THE FIRST BOOK OF
MOSES,
called
G E N E S I S
Genesis 20 ©
Abraham removes to Gerar, and says that Sarah is his sister, vs. 1. Which causes Abimelech to fetch her away to marry her, 2. But God hinders him by plagues, and warning in a dream, 3. Whereupon he restores her back to Abraham, with extraordinary civility and presents, 9. Abimelech and his, are cured again, through the intercession of Abraham, 17.
AND Abraham journeyed 1from thence 2toward the south country, and dwelled between 3Kadesh and 4Shur, and sojourned in 5Gerar.
And Abraham 6said of Sarah his wife, Sheais my sister: and 7Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech 8in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, 9thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
But Abimelech had not 10come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a 11righteous 12nation?
Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: 13in the integrity of my heart and innocency of 14my hands have I done this.
And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that 15thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee 16from sinning against me: therefore 17suffered I thee not to touch her.
Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is 18a prophet, and 19he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and 20all that are thine.
Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his 21servants, and told all these 22things 23in their ears: and the men 24were sore afraid.
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom 25a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me 26that ought not to be done.
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, 27What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
And Abraham said, Because 28I thought, 29Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my 30wife’s sake.
And yet indeed she is my sister; 31she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
And it came to pass, when 32God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at 33every place whither we shall come, sayb of me, He is my brother.
34And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is 35before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given 36thy brother a 37thousand pieces of silver:c behold, he is to 38thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with 39all other: 40thus she was reproved.
¶So 41Abraham prayed unto God: and God 42healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; 43and they bare children.
For the LORD had 44fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, 45because of Sarah Abraham's wife.