Genesis 20

Evangelical Heritage Version

Abraham and Abimelek

20 Abraham traveled from there toward the Negev, and he lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a resident alien in Gerar. ² About his wife Sarah Abraham said, “She is my sister.” Abimelek king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. ³ But God came to Abimelek in a dream during the night and said to him, “Listen to me! You are a dead man because of the woman you have taken, because she has a husband.”

⁴ Now Abimelek had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? ⁵ Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? Even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a sincere heart and innocent hands.”

⁶ God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a sincere heart, so I also prevented you from sinning against me. That is why I did not allow you to touch her. ⁷ Now therefore, return the man’s wife. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you do not return her, know for sure that you will die, you along with all who are yours.”

⁸ Abimelek rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told them all these things. The men were terrified. ⁹ Then Abimelek summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought this great sin on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!” ¹⁰ Abimelek said to Abraham, “What did you see in us that made you do this?”

¹¹ Abraham said, “I did it because I said to myself, ‘Surely they do not fear God in this place. They will kill me to get my wife.’ ¹² Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. ¹³ When God had me migrate from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness that you shall show to me: Everywhere that we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”

¹⁴ Abimelek took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and he gave them to Abraham. He also returned Sarah, his wife, to him. ¹⁵ Abimelek said, “Look, my land is in front of you. Dwell wherever it pleases you.” ¹⁶ To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces^[a] of silver. You see, it covers any offense in the eyes of everyone who is with you. In front of all of them you are vindicated.”

¹⁷ Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelek and his wife and his female servants, so that they were able to bear children. ¹⁸ For the Lord had closed up tight all the wombs of the household of Abimelek over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.