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, “She is my sister.”#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, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”#20:3 Lit is possessed by a husband
4Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, “Lord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5Didn’t he himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this with a clear conscience#20:5 Lit with integrity of my heart and clean#20:5 Lit cleanness of my hands.”
6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, 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 man’s 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.”
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, “What 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.”#Gn 12:19; 26:9 10Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What made you do this?”
11Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘There is absolutely no fear of God in this place.#Neh 5:15; Pr 16:6 They will kill me because of my wife.’ 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 father’s house,#Gn 12:1 I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go and say about me, ‘He’s my brother.’”#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, “Look, my land is before you.#Gn 13:9; 34:10; 47:6 Settle wherever you want.”#20:15 Lit Settle in the good in your eyes 16And he said to Sarah, “Look, 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.”
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 Abimelech’s household on account of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
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Genesis 20: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Genesis 20
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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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
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