B'resheet (Gen) 20
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1Avraham traveled from there toward the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. While living as an alien in G’rar, 2Avraham was saying of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister”; so Avimelekh king of G’rar sent and took Sarah. 3But God came to Avimelekh in a dream one night and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, since she is someone’s wife.” 4Now Avimelekh had not come near her; so he said, “Lord, will you kill even an upright nation? 5Didn’t he himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In doing this, my heart has been pure and my hands innocent.” 6God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in doing this, your heart has been pure; and I too have kept you from sinning against me. This is why I didn’t let you touch her. 7Therefore, return the man’s wife to him now. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will live. But if you don’t return her, know that you will certainly die — you and all who belong to you.”
8Avimelekh got up early in the morning, called all his servants and told them these things; and the men became very afraid. 9Then Avimelekh called Avraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you to cause you to bring on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that are just not done.” 10Avimelekh went on, asking Avraham, “Whatever could have caused you to do such a thing?” 11Avraham replied, “It was because I thought, ‘There could not possibly be any fear of God in this place, so they will kill me in order to get my wife.’ 12But she actually is also my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and so she became my wife. 13When God had me leave my father’s house, I told her, ‘Do me this favor: wherever we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”
14Avimelekh took sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Avraham; and he returned to him Sarah his wife. 15Then Avimelekh said, “Look, my country lies before you; live where you like.” 16To Sarah he said, “Here, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. That will allay the suspicions of everyone who is with you. Before everyone you are cleared.” 17Avraham prayed to God, and God healed Avimelekh and his wife and slave-girls, so that they could have children. 18For Adonai had made every woman in Avimelekh’s household infertile on account of Sarah Avraham’s wife.
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20
Abraham and Abimelech
1And Abraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev, and he settled between Kadesh and Shur. And he dwelled as an alien in Gerar. 2And Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3And God came to Abimelech in a dream at night. And he said to him, “Look, you are a dead man on account of the woman you have taken. For she is a married woman.”#Literally “married of a husband” or “a woman owned by a husband” 4Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, “my Lord, will you even kill a righteous people?” 5Did not he himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ With integrity of my heart and with cleanness of my hands I did this.” 6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes,#Or “Also” I know that in the integrity of your heart you did this, and I also kept you from sinning#Literally “kept back from sinning” against me. Therefore, I did not allow you to touch her. 7So now, return the wife of the man, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you and you will live. And if you do not return her,#Literally “If there is not for you a returning” know that you will certainly die, and all that are yours.”
8So Abimelech rose early in the morning. And he called all his servants and told them all these things,#Literally “said all these things in their ears” and the men were very afraid. 9And Abimelech called for Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you that you brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that should not be done.” 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking#Literally “What have you seen?” that you did this thing?” 11And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place; they will kill me on account of the matter of my wife. 12Besides,#Literally “And also moreover” she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife. 13And it happened that as God caused me to wander from the house of my father I said to her, ‘This is your loyal kindness that you must do for me at every place where we come: say concerning me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” 14And Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male slaves and female slaves, and he gave them to Abraham. And he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15And Abimelech said, “Here is my land before you; settle where it pleases you.”#Literally “in the good in your eyes” 16And to Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother. It shall be an exoneration.#Literally “a covering of the eyes” You are vindicated before all who are with you.”#Literally “to all who are with you and with all you are vindicated” 17And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female servants so that they could bear children again. 18For Yahweh had completely closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of the matter of Sarah, the wife of Abraham.
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