Genesis 20

Abraham and Abimelek

20:1–18Ref—Ge 12:10–20; 26:1–11

20Now Abraham moved on from there^u into the region of the Negev^v and lived between Kadesh^w and Shur.^x For a while^y he stayed in Gerar,^{z 2}and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.^a” Then Abimelek^b king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.^c

³But God came to Abimelek^d in a dream^e one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead^f because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”^g

⁴Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?^{h 5}Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,ⁱ’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience^j and clean hands.^k”

⁶Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept^l you from sinning against me.^m That is why I did not let you touch her. ⁷Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet,ⁿ and he will pray for you^o and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”^p

⁸Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. ⁹Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.^q” ¹⁰And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”

¹¹Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God^r in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’^{s 12}Besides, she really is my sister,^t the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. ¹³And when God had me wander^u from my father’s household,^v I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”

¹⁴Then Abimelek^w brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham,^x and he returned Sarah his wife to him. ¹⁵And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”^y

¹⁶To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels^a of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”

¹⁷Then Abraham prayed to God,^z and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, ¹⁸for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.^a