Genesis 20

Abraham and Abimelech

Ge 12:10–20; 26:1–11

1Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev, # Ge 18:1 settled between Kadesh and Shur, and then he sojourned in Gerar. # Ge 26:6 2Then Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” # Ge 26:7 So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for her and took Sarah. # Ge 12:15

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night # Job 33:15 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.” # Ps 105:14

4Abimelech had not gone near her, and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation? # Ge 18:23–25; 1Ch 21:17 5Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and did not even she herself say, ‘He is my brother’? In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” # 1Ki 9:4; Ps 7:8

6And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, for I also kept you from sinning against Me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her. # 1Sa 25:26, 34 7Therefore return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet and he will pray for you. # 1Sa 7:5; Job 42:8 Moreover, you will live. However, if you do not return her, know that you will surely die, you and all who 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 afraid. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you that you would bring on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that should not have been done.” # Ge 12:18; 26:10 10Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?”

11Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife. # Ge 12:12; 26:7 12Still, indeed, she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. She became my wife. # Ge 11:29 13When God caused me to travel from my father’s house, # Ge 12:1, 9 I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you must show me: Every place where we go, say concerning me, He is my brother.’ ”

14Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, # Ge 12:16 and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever it pleases you.” # Ge 13:9; 34:10

16To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand shekels of silver. # 20:16 About 25 pounds, or 12 kilograms. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.”

17So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children. # Jas 5:16 18For the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. # Ge 12:17

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Genesis 20: MEV

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Genesis 20

Abraham and Abimelek

1Abraham moved south into the Negev Desert. He lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar. 2There Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She’s my sister.” Then Abimelek, the king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.

3So God appeared to Abimelek in a dream one night. He said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken. She is already married.”

4But Abimelek hadn’t gone near her. So he said, “Lord, will you destroy a nation that hasn’t done anything wrong? 5Didn’t Abraham say to me, ‘She’s my sister’? And didn’t she also say, ‘He’s my brother’? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong.”

6Then God spoke to him in the dream. He said, “Yes, I know you had no idea you were doing anything wrong. So I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7Now return the man’s wife to him. He is a prophet. So he will pray for you, and you will live. But what if you do not return her? Then you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”

8Early the next morning Abimelek sent for all his officials. When he told them everything that had happened, they were really afraid. 9Then Abimelek called Abraham in. Abimelek said, “What have you done to us? Have I done something wrong to you? Why have you brought so much guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10Abimelek also asked Abraham, “Why did you do this?”

11Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘There is no respect for God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’ 12Besides, she really is my sister. She’s the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife. 13God had me wander away from my father’s house. So I said to her, ‘Here is how you can show your love to me. Everywhere we go, say about me, “He’s my brother.” ’ ”

14Then Abimelek gave Abraham sheep and cattle and male and female slaves. He also returned his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelek said, “Here is my land. Live anywhere you want to.”

16He said to Sarah, “I’m giving your brother 25 pounds of silver. This will show everyone with you that I am sorry for what I did to you. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek. He also healed his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again. 18The Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s house from having children. He had done it because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.

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