Genesis 20
20
Abraham and Abimelek
Ge 12:10–20; 26:1–11
1#Ge 26:6; 18:1Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev, settled between Kadesh and Shur, and then he sojourned in Gerar. 2#Ge 12:15; 26:7Then Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelek, king of Gerar, sent for her and took Sarah.
3#Job 33:15; Ps 105:14But God came to Abimelek in a dream by night and said to him, “You are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
4#Ge 18:23–25; 1Ch 21:17Abimelek had not gone near her, and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation? 5#1Ki 9:4; Ps 7:8Did 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.”
6#1Sa 25:26; 25:34And 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. 7#1Sa 7:5; Job 42:8Therefore return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet and he will pray for you. Moreover, you will live. However, if you do not return her, know that you will surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8So Abimelek rose early in the morning, and called all his servants and told them all these things, and the men were very afraid. 9#Ge 12:18; 26:10Then Abimelek 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.” 10Then Abimelek said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?”
11#Ge 12:12; 26:7Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife. 12#Ge 11:29Still, indeed, she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. She became my wife. 13#Ge 12:1; 12:9When God caused me to travel from my father’s house, 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.’ ”
14#Ge 12:16Then Abimelek took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15#Ge 13:9; 34:10Abimelek said, “My land is before you; settle wherever it pleases you.”
16#Ge 20:5; Pr 27:5To Sarah he said, “I have given your brother a thousand shekels of silver.#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.”
17#Jas 5:16So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children. 18#Ge 12:17For the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelek because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Military Bible Association
Genesis 20
20
1And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. 4Now Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay even a righteous nation? 5Said he not himself unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this. 6And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. 7Now therefore restore the man's 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.
8And 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. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and wherein have I sinned against 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. 10And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? 11And 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. 12And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife: 13and 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.
14And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and menservants and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 15And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. 16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee; and in respect of all thou art righted. 17And Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society