Genesis 20 - Introduction

1 Abraham soiourneth at Gerar,

2 denieth his wife, and loseth her.

3 Abimelech is reproued for her in a dreame.

9 He rebuketh Abraham,

14 restoreth Sarah,

16 and reprooueth her.

17 Hee is healed by Abrahams prayer.

1 And Abraham iourneyed from thence, toward the South-Countrey, and dwelled betweene Cadesh and Shur, and soiourned in Gerar.

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: And Abimelech King of Gerar sent, and tooke Sarah.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken: for shee is [Note: Hebrew: married to an husband.] a mans wife.

[Abraham in Gerar.]

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

5 Said he not vnto me, She is my sister? and she, euen she herselfe said, Hee is my brother: in the [Note: Or, simplicitie or sinceritie.] integritie of my heart, and innocencie of my hands haue I done this.

6 And God saide vnto him in a dreame, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integritie of thy heart: for I also withheld thee from sinning against mee, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife: for he is a Prophet, and he shal pray for thee, and thou shalt liue: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

8 Therefore Abimelech rose earely in the morning, and called all his seruants, and told all these things in their eares: and the men were sore afraid.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said vnto him, What hast thou done vnto vs? and what haue I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me, and on my kingdome a great sinne? thou hast done deeds vnto mee that ought not to be done.

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

11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the feare of God is not in this place: and they will slay mee for my wiues sake.

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

13 And it came to passe when God caused me to wander from my fathers house, that I said vnto her, This is thy kindnesse which thou shalt shew vnto me; at euery place whither wee shall come, [Note: Genesis 12:13.] say of me, He is my brother.

14 And Abimelech tooke sheepe and oxen, and men-seruants, and women seruants, and gaue them vnto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee; dwel [Note: cf2\i Hebrew: as is good in thine eyes.] where it pleaseth thee.

16 And vnto Sarah hee said, Behold, I haue giuen thy brother a thousand pieces of siluer: behold, he is to thee a couering of the eyes, vnto all that are

[Isaac is borne.]

with thee, and with all other: thus shee was reproued.

17 So Abraham prayed vnto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-seruants, and they bare children.

18 For the LORD had fast closed vp all the wombes of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abrahams wife.