[1] And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and
was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar. [2] And Abraham said of
Sarah, his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and
took Sarah. [3] But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said
to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken;
for she is a man's wife. [4] Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he
said, Lord, will you put to death an upright nation? [5] Did he not say to
me himself, She is my sister? and she herself said, He is my brother: with
an upright heart and clean hands have I done this. [6] And God said to him
in the dream, I see that you have done this with an upright heart, and I
have kept you from sinning against me: for this reason I did not let you
come near her. [7] So now, give the man back his wife, for he is a prophet,
and let him say a prayer for you, so your life may be safe: but if you do
not give her back, be certain that death will come to you and all your
house. [8] So Abimelech got up early in the morning and sent for all his
servants and gave them word of these things, and they were full of fear.
[9] Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, What have you done to us?
what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so
great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done. [10] And
Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing? [11] And Abraham
said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place,
and that they might put me to death because of my wife. [12] And, in fact,
she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my
mother; and she became my wife: [13] And when God sent me wandering from my
father's house, I said to her, Let this be the sign of your love for me;
wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother. [14] Then Abimelech gave to
Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him
back his wife Sarah. [15] And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before
you; take whatever place seems good to you. [16] And he said to Sarah, See,
I have given to your brother a thousand bits of silver so that your wrong
may be put right; now your honour is clear in the eyes of all. [17] Then
Abraham made prayer to God, and God made Abimelech well again, and his wife
and his women-servants, so that they had children. [18] For the Lord had
kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from having children, because
of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
