# Genesis 20 (New King James Version)
Abraham and Abimelech

##### Chapter 20
###### 1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.  
###### 2 Now 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, "Indeed you _are_ a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she _is_ a man's wife."

###### 4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?  
###### 5 Did he not say to me, 'She _is_ my sister'? And she, even she herself said, 'He _is_ my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this."

###### 6 And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.  
###### 7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he _is_ a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore _her,_ know that you shall surely die, you and all who _are_ yours."

###### 8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid.  
###### 9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done."  
###### 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?"

###### 11 And Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely the fear of God _is_ not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.  
###### 12 But indeed _she is_ truly 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 to her, 'This _is_ your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, "He _is_ my brother." ' "

###### 14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave _them_ to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him.  
###### 15 And Abimelech said, "See, my land _is_ before you; dwell where it pleases you."  
###### 16 Then to Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand _pieces_ of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who _are_ with you and before everybody." Thus she was rebuked.

###### 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore _children;_  
###### 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.