She's my sister
Abraham moved on from there into the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. And he stayed a while in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She's my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
Abraham moved on from there into the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. And he stayed a while in Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She's my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
The dream
But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You're as good as dead because of the woman you've taken. She's a married woman.” Now Abimelech hadn't gone near her, and he said, “Lord, would You destroy an innocent nation? Didn't he say to me, ‘She's my sister’? And she said, ‘He's my brother.’ I've done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” And God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and I kept you from sinning against me. That's why I didn't let you touch her. Now give the man his wife back. He's a prophet, and he'll pray for you and you'll live. But if you don't give her back, you can be sure you'll die — you and everyone who's yours.”
But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You're as good as dead because of the woman you've taken. She's a married woman.”
Now Abimelech hadn't gone near her, and he said, “Lord, would You destroy an innocent nation?
Didn't he say to me, ‘She's my sister’? And she said, ‘He's my brother.’ I've done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
And God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and I kept you from sinning against me. That's why I didn't let you touch her.
Now give the man his wife back. He's a prophet, and he'll pray for you and you'll live. But if you don't give her back, you can be sure you'll die — you and everyone who's yours.”
What were you thinking
Early next morning Abimelech called all his officials together, and when he told them everything, they were very frightened. Then Abimelech called Abraham in. “What have you done to us? What did I do to you, that you'd bring such a great sin on me and my kingdom? You've done things to me that shouldn't be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, doing this?” And Abraham said, “I thought there'd be no fear of God in this place at all, and they'd kill me because of my wife. Besides, she really is my sister — my father's daughter, though not my mother's — and she became my wife. And when God had me wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: everywhere we go, say of me, He's my brother.’”
Early next morning Abimelech called all his officials together, and when he told them everything, they were very frightened.
Then Abimelech called Abraham in. “What have you done to us? What did I do to you, that you'd bring such a great sin on me and my kingdom? You've done things to me that shouldn't be done.”
And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, doing this?”
And Abraham said, “I thought there'd be no fear of God in this place at all, and they'd kill me because of my wife.
Besides, she really is my sister — my father's daughter, though not my mother's — and she became my wife.
And when God had me wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: everywhere we go, say of me, He's my brother.’”
Cleared
Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female servants and gave them to Abraham, and he gave him back Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, “My land is in front of you. Settle wherever you like.” And to Sarah he said, “I'm giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. That covers the offence against you in front of everyone with you. You're completely cleared.” Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female servants so they could have children again, because the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female servants and gave them to Abraham, and he gave him back Sarah his wife.
And Abimelech said, “My land is in front of you. Settle wherever you like.”
And to Sarah he said, “I'm giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. That covers the offence against you in front of everyone with you. You're completely cleared.”
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his female servants so they could have children again,
because the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.