Genesis 20

Abraham’s Treachery

1Now Abraham journeyed from 1there toward the land of 2the 3Negev, and 4settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived for a time in 5Gerar. 2And Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “6She is my sister.” So 7Abimelech king of Gerar sent men and took Sarah. 38But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, 9you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is 10married.” 4Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, 11will You kill a nation, even though 12blameless? 5Did he himself not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she 13herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In 14the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my 15hands I have done this.” 6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also 1617kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7Now then, return the man’s wife, for 18he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.”

8So Abimelech got up early in the morning and called all his servants, and told all these things in their 19presence; and the people were greatly frightened. 920Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And 21how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom 22a great sin? You have done to me 23things that ought not to be done.” 10And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you 24encountered, that you have done this thing?” 11Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no 25fear of God in this place, and 26they will kill me because of my wife. 12Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife; 13and it came about, when 27God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is 28the kindness which you will show to me: 29everywhere we go, 30say of me, “He is my brother.”’” 1431Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelech said, “32Behold, my land is before you; 33settle wherever 34you please.” 16To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given your 35brother a thousand pieces of silver. 36It is 37your vindication before all who are with you, and before everyone you are cleared.” 17Then 38Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female slaves, so that they gave birth to children. 1839For the Lord had completely closed all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.