1And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar.

2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; and Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou shalt die for the sake of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

4But Abimelech had not come near to her; and he said, Lord, wilt thou then slay also a righteous nation?

5Said 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 the innocency of my hands have I done this.

6And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I also well know that thou hast done this in the integrity of thy heart; therefore did I also withhold thee from sinning against me; for this cause I suffered thee not to touch her.

7And now restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for thee, that thou mayest live; and if thou restore her not, know thou, that thou shalt surety die, thou and all that are thine.

8And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly afraid.

9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and in what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? deeds that ought not to be done thou hast done unto me.

10And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou didst this thing?

11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will slay me for the sake of my wife.

12And yet indeed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13And 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 show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

14And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored to him Sarah his wife.

15And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it is pleasing in thy eyes.

16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, this is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee; and with all others thou canst thus justify thyself.

17And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, so that they could bear children.

18For the Lord had fast closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.