Revised Literal Translation

Genesis 20

1And Abrahamאַבְרָהָם֙'av.ra.HamH85journeyedוַיִּסַּ֨עvai.yi.Sa'H5265from thence toward the southהַנֶּ֔גֶבha.Ne.gevH5045countryאַ֣רְצָה'Ar.tzahH776,and dwelledוַיֵּ֥שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevH3427between Kadeshקָדֵ֖שׁka.DeshH6946and Shurשׁ֑וּרShurH7793,and sojournedוַיָּ֖גָרvai.Ya.gorH1481in Gerarבִּגְרָֽר׃big.RarH1642.

2And Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֛ם'av.ra.HamH85saidוַיֹּ֧אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559ofאֶל־'el-H413Sarahשָׂרָ֥הsa.RahH8283his wifeאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ'ish.ToH802, She ismy sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי'a.Cho.tiH269:and Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙'a.vi.Me.lekhH40kingמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Gerarגְּרָ֔רge.RarH1642sentוַיִּשְׁלַ֗חvai.yish.LachH7971,and tookוַיִּקַּ֖חvai.yi.KachH3947Sarahשָׂרָֽה׃sa.RahH8283.

3But Godאֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimH430cameוַיָּבֹ֧אvai.ya.Vo'H935to Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40in a dreamבַּחֲל֣וֹםba.cha.LomH2472by nightהַלָּ֑יְלָהha.La.ye.lahH3915,and saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to him, Behold, thou art buta dead manמֵת֙metH4191,for the womanהָאִשָּׁ֣הha.'i.ShahH802which thou hast takenלָקַ֔חְתָּla.Kach.taH3947; for she isa man’sבָּֽעַל׃Ba.'alH1167wifeבְּעֻ֥לַתbe.'U.latH1166.

4But Abimelechוַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְva.'a.vi.Me.lekhH40had not come nearקָרַ֖בka.RavH7126her: and he saidוַיֹּאמַ֕רvai.yo.MarH559,Lordאֲדֹנָ֕י'a.do.NaiH136,wilt thou slayתַּהֲרֹֽג׃ta.ha.RogH2026also a righteousצַדִּ֖יקtza.DikH6662nationהֲג֥וֹיha.GoyH1471?

5Saidאָֽמַר־'a.mar-H559he not unto me, SheH1931ismy sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי'a.Cho.tiH269?and sheH1931,evenגַם־gam-H1571sheH1931herself saidאָֽמְרָ֖ה'a.me.RahH559, He ismy brotherאָחִ֣י'a.ChiH251:in the integrityבְּתָם־be.tom-H8537of my heartלְבָבִ֛יle.va.ViH3824and innocencyוּבְנִקְיֹ֥ןu.ve.nik.YonH5356of my handsכַּפַּ֖יka.PaiH3709have I doneעָשִׂ֥יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213this.

6And Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֜יםha.'E.lo.HimH430saidוַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.MerH559unto him in a dreamבַּחֲלֹ֗םba.cha.LomH2472,YeaH1571,I knowיָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ya.Da'.tiH3045that thou didstעָשִׂ֣יתָ'a.Si.taH6213this in the integrityבְתָם־ve.tom-H8537of thy heartלְבָבְךָ֙le.va.ve.KhaH3824;for I also withheldוָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְva.'ech.SokhH2820thee from sinningמֵחֲטוֹ־me.cha.tov-H2398against me: therefore sufferedנְתַתִּ֖יךָne.ta.Ti.khaH5414I thee not to touchלִנְגֹּ֥עַlin.Go.a'H5060her.

7Now therefore restoreהָשֵׁ֤בha.ShevH7725the manהָאִישׁ֙ha.'IshH376hiswifeאֵֽשֶׁת־'e.shet-H802; for he isa prophetנָבִ֣יאna.Vi'H5030,and he shall prayוְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥לve.yit.pa.LelH6419for theeבַּֽעַדְךָ֖ba.'ad.KhaH1157,and thou shalt liveוֶֽחְיֵ֑הvech.YehH2421:and if thou restoreמֵשִׁ֗יבme.ShivH7725hernot, knowדַּ֚עda'H3045thou that thou shalt surelyמ֣וֹתMotH4191dieתָּמ֔וּתta.MutH4191, thou, and all that are thine.

8Therefore Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40rose earlyוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨םvai.yash.KemH7925in the morningבַּבֹּ֗קֶרba.Bo.kerH1242,and calledוַיִּקְרָא֙vai.yik.Ra'H7121all his servantsעֲבָדָ֔יו'a.va.DavH5650,and toldוַיְדַבֵּ֛רvay.da.BerH1696all these thingsהַדְּבָרִ֥יםha.de.va.RimH1697in their earsבְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑םbe.'a.ze.nei.HemH241:and the menהָאֲנָשִׁ֖יםha.'a.na.ShimH582were soreמְאֹֽד׃me.'OdH3966afraidוַיִּֽירְא֥וּvai.yi.re.'UH3372.

