering of the eyes to all who are with you. You are fully vindicated.”
17Then Abraham prayed to God, # Nm 12:13; 21:7; Jms 5:16 and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could bear children, 18for the Lord had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household on account of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.