BOOK OF GENESIS
CHAPTER 20
Abraham sojourned in Gerara:
Sara is taken into king Abimelech's house,
but by God's commandment is restored untouched.
[1] Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cades and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
[2] And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Gerara sent, and took her.
[3]
And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and he said to him: Lo
thou shalt die for the woman thou hast taken: for she hath a husband.
[4] Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said: Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and just?
[5]
Did not he say to me: She is my sister: and she say, He is my brother?
in the simplicity of my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done
this.
[6]
And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere
heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I
suffered thee not to touch her.
[7]
Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet: and he
shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not restore
her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.
[8]
And Abimelech forthwith rising up in the night, called all his
servants: and spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men
were exceedingly afraid.
[9]
And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou
done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon
me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou
oughtest not to do.
[10] And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?
[11]
Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not
the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my
wife:
[12]
Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my
father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.
[13]
And after God brought me out of my father' s house, I said to her: Thou
shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou
shalt say that I am thy brother.
[14] And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.
[15] And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.
[16]
And to Sara he said: Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces
of silver: this shall serve thee for a covering of thy eyes to all that
are with thee, and whithersoever thou shalt go: and remember thou wast
taken.
[17] And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children:
[18] For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech on account of Sara, Abraham' s wife.