20
1 Abraham [Father of a multitude] traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar. 2 Abraham [Father of a multitude] said about Sarah [Princess] his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech [My father king] king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah [Princess]. 3 But God came to Abimelech [My father king] in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man’s wife.”
4 Now Abimelech [My father king] had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a upright nation? 5 Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this.”
6 God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning ·deviating (from the standard goal)· against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”
8 Abimelech [My father king] rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9 Then Abimelech [My father king] called Abraham [Father of a multitude], and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I committed crime deserving peanlty, sin ·missing the goal· against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great cause for sacrifice for sin ·missing the goal·? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10 Abimelech [My father king] said to Abraham [Father of a multitude], “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”
11 Abraham [Father of a multitude] said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your chesed ·loving-kindness· which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”
14 Abimelech [My father king] took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham [Father of a multitude], and restored Sarah [Princess], his wife, to him. 15 Abimelech [My father king] said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16 To Sarah [Princess] he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”
17 Abraham [Father of a multitude] prayed to God. God healed Abimelech [My father king], and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children. 18 For Adonai had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech [My father king], because of Sarah [Princess], Abraham [Father of a multitude]’s wife.