Abraham again says Sarah is his sister, and King Abimelech takes her. God warns Abimelech in a dream, and he returns Sarah unharmed. Abraham prays for Abimelech's household.
1 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 is my sister : and Abimelech king of Gerar sent , and took Sarah .
3 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 had not come near her: and he said , Lord , wilt thou slay also a righteous nation ?
5 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 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 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 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 , 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 unto Abraham , What sawest thou , that thou hast done this thing ?
11 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 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 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 oxen , and menservants , and womenservants , and gave them unto Abraham , and restored him Sarah his wife .
15 And Abimelech said , Behold, my land is before thee : dwell where it pleaseth thee.
16 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 unto God : and God healed Abimelech , and his wife , and his maidservants ; and they bare children.
18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech , because of Sarah Abraham's wife .