New American Standard Bible 1995

Genesis 20

Abraham’s Treachery

1Now Abrahamאַבְרָהָם֙'av.ra.HamH85journeyedוַיִּסַּ֨עvai.yi.Sa'H5265fromthereמִשָּׁ֤םmi.ShamH8033toward the landאַ֣רְצָה'Ar.tzahH776of theNegevהַנֶּ֔גֶבha.Ne.gevH5045, andsettledוַיֵּ֥שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevH3427betweenH996Kadeshקָדֵ֖שׁka.DeshH6946and Shurשׁ֑וּרShurH7793;then he sojournedוַיָּ֖גָרvai.Ya.gorH1481inGerarבִּגְרָֽר׃big.RarH1642.

2Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֛ם'av.ra.HamH85saidוַיֹּ֧אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559of Sarahשָׂרָ֥הsa.RahH8283his wifeאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ'ish.ToH802, “She is my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי'a.Cho.tiH269.” SoAbimelechאֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙'a.vi.Me.lekhH40kingמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Gerarגְּרָ֔רge.RarH1642sentוַיִּשְׁלַ֗חvai.yish.LachH7971and tookוַיִּקַּ֖חvai.yi.KachH3947Sarahשָׂרָֽה׃sa.RahH8283.

3But Godאֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimH430cameוַיָּבֹ֧אvai.ya.Vo'H935to Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40in a dreamבַּחֲל֣וֹםba.cha.LomH2472of the nightהַלָּ֑יְלָהha.La.ye.lahH3915,and saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to him, “Beholdהִנְּךָ֥hi.ne.KhaH2009,you are a deadמֵת֙metH4191man becauseעַל־'al-H5921of the womanהָאִשָּׁ֣הha.'i.ShahH802whomאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834you have takenלָקַ֔חְתָּla.Kach.taH3947, for she ismarriedבְּעֻ֥לַת בָּֽעַל׃be.'U.lat Ba.'alH1167 H1166.”

4Now Abimelechוַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְva.'a.vi.Me.lekhH40had not comeH7126nearH7126her; and he saidוַיֹּאמַ֕רvai.yo.MarH559, “Lordאֲדֹנָ֕י'a.do.NaiH136,will You slayתַּהֲרֹֽג׃ta.ha.RogH2026a nationהֲג֥וֹיha.GoyH1471,evenגַּם־gam-H1571thoughblamelessצַדִּ֖יקtza.DikH6662?

5Did he not himselfH1931sayאָֽמַר־'a.mar-H559to me, ‘She is my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי'a.Cho.tiH269’? And sheherselfH1931saidאָֽמְרָ֖ה'a.me.RahH559, ‘He is my brotherאָחִ֣י'a.ChiH251.’ Inthe integrityבְּתָם־be.tom-H8537of my heartלְבָבִ֛יle.va.ViH3824and the innocenceוּבְנִקְיֹ֥ןu.ve.nik.YonH5356of myhandsכַּפַּ֖יka.PaiH3709I have doneעָשִׂ֥יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213thisH2088.”

6Then Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֜יםha.'E.lo.HimH430saidוַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.MerH559to him in the dreamבַּחֲלֹ֗םba.cha.LomH2472, “Yesגַּ֣םgamH1571,I knowיָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ya.Da'.tiH3045that in the integrityבְתָם־ve.tom-H8537of your heartלְבָבְךָ֙le.va.ve.KhaH3824you have doneעָשִׂ֣יתָ'a.Si.taH6213thisH2088,and I alsoגַּם־gam-H1571keptוָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְva.'ech.SokhH2820you from sinningמֵחֲטוֹ־me.cha.tov-H2398against Me; thereforeעַל־ כֵּ֥ן'al- kenH5921 H3651I did not letנְתַתִּ֖יךָne.ta.Ti.khaH5414you touchלִנְגֹּ֥עַlin.Go.a'H5060her.

7Nowוְעַתָּ֗הve.'a.TahH6258therefore, restoreהָשֵׁ֤בha.ShevH7725the man’sהָאִישׁ֙ha.'IshH376wifeאֵֽשֶׁת־'e.shet-H802, forhe is a prophetנָבִ֣יאna.Vi'H5030,and he will prayוְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥לve.yit.pa.LelH6419for you and you will liveוֶֽחְיֵ֑הvech.YehH2421.But ifוְאִם־ve.'im-H518you do not restoreמֵשִׁ֗יבme.ShivH7725her,knowדַּ֚עda'H3045that you shall surelyמ֣וֹתMotH4191dieתָּמ֔וּתta.MutH4191,you and allוְכָל־ve.kholH3605whoאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834are yours.”

8So Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40aroseH7925earlyוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨םvai.yash.KemH7925in the morningבַּבֹּ֗קֶרba.Bo.kerH1242and calledוַיִּקְרָא֙vai.yik.Ra'H7121allלְכָל־le.kholH3605his servantsעֲבָדָ֔יו'a.va.DavH5650and toldוַיְדַבֵּ֛רvay.da.BerH1696allכָּל־kol-H3605theseהָאֵ֖לֶּהha.'E.lehH428thingsהַדְּבָרִ֥יםha.de.va.RimH1697in their hearingבְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑םbe.'a.ze.nei.HemH241;and the menH376were greatlyמְאֹֽד׃me.'OdH3966frightenedוַיִּֽירְא֥וּvai.yi.re.'UH3372.

