Abraham and Sarah at Gerar
1Abraham journeyed from there toward the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. He lived for a time in Gerar. 2There Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken — she is another man’s wife.” 4Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, would you kill a nation, even one that is innocent? 5Did he not himself tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she too said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” 6God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience. That is why I myself kept you from sinning against me — I did not let you touch her. 7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die — you and everyone who belongs to you.” 8Abimelech rose early the next morning, called all his servants, and told them everything that had happened. The men were terrified. 9Then Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What wrong did I do you, that you have brought such guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking, that you did this?” 11Abraham said, “I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me for my wife’s sake. 12And besides, she really is my sister — my father’s daughter, though not my mother’s — and she became my wife. 13When God made me wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you can show me: wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother.’” 14Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15Abimelech said, “My land lies before you. Settle wherever you like.” 16To Sarah he said, “I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Let it serve you as a covering of the eyes before all who are with you. You are cleared of everything.” 17Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could bear children again. 18For Yahweh had completely closed every womb in the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
