1 N ow Abraham journeyed from there toward the South country (the Negeb) and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he lived temporarily in Gerar.

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

3 B ut God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.

4 B ut Abimelech had not come near her, so he said, Lord, will you slay a people who are just and innocent?

5 D id not the man tell me, She is my sister? And she herself said, He is my brother. In integrity of heart and innocency of hands I have done this.

6 T hen God said to him in the dream, Yes, I know you did this in the integrity of your heart, for it was I Who kept you back and spared you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not give you occasion to touch her.

7 S o now restore to the man his wife, for he 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 S o Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were exceedingly filled with reverence and fear.

9 T hen Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, What have you done to us? And how have I offended you that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me what ought not to be done.

10 A nd Abimelech said to Abraham, What did you see that you in doing such a thing as this?

11 A nd Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely there is no reverence or fear of God at all in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife.

12 B ut truly, she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father but not of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 W hen God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, This kindness you can show me: at every place we stop, say of me, He is my brother.

14 T hen Abimelech took sheep and oxen and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham and restored to him Sarah his wife.

15 A nd Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before you; dwell wherever it pleases you.

16 A nd to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given this brother of yours a thousand pieces of silver; see, it is to compensate you and to vindicate your honor before all who are with you; before all men you are cleared and compensated.

17 S o Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female slaves, and they bore children,

18 F or the Lord had closed fast the wombs of all in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.