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 was staying in Gerar,#Gn 26:1,6 2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, āShe is my sister.ā#Gn 12:13; 26:7 So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, āYou are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.ā#20:3 Lit is possessed by a husband
4Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, āLord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5Didnāt he himself say to me, āShe is my sisterā? And she herself said, āHe is my brother.ā I did this with a clear conscience#20:5 Lit with integrity of my heart and clean#20:5 Lit cleanness of my hands.ā
6Then God said to him in the dream, āYes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience.#20:6 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 manās 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.ā
8Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally#20:8 Lit in their ears told them all these things, and the men were terrified.
9Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, āWhat 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.ā#Gn 12:19; 26:9 10Abimelech also asked Abraham, āWhat made you do this?ā
11Abraham replied, āI thought, āThere is absolutely no fear of God in this place.#Neh 5:15; Pr 16:6 They will kill me because of my wife.ā 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 fatherās house,#Gn 12:1 I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go and say about me, āHeās my brother.āā#Gn 12:13; 20:5
14Then Abimelech took flocks and herds and male and female slaves, gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelech said, āLook, my land is before you.#Gn 13:9; 34:10; 47:6 Settle wherever you want.ā#20:15 Lit Settle in the good in your eyes 16And he said to Sarah, āLook, I am giving your brother one thousand pieces of silver. It is a verification of your honor#20:16 Lit a covering of the eyes to all who are with you. You are fully vindicated.ā
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 Abimelechās household on account of Sarah, Abrahamās wife.
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Genesis 20: CSB
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Ā© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Genesis 20
20
1From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, āShe is my sister.ā And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, āBehold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.ā 4Now Abimelech had not approached her; so he said, āLord, wilt thou slay an innocent people? 5Did he not himself say to me, āShe is my sisterā? And she herself said, āHe is my brother.ā In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.ā 6Then God said to him in the dream, āYes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7Now then restore 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.ā
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, āWhat have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.ā 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, āWhat were you thinking of, that you did this thing?ā 11Abraham said, āI 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, āThis is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.ā ā 14Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife to him. 15And Abimelech said, āBehold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.ā 16To Sarah he said, āBehold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your vindication in the eyes of all who are with you; and before every one you are righted.ā 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 all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America