Genesis 20

Modern

Literal

Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech

¹Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

¹And Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev, and he dwelt between Kadesh and between Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar.

²Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

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

³One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

³And God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken—and she is married to a husband.”

⁴Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?

⁴And Abimelech has not come near her, and he said, “Lord, will You slay even a righteous nation?

⁵Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”

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

⁶Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

⁶And God said to him in the dream, “Indeed, I myself knew that you did this in the integrity of your heart, and I withheld you, indeed I, from sinning against Me; upon thus I did not let you touch her.

⁷Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”

⁷And now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet. And he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die—you and all that is yours.”

⁸Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.

⁸And Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants, and he told all these words in their ears; and the men were exceedingly afraid.

⁹Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”

⁹And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? Deeds that are not to be done, you have done to me.”

¹⁰Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

¹⁰And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”

¹¹Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’

¹¹And Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me on account of my wife.’

¹²Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.

¹²And indeed she is also my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife.

¹³So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

¹³And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from the house of my father, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: In every place where we go there, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

¹⁴So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.

¹⁴And Abimelech took flock, and cattle, and menservants, and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham, and he returned to him Sarah his wife.

¹⁵And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”

¹⁵And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell wherever is good in your eyes.”

¹⁶And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver.^a It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”

¹⁶And to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother; behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes, to all who are with you, and before all you are vindicated.”

¹⁷Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

¹⁷And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they bore children.

¹⁸for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.

¹⁸For YHWH had completely closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah the wife of Abraham.