9Then Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40calledוַיִּקְרָ֨אvai.yik.Ra'H7121Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֗םle.'av.ra.HamH85and saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to him, “Whatמֶֽה־meh-H4100have you doneעָשִׂ֤יתָ'a.Si.taH6213to us? Andhowוּמֶֽה־u.meh-H4100have I sinnedחָטָ֣אתִיcha.Ta.tiH2398against you, that you have broughtהֵבֵ֧אתָhe.Ve.taH935on me and on my kingdomמַמְלַכְתִּ֖יmam.lakh.TiH4467a greatגְדֹלָ֑הge.do.LahH1419sinחֲטָאָ֣הcha.ta.'AhH2401?You have doneיֵֽעָשׂ֔וּye.'a.SuH6213to methingsמַעֲשִׂים֙ma.'a.SimH4639that ought not to be doneעָשִׂ֖יתָ'a.Si.taH6213.”

10And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֑ם'av.ra.HamH85, “Whatמָ֣הmahH4100have youencounteredרָאִ֔יתָra.'I.taH7200,that you have doneעָשִׂ֖יתָ'a.Si.taH6213thisהַזֶּֽה׃ha.ZehH2088thingהַדָּבָ֥רha.da.VarH1697?”

11Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֔ם'av.ra.HamH85saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merH559, “Becauseכִּ֣יkiH3588I thoughtאָמַ֗רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559,surelyH7534thereH369is noH369fearיִרְאַ֣תyir.'AtH3374of Godאֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimH430in thisהַזֶּ֑הha.ZehH2088placeבַּמָּק֖וֹםba.ma.KomH4725, andthey will killוַהֲרָג֖וּנִיva.ha.ra.Gu.niH2026me becauseעַל־ דְּבַ֥ר'al- de.VarH5921 H1697of my wifeאִשְׁתִּֽי׃'ish.TiH802.

12Besidesוְגַם־ve.gam-H1571,she actuallyאָמְנָ֗ה'a.me.NahH546is my sisterאֲחֹתִ֤י'a.cho.TiH269,the daughterבַת־vat-H1323of my fatherאָבִי֙'a.ViH1,but not the daughterבַת־vat-H1323of my motherאִמִּ֑י'i.MiH517,and she becameוַתְּהִי־va.te.hi-H1961my wifeלְאִשָּֽׁה׃le.'i.ShahH802;

13and it cameוַיְהִ֞יvay.HiH1961about, whenH3512Godאֱלֹהִים֮'E.lo.HimH430caused me to wanderהִתְע֣וּhit.'UH8582from my father’sאָבִי֒'a.ViH1houseמִבֵּ֣יתmi.BeitH1004,that I saidוָאֹמַ֣רva.'o.MarH559to her, ‘Thisזֶ֣הzehH2088isthe kindnessחַסְדֵּ֔ךְchas.DekhH2617whichH834you will showתַּעֲשִׂ֖יta.'a.SiH6213to me:everywhereאֶ֤ל כָּל־ הַמָּקוֹם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה'el kol- ha.ma.kOm Sha.mahH413 H3605 H4725 H834 H8033we goנָב֣וֹאna.Vo'H935,sayאִמְרִי־'im.ri-H559of me, “He is my brotherאָחִ֥י'a.ChiH251.”’”

14Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40then tookוַיִּקַּ֨חvai.yi.KachH3947sheepצֹ֣אןtzonH6629and oxenוּבָקָ֗רu.va.KarH1241and maleוַעֲבָדִים֙va.'a.va.DimH5650and femaleוּשְׁפָחֹ֔תu.she.fa.ChotH8198servantsH5650 H8198,and gaveוַיִּתֵּ֖ןvai.yi.TenH5414them to Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֑םle.'av.ra.HamH85,and restoredוַיָּ֣שֶׁבvai.Ya.shevH7725his wifeאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃'ish.ToH802Sarahשָׂרָ֥הsa.RahH8283to him.

15Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559, “Beholdהִנֵּ֥הhi.NehH2009,my landאַרְצִ֖י'ar.TziH776is beforeלְפָנֶ֑יךָle.fa.Nei.khaH6440you;settleשֵֽׁב׃ShevH3427whereveryou pleaseבַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָba.Tov be.'ei.Nei.khaH2896 H5869.”

16To Sarahוּלְשָׂרָ֣הu.le.sa.RahH8283he saidאָמַ֗ר'a.MarH559, “Beholdהִנֵּ֨הhi.NehH2009,I have givenנָתַ֜תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414yourbrotherלְאָחִ֔יךְle.'a.ChikhH251a thousandאֶ֤לֶף'E.lefH505pieces of silverכֶּ֙סֶף֙ke.sefH3701;beholdהִנֵּ֤הhi.NehH2009, it isyour vindicationכְּס֣וּתke.SutH3682before allH3605whoאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834are with you, and beforeH854allH3605menH3605you are clearedוְנֹכָֽחַת׃ve.no.Kha.chatH3198.”

17Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֖ם'av.ra.HamH85prayedוַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥לvai.yit.pa.LelH6419to Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430,and Godאֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimH430healedוַיִּרְפָּ֨אvai.yir.Pa'H7495Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֧לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40and his wifeאִשְׁתּ֛וֹ'ish.ToH802and his maidsוְאַמְהֹתָ֖יוve.'am.ho.TavH519,so that they boreוַיֵּלֵֽדוּ׃vai.ye.Le.duH3205children.

18For the Lordיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068had closedעָצֹ֤ר'a.TzorH6113fastעָצַר֙'a.TzarH6113allכָּל־kol-H3605the wombsרֶ֖חֶםRe.chemH7358of the householdלְבֵ֣יתle.VeitH1004of Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40becauseעַל־ דְּבַ֥ר'al- de.VarH5921 H1697of Sarahשָׂרָ֖הsa.RahH8283,Abraham’sאַבְרָהָֽם׃ ס'av.ra.HamH85wifeאֵ֥שֶׁת'E.shetH802.

Abraham’s Treachery

Commentaries on Genesis 20