Genesis 20
Expanded Bible
Abraham Tricks Abimelech
20 Abraham left Hebron [13:18] and traveled to ·southern Canaan [L the Negev; 13:1] where he stayed awhile between Kadesh [16:14] and Shur [16:7]. When he ·moved to [sojourned/lived as an alien in] Gerar [C north of Kadesh and Shur; present-day Tell Abu Hureirah], 2 he said to people about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister” [12:10–20; 26:1–11]. Abimelech king of Gerar heard this, so he sent some servants to take her. 3 But one night God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and said, “You will die. The woman you took is married.”
4 But Abimelech had not gone near Sarah, so he said, “Lord, would you ·destroy [L kill; slay] an innocent nation? 5 ·Abraham himself told [L Did he not tell…?] me, ‘This woman is my sister,’ and ·she also said [L did she not also say…?], ‘He is my brother.’ I ·am innocent and did not know I was doing anything wrong [L did this with a pure conscience/blameless heart and innocent hands].”
6 Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know you did ·not realize what you were doing [this with a pure conscience/L blameless heart]. So I ·did not allow you to sin [restrained you from sinning] against me and touch her. 7 Give ·Abraham [L the man] his wife back. He is a prophet [C one who interceded for others]. He will pray for you, and you will not die. But if you do not give Sarah back, you and all ·your family [L who belong to you] will surely die.”
8 So early the next morning, Abimelech called all his ·officers [L servants] and told them everything that had happened in the dream. They were very afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham to him and said, “What have you done to us? What ·wrong [offense; sin] did I do against you? Why did you bring this ·trouble [great offense/guilt; L great sin] to my kingdom? You should not have done these things to me. 10 What ·were you thinking [possessed you] that caused you to do this?”
11 Then Abraham answered, “I thought no one in this place ·respected [feared] God and that someone would kill me to get ·Sarah [L my wife]. 12 And it is true that she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but she is not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 When God ·told me to leave my father’s house and wander in many different places [L caused me to wander from my father’s home; 12:1], I told Sarah, ‘You must ·do a special favor for [or show loyalty to] me. Everywhere we go tell people, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelech gave Abraham some sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves. He also gave Sarah, Abraham’s wife, back to him 15 and said, “·Look around you at my land [L My land is before you]. You may live anywhere you want.”
16 Abimelech said to Sarah, “I gave your brother Abraham ·twenty-five pounds [L one thousand pieces] of silver ·to make up for any wrong that people may think about you [L —a covering of the eyes to all who are with you; C an indication that nothing improper happened]. I want everyone to know that you are innocent.”
17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his servant girls so they could have children. 18 The Lord had ·kept all the women in Abimelech’s house from having children [L closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech] ·as a punishment on Abimelech for taking [L on account of] Abraham’s wife Sarah.
Genesis 20
Amplified Bible
Abraham’s Deception
20 Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev (the South country), and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived temporarily in Gerar. 2 Abraham [a]said [again] of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So [b]Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took [c]Sarah [into his harem]. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night, and said, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your wife], for she is another man’s wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not yet come near her; so he said, “Lord, will you kill a people who are righteous and innocent and blameless [regarding Sarah]? 5 Did Abraham not tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this in the integrity of your heart, for it was I who kept you back and spared you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not give you an opportunity to touch her. 7 So now 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 [to him], know that you shall die, you and all who are yours (your household).”
8 So Abimelech got up early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I offended you that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me what ought not to be done [to anyone].” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered or seen [in us or our customs], that you have done this [unjust] thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely there is no fear or reverence of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she actually is my [half] sister; she is the daughter of my father [Terah], but not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This kindness and loyalty you can show me: at every place we stop, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” 14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him [as God commanded]. 15 So Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Look, I have given this brother of yours a [d]thousand pieces of silver; it is to compensate you [for all that has happened] and to vindicate your honor before all who are with you; before all men you are cleared and compensated.” 17 So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, and they again gave birth to children, 18 for the Lord had securely closed the wombs of all [the women] in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.(A)
Footnotes
- Genesis 20:2 See 12:11-13.
- Genesis 20:2 The word “Abimelech” may be a royal title instead of a proper name. In either case this man is probably the father or grandfather of Abimelech king of the Philistines encountered later by Isaac (26:1).
- Genesis 20:2 Sarah was about ninety years old at this time.
- Genesis 20:16 Perhaps about three years’ or a thousand days’ wages.
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