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
Abraham and Sarah at Gerar
1From there Abraham journeyed toward the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While residing in Gerar as an alien, 2Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a married woman.” 4Now Abimelech had not approached her; so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent people? 5Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.” 6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; furthermore it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7Now then, return the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours.”
8So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that ought not to be done.” 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?” 11Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. 12Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13And when God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.’ ” 14Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelech said, “My land is before you; settle where it pleases you.” 16To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your exoneration before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.” 17Then Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.