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Genesis 20

And Abraham moved on from there into the south country, and settled between Kadesh and Shur, and stopped a while in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife: She's my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said: You're a dead man over the woman you've taken. She's anothe

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Abimelek and Sarah

And Abraham moved on from there into the south country, and settled between Kadesh and Shur, and stopped a while in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife: She's my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said: You're a dead man over the woman you've taken. She's another man's wife. But Abimelech hadn't gone near her. And he said: Lord, are you going to kill a nation that's done nothing wrong? Didn't he tell me himself she was his sister? And she said it too — he's my brother. I did this with a clear heart and clean hands. And God said to him in the dream: I know you did it with a clear heart. That's why I held you back from sinning against me, and didn't let you touch her. So 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 hand her back, you can take it you're a dead man, you and everyone that's yours. So Abimelech got up early, called all his servants, and told them everything that had happened. And the men were greatly afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said: What have you done to us? What have I ever done to you, that you'd bring this on me and my kingdom? You've done things to me that aren't done. And Abimelech said to Abraham: What did you have in mind, that you did such a thing? And Abraham said: Because I reckoned there'd be no fear of God in this place, and they'd kill me over my wife. And she is my sister, as it happens — my father's daughter, but not my mother's. And she became my wife. And when God had me wandering from my father's house, I said to her: Do me this kindness — everywhere we go, say I'm your brother. And Abimelech took sheep and cattle and servants and maids and gave them to Abraham, and handed Sarah his wife back to him. And Abimelech said: My country's in front of you. Settle wherever suits you. And to Sarah he said: Look — I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. That squares you up in front of everyone with you, and everyone else. And that was that. So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, and they had children again. Because the Lord had shut every womb in Abimelech's house tight, over Sarah, Abraham's wife.

And Abraham travelled from there towards the south country and lived between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. And Abraham said about Sarah his wife: She's my sister. And Abimelek king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelek in a dream at night and said to him: Look — you're a dead man, because of the woman you've taken. Because she's a man's wife. But Abimelek hadn't come near her. And he said: Lord, will you kill a righteous nation too? Didn't he say to me, She's my sister? And she, even she herself said: He's my brother. In the straightness of my heart and the innocence of my hands I've done this. And God said to him in a dream: Yes, I know you did this in the straightness of your heart. Because I held you back too from sinning against me. That's why I didn't let you touch her. So give the man his wife back now. Because he's a prophet, and he'll pray for you, and you'll live. And if you don't give her back, know that you'll die for sure, you and everything that's yours. So Abimelek got up early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their ears. And the men were very frightened. Then Abimelek called Abraham and said to him: What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you've brought a great sin on me and on my kingdom? You've done things to me that shouldn't be done. And Abimelek said to Abraham: What did you see, that you've done this thing? And Abraham said: Because I thought, There's no fear of God in this place at all, and they'll kill me for my wife's sake. And she really is my sister too. She's the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother. And she turned into my wife. And when God made me wander from my father's house, I said to her: This is the kindness you'll show me. In every place we come to, say about me: He's my brother. And Abimelek took sheep and oxen and servants and servant women, and gave them to Abraham, and gave him back Sarah his wife. And Abimelek said: Look — my land is in front of you. Live where it pleases you. And to Sarah he said: Look — I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Look — he's a covering of the eyes to you, to everyone with you and with everyone else. So she was put right. So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek and his wife and his servant women, and they had children. Because the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelek, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

1

And Abraham moved on from there into the south country, and settled between Kadesh and Shur, and stopped a while in Gerar.

Plain English

And Abraham travelled from there towards the south country and lived between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

King James Version, 1611

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife: She's my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

Plain English

And Abraham said about Sarah his wife: She's my sister. And Abimelek king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

King James Version, 1611

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3

But God came to Abimelech in a dream at night and said: You're a dead man over the woman you've taken. She's another man's wife.

Plain English

But God came to Abimelek in a dream at night and said to him: Look — you're a dead man, because of the woman you've taken. Because she's a man's wife.

King James Version, 1611

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

4

But Abimelech hadn't gone near her. And he said: Lord, are you going to kill a nation that's done nothing wrong?

Plain English

But Abimelek hadn't come near her. And he said: Lord, will you kill a righteous nation too?

King James Version, 1611

But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

5

Didn't he tell me himself she was his sister? And she said it too — he's my brother. I did this with a clear heart and clean hands.

Plain English

Didn't he say to me, She's my sister? And she, even she herself said: He's my brother. In the straightness of my heart and the innocence of my hands I've done this.

King James Version, 1611

Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

6

And God said to him in the dream: I know you did it with a clear heart. That's why I held you back from sinning against me, and didn't let you touch her.

Plain English

And God said to him in a dream: Yes, I know you did this in the straightness of your heart. Because I held you back too from sinning against me. That's why I didn't let you touch her.

King James Version, 1611

And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7

So 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 hand her back, you can take it you're a dead man, you and everyone that's yours.

Plain English

So give the man his wife back now. Because he's a prophet, and he'll pray for you, and you'll live. And if you don't give her back, know that you'll die for sure, you and everything that's yours.

King James Version, 1611

Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

8

So Abimelech got up early, called all his servants, and told them everything that had happened. And the men were greatly afraid.

Plain English

So Abimelek got up early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their ears. And the men were very frightened.

King James Version, 1611

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

9

Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said: What have you done to us? What have I ever done to you, that you'd bring this on me and my kingdom? You've done things to me that aren't done.

Plain English

Then Abimelek called Abraham and said to him: What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you've brought a great sin on me and on my kingdom? You've done things to me that shouldn't be done.

King James Version, 1611

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10

And Abimelech said to Abraham: What did you have in mind, that you did such a thing?

Plain English

And Abimelek said to Abraham: What did you see, that you've done this thing?

King James Version, 1611

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11

And Abraham said: Because I reckoned there'd be no fear of God in this place, and they'd kill me over my wife.

Plain English

And Abraham said: Because I thought, There's no fear of God in this place at all, and they'll kill me for my wife's sake.

King James Version, 1611

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

12

And she is my sister, as it happens — my father's daughter, but not my mother's. And she became my wife.

Plain English

And she really is my sister too. She's the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother. And she turned into my wife.

King James Version, 1611

And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13

And when God had me wandering from my father's house, I said to her: Do me this kindness — everywhere we go, say I'm your brother.

Plain English

And when God made me wander from my father's house, I said to her: This is the kindness you'll show me. In every place we come to, say about me: He's my brother.

King James Version, 1611

And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

14

And Abimelech took sheep and cattle and servants and maids and gave them to Abraham, and handed Sarah his wife back to him.

Plain English

And Abimelek took sheep and oxen and servants and servant women, and gave them to Abraham, and gave him back Sarah his wife.

King James Version, 1611

And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15

And Abimelech said: My country's in front of you. Settle wherever suits you.

Plain English

And Abimelek said: Look — my land is in front of you. Live where it pleases you.

King James Version, 1611

And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16

And to Sarah he said: Look — I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. That squares you up in front of everyone with you, and everyone else. And that was that.

Plain English

And to Sarah he said: Look — I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Look — he's a covering of the eyes to you, to everyone with you and with everyone else. So she was put right.

King James Version, 1611

And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

17

So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, and they had children again.

Plain English

So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek and his wife and his servant women, and they had children.

King James Version, 1611

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

18

Because the Lord had shut every womb in Abimelech's house tight, over Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Plain English

Because the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelek, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

King James Version, 1611

For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.