Genesis 20

1. And Abraham moved from there toward the south country, and lived between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

2. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are about to die because of the woman whom you have taken—for she is a man’s wife.”

4. But Abimelech had not come near her. And he said, “LORD, will You also kill a righteous nation?

5. Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister?’ And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the sincerity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

6. And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the sincerity of your heart; for I also withheld you from sinning against Me. Therefore I did not allow you to touch her.

7. Now therefore, restore his wife to the man; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shall live. And if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours.”

8. And Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears. And the men were greatly afraid.

9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? In what have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.”

10. And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you foresee that has caused you to do this thing?”

11. And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me for my wife’s sake.

12. And yet truly she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife.

13. And it came to pass when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you should show to me, at every place where we shall go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”

14. And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men servants and women servants, and gave them to Abraham. And he restored to him Sarah his wife.

15. And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Live where it pleases you.”

16. And to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is to you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you—and with all men you are made right.”

17. And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, and they gave birth,

18. For the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.