Berĕshith (Genesis) 20

1And Aḇraham set out from there to the land of the South, and dwelt between Qaḏĕsh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

2And Aḇraham said concerning Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Aḇimeleḵ sovereign of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3But Elohim came to Aḇimeleḵ in a dream by night, and said to him, “See, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

4However, Aḇimeleḵ had not come near her, and he said, “יהוה, would You kill a righteous nation also?

5Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and in the innocence of my hands I have done this.

6And Elohim said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, and so I kept you from sinning against Me. For this reason I did not let you touch her.

7And now, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and let him pray for you and you live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall certainly die, you and all that are yours.

8So Aḇimeleḵ rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and spoke all these words in their hearing. And the men were greatly frightened.

9And Aḇimeleḵ called Aḇraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? In what have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my reign a great sin? You have done matters to me that should not be done.”

10And Aḇimeleḵ said to Aḇraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this matter?”

11And Aḇraham said, “Only because I said to myself, the fear of Elohim is not in this place, and they shall kill me for the sake of my wife.

12“And yet, she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.

13And it came to be, when Elohim caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your loving-commitment that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”

14Then Aḇimeleḵ took sheep, and cattle, and male and female servants, and gave them to Aḇraham. And he returned Sarah his wife to him.

15And Aḇimeleḵ said, “See, my land is before you, dwell wherever it is good in your eyes.”

16And to Sarah he said, “See, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. See, it is to you a covering of eyes before all who are with you and before all others, and you are cleared before everyone.”

17And Aḇraham prayed to Elohim, and Elohim healed Aḇimeleḵ, and his wife, and his female servants, so they bore children,

18for יהוה had closed up all the wombs of the house of Aḇimeleḵ because of Sarah, Aḇraham’s wife.

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Bereshis 20

1And Avraham journeyed from there toward the Negev region, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2And Avraham said of Sarah his isha, She is my achot; and Avimelech Melech Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3But Elohim came to Avimelech in a chalom halailah, and said to him, See, thou art met (dead), for the isha which thou hast taken; for she is be'ulat ba'al (married of a husband).

4But Avimelech had not come near her; and he said, Adonoi, wilt Thou slay also a goy tzaddik?

5Said he not unto me, She is my achot? and she, even she herself said, He is achi: in the tohm (integrity, guilelessness) of my lev and with clean hands of my innocency have I done this.

6And HaElohim said unto him in a chalom, Yea, I have da'as that thou didst this in the tohm (integrity, guilelessness) of thy lev; for I also withheld thee from sinning against Me; therefore allowed I thee not to touch her.

7Now therefore restore the ish his isha; for he is a navi, 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.

8Therefore Avimelech rose early in the boker, and called all his avadim, and told all these things in their ears; and the anashim were very afraid.

9Then Avimelech called Avraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and how have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my mamlechah (kingdom) a chata'ah gedolah (great sin)? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10And Avimelech said unto Avraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11And Avraham said, Because I thought, Surely the yirat Elohim is not in this place; and they will slay me on account of my isha.

12And yet indeed she is my achot; she is the bat avi, but not the bat immi; and she became my isha.

13And it came to pass, when Elohim caused me to wander from my bais avi, that I said unto her, This is thy chesed which thou shalt show unto me; at every place where we shall come, say of me, He is achi.

14And Avimelech took tzon, and oxen, and avadim, and shfachot, and gave them unto Avraham, and restored to him Sarah his isha.

15And Avimelech said, Hinei, my land is before thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16And unto Sarah he said, Hinei, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of kesef; hinei, it is to thee a kesut einayim (covering of the eyes, exoneration), unto all that are with thee, and with all other; thus she was vindicated.

17So Avraham davened unto Elohim: and Elohim healed Avimelech, and his isha, and his maidservants so that they bore children.

18For Hashem had fast closed up kol rechem (every womb) of the bais Avimelech, on account of Sarah Avrahamʼs isha.

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