Genesis 20

1From there Abraham journeyed toward the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur; he sojourned in Gerar.

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

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.”

4Abimelech had not come near her, so he said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?”

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

6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, and I also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.”

7Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die—you and all who are yours.

8So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and spoke all these things in their hearing, and the men were very afraid.

9Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought a great sin on me and on my kingdom? You have done to me things that should not be done.”

10Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?”

11And Abraham said, “Because I said, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’”

12Besides, she really is my sister—the daughter of my father, though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.

13And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must show me: at every place we come to, say of me, “He is my brother.”’

14Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he returned Sarah his wife to him.

15And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; settle wherever seems good in your eyes.”

16And to Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother. Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.”

17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they gave birth.

18For Yahweh had completely closed every womb in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.