BERESHIT
(Book of Genesis)
Chapter 20

Bereshit 19

1
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
2
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife: 'She is my sister.' And Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3
But G-d came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him: 'Behold, thou shalt die, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.'
4
Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said: 'L-rd, wilt Thou slay even a righteous nation?
5
Said he not himself unto me: She is my sister? and she, even she herself said: He is my brother. In the simplicity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.'
6
And G-d said unto him in the dream: 'Yea, I know that in the simplicity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against Me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
7
Now therefore restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.'

8
And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears; and the men were sore afraid.
9
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him: 'What hast thou done unto us? and wherein have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.'
10
And Abimelech said unto Abraham: 'What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?'
11
And Abraham said: 'Because I thought: Surely the fear of G-d is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
12
And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and so she became my wife.
13
And it came to pass, when G-d caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her: This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me: He is my brother.'

14
And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
15
And Abimelech said: 'Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.'
16
And unto Sarah he said: 'Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee; and before all men thou art righted.'
17
And Abraham prayed unto G-d; and G-d healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bore children.
18
For HaShem had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
Bereshit 21

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