Chapter 20

  And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar.  

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  And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.  

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  But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.  

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  Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, will you put to death an upright nation?  

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  Did he not say to me himself, She is my sister? and she herself said, He is my brother: with an upright heart and clean hands have I done this.  

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  And God said to him in the dream, I see that you have done this with an upright heart, and I have kept you from sinning against me: for this reason I did not let you come near her.  

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  So now, give the man back his wife, for he is a prophet, and let him say a prayer for you, so your life may be safe: but if you do not give her back, be certain that death will come to you and all your house.  

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  So Abimelech got up early in the morning and sent for all his servants and gave them word of these things, and they were full of fear.  

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  Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, What have you done to us? what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done.  

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  And Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing?  

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  And Abraham said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place, and that they might put me to death because of my wife.  

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  And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:  

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  And when God sent me wandering from my father's house, I said to her, Let this be the sign of your love for me; wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother.  

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  Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah.  

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  And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before you; take whatever place seems good to you.  

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  And he said to Sarah, See, I have given to your brother a thousand bits of silver so that your wrong may be put right; now your honour is clear in the eyes of all.  

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  Then Abraham made prayer to God, and God made Abimelech well again, and his wife and his women-servants, so that they had children.  

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  For the Lord had kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from having children, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.  

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