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Genesis 20
1 Abraham left there for the land of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur, staying for the time being at Gerar.
2 Of his wife Sarah, Abraham said, ‘She is my sister’, and Abimelech the king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
3 But God visited Abimelech in a dream at night. ‘You are to die’ he told him ‘because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.’
4 Abimelech however had not gone near her; so he said, ‘My Lord, would you kill innocent people too?
5 Did he not tell me himself, “She is my sister”, and did not she herself say, “He is my brother”? I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands.’
6 ‘Yes I know’ God replied in the, dream ‘that you did this with a clear conscience, and it was I who prevented you from sinning against me. That was why I did not let you touch her.
7 Now send the man’s wife back; for he is a prophet and can intercede on your behalf for your life. But understand that if you do not send her back, you will most surely die, and all your people too.’
8 So Abimelech rose early next morning and summoning all his servants told them the whole story, at which the men were very much afraid.
9 Then summoning Abraham Abimelech said to him, ‘What have you done to us? What wrong have I done you that you bring so great a sin on me and on my kingdom? You have treated me as you should not have done.’
10 And Abimelech asked Abraham, ‘What possessed you to do this?’
11 ‘Because’ Abraham replied ‘I thought there would be no fear of God here; and the people would kill me because of my wife.
12 ‘Besides, she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter though not my mother’s; and she became my wife.
13 So when God made me wander far from my father’s home I said to her, “There is a kindness you can do me: everywhere we go, say of me that I am your brother”.’
14 Abimelech took sheep, cattle, men and women slaves, and presented them to Abraham, and gave him back his wife Sarah.
15 And Abimelech said, ‘See, my land lies before you. Settle wherever you please.’
16 To Sarah he said, ‘Look, I am giving one thousand pieces of silver to your brother. For you this will be compensation in the eyes of all those with you…’
17 At Abraham’s prayer God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave-girls, so that they could have children,
18 for Yahweh had made all the women of Abimelech’s household barren on account of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.