Genesis 20
20
Abraham Goes to Gerar
1Abraham left that place and traveled to the Negev. He settled in the city of Gerar, between Kadesh and Shur. While in Gerar, 2Abraham told people that Sarah was his sister. King Abimelech of Gerar heard this. Abimelech wanted Sarah, so he sent some servants to take her. 3But one night God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and said, “You will die. The woman you took is married.”
4But Abimelech had not yet slept with Sarah, so he said, “Lord, I am not guilty. Would you kill an innocent man? 5Abraham himself told me, ‘This woman is my sister,’ and she also said, ‘This man is my brother.’ I am innocent. I did not know what I was doing.”
6Then God said to Abimelech in a dream, “Yes, I know that you are innocent and that you did not know what you were doing. I saved you. I did not allow you to sin against me. I was the one who did not allow you to sleep with her. 7So give Abraham his wife again. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don’t give Sarah back to him, I promise that you will die. And all your family will die with you.”
8So very early the next morning, Abimelech called all his servants and told them about the dream. The servants were very afraid. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “Why have you done this to us? What wrong did I do to you? Why did you lie and say that she was your sister? You brought great trouble to my kingdom. You should not have done this to me. 10What were you afraid of? Why did you do this to me?”
11Then Abraham said, “I thought no one in this place respected God. I thought someone would kill me to get Sarah. 12She is my wife, but she is also my sister. She is the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother. 13God led me away from my father’s house. He led me to wander to many different places. When that happened, I told Sarah, ‘Do something for me. Wherever we go, tell people you are my sister.’”
14So Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham. Abimelech also gave Abraham some sheep, cattle, and slaves. 15And Abimelech said, “Look all around you. This is my land. You may live any place you want.”
16Abimelech said to Sarah, “I gave your brother Abraham 1000 pieces of silver. I did this to show that I am very sorry. I want everyone to see that I did the right thing.”
17-18The Lord made all the women in Abimelech’s family not able to have children. God did this because Abimelech had taken Sarah, Abraham’s wife. But Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his servant girls.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Genesis 20
20
1Afterward Abraham departed thence toward the South countrey and dwelled betweene Cadesh and Shur, and soiourned in Gerar. 2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. Then Abimelech King of Gerar sent and tooke Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night, and said to him, Beholde, thou art but dead, because of the woman, which thou hast taken: for she is a mans wife. 4(Notwithstanding Abimelech had not yet come neere her) And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay euen the righteous nation? 5Said not he vnto me, She is my sister? yea, and she her selfe said, He is my brother: with an vpright minde, and innocent handes haue I done this. 6And God saide vnto him by a dreame, I knowe that thou diddest this euen with an vpright minde, and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touche her. 7Now then deliuer the man his wife againe: for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest liue: but if thou deliuer her not againe, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast. 8Then Abimelech rising vp early in ye morning, called all his seruants, and tolde all these things vnto them, and the men were sore afraid. 9Afterward Abimelech called Abraham, and said vnto him, What hast thou done vnto vs? and what haue I offeded thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdome this great sinne? thou hast done things vnto me that ought not to be done. 10So Abimelech said vnto Abraham, What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing? 11Then Abraham answered, Because I thought thus, Surely the feare of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wiues sake. 12Yet in very deede she is my sister: for she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she is my wife. 13Nowe when God caused me to wander out of my fathers house, I said then to her, This is thy kindnes that thou shalt shewe vnto me in all places where we come, Say thou of me, He is my brother. 14Then tooke Abimelech sheepe and beeues, and men seruants, and women seruants, and gaue them vnto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 15And Abimelech saide, Beholde, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. 16Likewise to Sarah he said, Beholde, I haue giuen thy brother a thousand pieces of siluer: behold, he is the vaile of thine eyes to all that are with thee, and to all others: and she was thus reproued. 17Then Abraham prayed vnto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women seruants: and they bare children. 18For the Lord had shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abrahams wife.
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