20:1 Abraham1 journeyed from there to the land of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur; he stayed2 in Gerar. 20:2 And Abraham said on occasion3 about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.
20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night, and said to him, “You are about to die4 because of the woman whom you have taken; she is a man’s wife.”5
20:4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. He6 said, “Lord, will you also slay a righteous nation?7 20:5 Did he not say to me, `She is my sister’? And she—even she said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity8 of my heart and with innocent hands I have done this.”
20:6 Then God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and so I have also kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not permit9 you to touch her. 20:7 But now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet10 and he will pray for you that you might live.11 But if you do not return her12 know that you will surely die,13 along with everything that belongs to you.”
20:8 Early in the morning14 Abimelech summoned15 all his servants, and when16 he told all these things in their hearing,17 the men were very afraid. 20:9 And Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought18 on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that should not be done.”19 20:10 And Abimelech asked20 Abraham, “What did you see21 that you did this thing?”
20:11 So Abraham said, “Because I thought,22 `Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me because of23 my wife.’ 20:12 But24 in fact she is my sister, the daughter of my father, only not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 20:13 And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said25 to her, “This is the kindness26 that you can show27 me: Every place where we go say of me, ‘He is my brother”’.”
20:14 Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female servants and gave them to Abraham. And he returned Sarah his wife to him. 20:15 And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.”28
20:16 And to Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother.29 This is for you for compensation30 for all who are with you, that you are vindicated.
20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his slave girls, and they were able to have children;31 for the LORD had completely closed32 up every womb in the household of Abimelech, over the matter of Sarah, the wife of Abraham.