9Then Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40calledוַיִּקְרָ֨אvai.yik.Ra'H7121Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֗םle.'av.ra.HamH85,and saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, What hast thou doneעָשִׂ֤יתָ'a.Si.taH6213unto us? and what have I offendedחָטָ֣אתִיcha.Ta.tiH2398thee, that thou hast broughtהֵבֵ֧אתָhe.Ve.taH935on me and on my kingdomמַמְלַכְתִּ֖יmam.lakh.TiH4467a greatגְדֹלָ֑הge.do.LahH1419sinחֲטָאָ֣הcha.ta.'AhH2401?thou hast doneיֵֽעָשׂ֔וּye.'a.SuH6213deedsמַעֲשִׂים֙ma.'a.SimH4639unto me that ought not to be doneעָשִׂ֖יתָ'a.Si.taH6213.

10And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֑ם'av.ra.HamH85,Whatמָ֣הmahH4100sawest thouרָאִ֔יתָra.'I.taH7200,that thou hast doneעָשִׂ֖יתָ'a.Si.taH6213this thingהַדָּבָ֥רha.da.VarH1697?

11And Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֔ם'av.ra.HamH85saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merH559,Because I thoughtאָמַ֗רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559,Surelyרַ֚קrakH7535the fearיִרְאַ֣תyir.'AtH3374of Godאֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimH430isnot in this placeבַּמָּק֖וֹםba.ma.KomH4725;and they will slay meוַהֲרָג֖וּנִיva.ha.ra.Gu.niH2026for my wife’sאִשְׁתִּֽי׃'ish.TiH802sakeדְּבַ֥רde.VarH1697.

12And yet indeedאָמְנָ֗ה'a.me.NahH546she ismy sisterאֲחֹתִ֤י'a.cho.TiH269; she isthe daughterבַת־vat-H1323of my fatherאָבִי֙'a.ViH1,but not the daughterבַת־vat-H1323of my motherאִמִּ֑י'i.MiH517;and she became my wifeלְאִשָּֽׁה׃le.'i.ShahH802.

13And it came to pass, when Godאֱלֹהִים֮'E.lo.HimH430caused me to wanderהִתְע֣וּhit.'UH8582from my father’sאָבִי֒'a.ViH1houseמִבֵּ֣יתmi.BeitH1004,that I saidוָאֹמַ֣רva.'o.MarH559unto her, This isthy kindnessחַסְדֵּ֔ךְchas.DekhH2617which thou shalt shewתַּעֲשִׂ֖יta.'a.SiH6213unto me; at every placeהַמָּקוֹם֙ha.ma.kOmH4725whither we shall comeנָב֣וֹאna.Vo'H935,sayאִמְרִי־'im.ri-H559of me, He ismy brotherאָחִ֥י'a.ChiH251.

14And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40tookוַיִּקַּ֨חvai.yi.KachH3947sheepצֹ֣אןtzonH6629,and oxenוּבָקָ֗רu.va.KarH1241,and menservantsוַעֲבָדִים֙va.'a.va.DimH5650,and womenservantsוּשְׁפָחֹ֔תu.she.fa.ChotH8198,and gaveוַיִּתֵּ֖ןvai.yi.TenH5414themunto Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֑םle.'av.ra.HamH85,and restoredוַיָּ֣שֶׁבvai.Ya.shevH7725him Sarahשָׂרָ֥הsa.RahH8283his wifeאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃'ish.ToH802.

15And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Behold, my landאַרְצִ֖י'ar.TziH776isbefore theeלְפָנֶ֑יךָle.fa.Nei.khaH6440:dwellשֵֽׁב׃ShevH3427where it pleasethבַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָba.Tov be.'ei.Nei.khaH5869 H2896thee.

16And unto Sarahוּלְשָׂרָ֣הu.le.sa.RahH8283he saidאָמַ֗ר'a.MarH559,Behold, I have givenנָתַ֜תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414thy brotherלְאָחִ֔יךְle.'a.ChikhH251a thousandאֶ֤לֶף'E.lefH505piecesof silverכֶּ֙סֶף֙ke.sefH3701: behold, he isto thee a coveringכְּס֣וּתke.SutH3682of the eyesעֵינַ֔יִם'ei.Na.yimH5869, unto all that are with thee, and with all other:thus she was reprovedוְנֹכָֽחַת׃ve.no.Kha.chatH3198.

17So Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֖ם'av.ra.HamH85prayedוַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥לvai.yit.pa.LelH6419unto Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430:and Godאֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimH430healedוַיִּרְפָּ֨אvai.yir.Pa'H7495Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֧לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40,and his wifeאִשְׁתּ֛וֹ'ish.ToH802,and his maidservantsוְאַמְהֹתָ֖יוve.'am.ho.TavH519;and they bareוַיֵּלֵֽדוּ׃vai.ye.Le.duH3205children.

18For Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068had fastעָצֹ֤ר'a.TzorH6113closed upעָצַר֙'a.TzarH6113all the wombsרֶ֖חֶםRe.chemH7358of the houseלְבֵ֣יתle.VeitH1004of Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhH40,becauseדְּבַ֥רde.VarH1697of Sarahשָׂרָ֖הsa.RahH8283Abraham’sאַבְרָהָֽם׃ ס'av.ra.HamH85wifeאֵ֥שֶׁת'E.shetH802.

Commentaries on Genesis 20