1 Afterward Abraham departed thence toward the South countrey and dwelled betweene Cadesh and Shur, and soiourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. Then Abimelech King of Gerar sent and tooke Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night, and said to him, Beholde, thou art but dead, because of the woman, which thou hast taken: for she is a mans wife. 4 (Notwithstanding Abimelech had not yet come neere her) And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay euen the righteous nation? 5 Said not he vnto me, She is my sister? yea, and she her selfe said, He is my brother: with an vpright minde, and innocent handes haue I done this. 6 And God saide vnto him by a dreame, I knowe that thou diddest this euen with an vpright minde, and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touche her. 7 Now then deliuer the man his wife againe: for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest liue: but if thou deliuer her not againe, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast. 8 Then Abimelech rising vp early in ye morning, called all his seruants, and tolde all these things vnto them, and the men were sore afraid. 9 Afterward Abimelech called Abraham, and said vnto him, What hast thou done vnto vs? and what haue I offeded thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdome this great sinne? thou hast done things vnto me that ought not to be done. 10 So Abimelech said vnto Abraham, What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing? 11 Then Abraham answered, Because I thought thus, Surely the feare of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wiues sake. 12 Yet in very deede she is my sister: for she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she is my wife. 13 Nowe when God caused me to wander out of my fathers house, I said then to her, This is thy kindnes that thou shalt shewe vnto me in all places where we come, Say thou of me, He is my brother. 14 Then tooke Abimelech sheepe and beeues, and men seruants, and women seruants, and gaue them vnto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 15 And Abimelech saide, Beholde, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. 16 Likewise to Sarah he said, Beholde, I haue giuen thy brother a thousand pieces of siluer: behold, he is the vaile of thine eyes to all that are with thee, and to all others: and she was thus reproued. 17 Then Abraham prayed vnto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women seruants: and they bare children. 18 For the Lord had shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abrahams wife.
Abraham and Abimelech
1 Abraham moved from Mamre to the southern part of Canaan and lived between Kadesh and Shur. Later, while he was living in Gerar, 2 he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. 3 One night God appeared to him in a dream and said, “You are going to die, because you have taken this woman; she is already married.”
4 But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, “Lord, I am innocent! Would you destroy me and my people? 5 Abraham himself said that she was his sister, and she said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience, and I have done no wrong.”
6 God replied in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did it with a clear conscience; so I kept you from sinning against me and did not let you touch her. 7 But now, give the woman back to her husband. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will not die. But if you do not give her back, I warn you that you are going to die, you and all your people.”
8 Early the next morning Abimelech called all his officials and told them what had happened, and they were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? What wrong have I done to you to make you bring this disaster on me and my kingdom? No one should ever do what you have done to me. 10 Why did you do it?”
11 Abraham answered, “I thought that there would be no one here who has reverence for God and that they would kill me to get my wife. 12 She really is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not of my mother, and I married her. 13 So when God sent me from my father's house into foreign lands, I said to her, ‘You can show how loyal you are to me by telling everyone that I am your brother.’”
14 Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and at the same time he gave him sheep, cattle, and slaves. 15 He said to Abraham, “Here is my whole land; live anywhere you like.” 16 He said to Sarah, “I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver as proof to all who are with you that you are innocent; everyone will know that you have done no wrong.”
17-18 Because of what had happened to Sarah, Abraham's wife, the Lord had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelech's palace to have children. So Abraham prayed for Abimelech, and God healed him. He also healed his wife and his slave women, so that they could have children.