Genesis Chapter 20

Abraham and Abimelech

¹ Abraham moved toward the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur, living for a while in Gerar. ² He said of Sarah, “She’s my sister”; so Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took her. ³ But God came to him in a dream at night, “You’re a dead man. The woman you’ve taken is married.”

⁴ Abimelech hadn’t come near her, and he said,

“Lord, will you kill a blameless nation? ⁵ Didn’t he say she was his sister, and she say he was her brother? I’ve done this in integrity and innocence.”

⁶ God said to him in the dream,

“I know. I’ve kept you from sinning against me and didn’t let you touch her. ⁷ Give the man his wife. He’s a prophet; he’ll pray for you, and you’ll live. If you don’t, you can be sure you and everybody you have will die.”         Gen 20:1-7               

⁸ Abimelech got up early and called his officials and told them. They were really afraid. ⁹ He called Abraham,

“What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you brought a serious sin on me and my kingdom? That shouldn’t be done. ¹⁰ What made you do it?” 

¹¹ “I thought, there’s no respect for God here. They’ll kill me for my wife. ¹² Besides, she really is my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s. ¹³ When God had me wander from my father’s family, I told her to show me kindness wherever we went by saying I was her brother.”                                                                                   

Gen 20:8-13

¹⁴ Abimelech gave Abraham sheep, cattle, male and female servants, and gave Sarah back to him. ¹⁵ He said, “My land is open to you. Settle anywhere you like.” ¹⁶ He told Sarah, “I’ve given your brother 1,000 pieces of silver to exonerate you to everybody with you and anywhere else.

¹⁷ Abraham prayed and God restored Abimelech, his wife, and maids so they could have children again. ¹⁸ The LORD had closed the wombs in his household because of Sarah.

Gen 20:14-18