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, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, 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.” 4Now Abimelech had not approached her; so he said, “Lord, wilt thou slay an innocent people? 5Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, 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.”

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, “What 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.” 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?” 11Abraham said, “I 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, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.’ ” 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, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16To Sarah he said, “Behold, 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.” 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.

Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America

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Genesis 20

1And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh (to be consecrated, consecrated, sanctified) and Shur [wall] (wall), and detained (held) in G’rar (a lodging place).

2And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] said of Sarah [Princess] his wife, She [is] my sister: and Avi-melekh (my father is king) king of G’rar (a lodging place) sent, and took Sarah [Princess].

3But God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] came to Avi-melekh (my father is king) in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, youi [are but] a dead man, for the woman which youi hast taken; for she [is] a man’s wife.

4But Avi-melekh (my father is king) had not come near her: and he said, Lord-Adonai [The Father] (Greatest Above All), will youi slay also a righteous nation?

5Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

6And God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] said unto him in a dream, Yes, I know that youi did this in the integrity of youri heart; for I also withheld youi from sinning against me: therefore suffered I youi not to touch her.

7Now therefore restore the man [his] wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray for youi, and youi shall live: and if youi restore [her] not, know youi that youi shall surely die, youi, and all that [are] yoursi.

8Therefore Avi-melekh (my father is king) rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

9Then Avi-melekh called Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], and said unto him, What hast youi done unto us? and what have I offended youi, that youi hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? youi hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10And Avi-melekh said unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], What [did] youi see, that youi have done this thing?

11And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] [is] not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

12And yet indeed [she is] 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 pass, when God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This [is] you (i) kindness which youi shall show unto me; at every place to where we shall come, say of me, He [is] my brother.

14And Avi-melekh (my father is king) took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and women servants, and gave [them] unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], and restored him Sarah [Princess] his wife.

15And Avi-melekh (my father is king) said, Behold, my land [is] before youi: dwell where it pleases youi.

16And unto Sarah [Princess] he said, Behold, I have given youri brother a thousand [pieces] of silver: behold, he [is] to youi a covering of the eyes, unto all that [are] with youi, and with all [other]: in this way she was reproved.

17So Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] prayed unto God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered]: and God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] healed Avi-melekh (my father is king), and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bore children.

18For the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Avi-melekh, because of Sarah [Princess] Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] wife.

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Genesis 20

Genesis 20