1 Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negreb, settling between Kadesh and Shur, and staying for a while in Gerar, 2 where he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night and said to him, “You will die, because of the woman you have taken, for she is married. 4 But Abimelech had not come near her; so he said, Lord, will you slay an innocent people? 5 Did Abraham not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister?’ And even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I acted innocently and in good faith.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “I know that you acted innocently and in good faith, and I also prevented you from sinning against me, since I did not allow you to touch her. 7 Now you must restore the man’s wife – for he is a prophet and he can intercede for you, and you will live. But if you do not restore her at once, you will die, together with all your people.” 8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and summoned all his court, and when he had told all these things in their hearing, they were greatly afraid.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us? What harm have I done to you to make you bring this great sin on me and my kingdom? You have done to me something that ought not to be done.” 10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What was your purpose in doing this thing?” 11 Abraham answered, “Because I thought, ‘Surely reverence for God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.’ 12 Moreover, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father, though not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 So when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: at every place to which we come, say that you are my brother.’ ”

14 Abimelech then took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 Also Abimelech said, “My land lies before you; live wherever you please.” 16 To Sarah he said, “I have given your ‘brother’ a thousand pieces of silver as compensation in the sight of everyone here, and you are vindicated in the eyes of all.” 17 Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his slave-girls, so that they could have children ( 18 for the Lord had made every woman in Abimelech’s household barren, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife).

<- Genesis 19Genesis 21 ->