Genesis 20
1 Abraham moved from there to the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
2 Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night and said to him, “You are going to die because of the woman you took, for she has a husband.”
4 Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill a nation even though it is innocent?
5 Didn’t he himself tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she too said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this with an honest heart and clean hands.”
6 God said to him in the dream, “I know that you did this with an honest heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
7 Now return the man’s wife, because he is a prophet and will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know for certain that you will die—you and all who belong to you.”
8 Abimelech got up early in the morning, called all his servants, and told them everything that had happened. The men were very afraid.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”
10 Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What did you see that made you do such a thing?”
11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
12 Besides, she really is my sister, my father’s daughter but not my mother’s daughter, and she became my wife.
13 When God made me wander far from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: wherever we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham. He also returned Sarah his wife to him.
15 Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother. This is a covering for your eyes, in the sight of everyone with you; and before everyone, you are vindicated.”
17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they were able to have children again.
18 For the LORD had completely closed every womb in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
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