1 And Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. And he lived as a foreigner in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Avimelekh king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Avimelekh in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Look, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, because she is a man’s wife.”
4 Now Avimelekh had not come near her. And he said, “My Master, will You kill even a righteous nation? 5 Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
6 And God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and so I also withheld you from sinning against Me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife (indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you) and you will live. But if you don’t restore her, know that you will die, yes, die—you and all who are yours!”
8 Now Avimelekh rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears. And the men were very scared. 9 And Avimelekh called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10 And Avimelekh said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”
11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely there is no awe for God in this place. And they will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12 And also she really is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it was, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kind favor which you shall do for me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Now Avimelekh took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him. 15 And Avimelekh said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle where it pleases you.” 16 And To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. Look, it is a covering of the eyes for you to all who are with you. And in front of all you are vindicated.”
17 And Abraham prayed to God and God healed Avimelekh, and his wife, and his female slaves, and they had children. 18 For Yehovah had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Avimelekh over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.