Gen 20 | NASB1995 | STEP | Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev , and settled between Kadesh and Shur ; then he sojourned in Gerar .

Genesis 20

Abraham’s Treachery

1 Now Abraham journeyed from ^athere toward the land of ^bthe ^{▼▼ I.e. South country}Negev, and ^{▼▼ Lit dwelt}settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in ^eGerar. 2 Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ^f“She is my sister.” So ^gAbimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 ^hBut God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, ⁱyou are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is ^{▼▼ Lit married to a husband}married.” 4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, ^kwill You slay a nation, even though ^{▼▼ Lit righteous}blameless? 5 “Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she ^mherself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In ⁿthe integrity of my heart and the innocence of my ^{▼▼ Lit palms}hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also ^{▼▼ Lit restrained
,} ^qkept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for ^rhe is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

8 So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly frightened. 9 ^sThen Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And ^{▼▼ Lit what}how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom ^ua great sin? You have done to me ^{▼▼ Lit deeds}things that ought not to be done.” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you ^{▼▼ Lit seen}encountered, that you have done this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no ^xfear of God in this place, and ^ythey will kill me because of my wife. 12 “Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife; 13 and it came about, when ^zGod caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is ^{▼▼ Lit your}the kindness which you will show to me: ^{▼▼ Lit at every place where}everywhere we go, ^acsay of me, “He is my brother.”’” 14 ^adAbimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. 15 Abimelech said, ^ae“Behold, my land is before you; ^{▼▼ Lit dwell}settle wherever ^{▼▼ Lit it is good in your sight}you please.” 16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your ^ahbrother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is ^{▼▼ Lit for you a covering of the eyes}your vindication before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.” 17 ^ajAbraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. 18 ^akFor the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.