1 A nd Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

2 N ow 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 to him, “Indeed 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; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?

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

6 A nd God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.

7 N ow therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall 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, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid.

9 A nd Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.”

10 T hen Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”

11 A nd 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.

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

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

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

15 A nd Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”

16 T hen to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked.

17 S o Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;

18 f or the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.