Chapter 20

  Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cedes and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.  

  And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Oerara sent, and took her.  

  And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and he said to him: Lo thou shalt die for the woman thou hast taken: for she hath a husband.  

  Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said : Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and justl  

  Did not he say to me : She is my sister: and she say, He is my brother? in the simplicity of my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done this.  

  And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffered 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: but if thou wilt not restore her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thins.  

  And Abimelech forthwith rising up in the night, called all his servants: and spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were exceedingly afraid.  

  And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou oughtest not to do.  

  And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?  

  Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:  

  Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.  

  And after God brought me out of my father's house, I said to her: I Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother.  

  And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.  

  And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.  

  And to Sara he said: Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: this shall serve thee for a covering of thy eyes to all that are with thee, and whithersoever thou shalt go: and remember thou wast taken.  

  And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children:  

  For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech on ac- count of Sara, Abraham's wife.