Genesis 20

20 ¹ Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur, and he stayed in Gerar as a foreigner. ² There Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for her and took her.

³ But our Father came to Abimelech in a dream that night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman."

⁴ Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, "Sovereign Father, will you destroy a nation even though it is innocent?" ⁵ "Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself also said, 'He is my brother.' I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands."

⁶ Then our Father said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her." ⁷ "Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die, you and all who belong to you."

⁸ So Abimelech rose early the next morning and summoned all his servants, and when he told them everything that had happened, the men were terrified. ⁹ Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I wronged you, that you have brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done." ¹⁰ Abimelech also said to Abraham, "What did you have in mind, that you did such a thing?"

¹¹ Abraham replied, "I thought to myself, surely there is no fear of our Father in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. ¹² Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. ¹³ And when our Father had me wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must show me: wherever we go, say about me, He is my brother.'"

¹⁴ So Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female servants and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. ¹⁵ Abimelech said, "My land is open to you; settle wherever you please." ¹⁶ And to Sarah he said, "Look, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. This is to cover the wrong done to you in the eyes of all who are with you; before everyone you are fully cleared."

¹⁷ Then Abraham prayed to our Father, and he healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so that they could bear children again, ¹⁸ for our Father had completely closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.