Genesis 20

Meanwhile Abraham {and his family} left from the place where they were living {and moved south} to the Negev {Desert} area. There they lived between {the cities of} Kadesh and Shur, and they stayed for a while in {the city of} Gerar.

{While they were there,} Abraham told {people} that his wife Sarah {was} his sister. So {one day} Abimelech, {who was} the king of Gerar, had {some of his servants} bring Sarah {to his home} {to be his wife}.

But that night God appeared to {King} Abimelech in a dream and warned him, “Listen, you are about to die because the woman whom you have taken {to be your wife} is {already} married to someone else!” \*

However, Abimelech had not {yet} slept with Sarah, so he asked {God}, “Lord, will you kill {me and} my people even if {we are} innocent?

Abraham himself told me that Sarah was his sister. And she herself also said that he was her brother. {So} I took her {to be my wife} with a pure conscience, and I did not know that I was doing anything wrong!” \*

God replied to him in the dream, “Yes, I realize that {it was} with a pure conscience that you took Sarah {to be your wife}. In fact, I {am the one who} kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you sleep with her.

Now then, you must give Abraham’s wife back {to him}. He is a spokesman {for me}, so he will ask me to be merciful to you, so that you will not die. However, if you refuse to give Sarah back {to him}, you can be sure that you and all your people will definitely die!” \*

Early the next morning {King} Abimelech got up and called together all of his officials. He told them everything that had happened, and they were very afraid {that God would punish them}.

Then the king summoned Abraham and scolded him {by saying}, “You have treated us very badly! I never did anything wrong to you, and yet you have caused me and the people whom I rule to be guilty of sinning terribly! You have wronged me in ways that should never be done {to anyone}!” \*

Finally, {King} Abimelech asked him, “What motivated you to do what you did?”

Abraham answered {him}, “{I did it,} because I thought that there was certainly no one in this city who revered God, so {I was afraid} they would kill me to get my wife {for themselves}.

Besides that, Sarah actually {is} my half-sister. We have the same father, but different mothers, and {after we grew up,} we got married. \*

{Years} later when God told me to leave my father’s family, I asked her to do me a favor and tell people wherever we go that I {am} her brother.”

Then {King} Abimelech brought {many} sheep and cattle and male and female servants {to Abraham} and gave {them all} to him. He {also} gave Abraham’s wife Sarah back to him. \*

Then {King} Abimelech said {to him}, “Look, my land {is} available to you. Live {wherever} you decide {is} best.”

Then he {turned} to Sarah {and} said, “Listen, I have given 12 {kilos of} silver to your brother. I am doing this so that everyone knows you did nothing wrong, and to compensate you for everything {that has happened to you}.” \*

Then Abraham asked God {to be merciful to the king}. So God healed {King} Abimelech, as well as his wife and his female servants, and they were able to have children {again}.

{Previously} God had kept all the women in Abimelech’s household from conceiving because he had taken Abraham’s wife Sarah. \*