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 lived in Gerar, # Gn 26:1,6 2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, âShe is my sister.â # Gn 12:13; 26:7 So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, âYou are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.â # Lit is possessed by a husband
4Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, âLord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5Didnât he himself say to me, âShe is my sisterâ? And she herself said, âHe is my brother.â I did this with a clear conscience # Lit with integrity of my heart and clean # Lit cleanness of my hands.â
6Then God said to him in the dream, âYes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. # 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 manâs 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.â
8Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally # Lit in their ears told them all these things, and the men were terrified.
9Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, âWhat 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.â # Gn 12:19; 26:9 10Abimelech also said to Abraham, âWhat did you intend when you did this thing? â
11Abraham replied, âI thought, âThere is absolutely no fear of God in this place. # Neh 5:15; Pr 16:6 They will kill me because of my wife.â 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 fatherâs house, # Gn 12:1 I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go and say about me: âHeâs my brother.â â # Gn 12:13; 20:5
14Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female slaves, gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelech said, âLook, my land is before you. # Gn 13:9; 34:10; 47:6 Settle wherever you want.â # Lit Settle in the good in your eyes 16And he said to Sarah, âLook, I am giving your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. It is a verification of your honor # Lit a covering of the eyes to all who are with you. You are fully vindicated.â
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 Abimelechâs household on account of Sarah, Abrahamâs wife.
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Genesis 20: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Genesis 20
20
Abraham Deceives Abimelech
1Abraham moved to the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was living in Gerar, 2Abraham told everyone that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar sent men to take Sarah. 3God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, âYouâre going to die because of the woman that youâve taken! Sheâs a married woman!â 4Abimelech hadnât come near her, so he asked, âLord, will you destroy a nation even if itâs innocent? 5Didnât he tell me himself, âSheâs my sister,â and didnât she even say, âHeâs my brotherâ? I did this in all innocence and with a clear conscience.â
6âYes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience,â God said to him in the dream. âIn fact, I kept you from sinning against me. Thatâs why I didnât let you touch her. 7Give the manâs wife back to him now, because heâs a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you donât give her back, you and all who belong to you are doomed to die.â
8Early in the morning Abimelech called together all his officials. He told them about all of this, and they were terrified. 9Then Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him, âWhat have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you would bring such a serious sin on me and my kingdom? You shouldnât have done this to me.â 10Abimelech also asked Abraham, âWhat were you thinking when you did this?â
11Abraham said, âI thought that because there are no God-fearing people in this place, Iâd be killed because of my wife. 12Besides, she is my sisterâmy fatherâs daughter but not my motherâs. She is also my wife. 13When God had me leave my fatherâs home and travel around, I said to her, âDo me a favor: Wherever we go, say that Iâm your brother.ââ
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14Then Abimelech took sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 15Abimelech said, âLook, hereâs my land. Live anywhere you like.â 16He said to Sarah, âDonât forget, Iâve given your brother 25 pounds of silver. This is to silence any criticism against you from everyone with you. Youâre completely cleared.â
17Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could have children. 18(The Lord had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelechâs household to have children because of Abrahamâs wife Sarah.)
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GOD'S WORDŸ Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.