Genesis 20 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Abraham Lies to Abimelech

1 And Abraham ^H85 journeyed ^H5265 from there ^H8033 toward the land ^H776 of the [fn]Negev ^H5045 and settled ^H3427 between ^H996 Kadesh ^H6946 and Shur ^H7793; then he sojourned ^H1481 in Gerar ^H1642.

2 And Abraham ^H85 said ^H559 of Sarah ^H8283 his wife ^H802, “She is my sister ^H269.” So Abimelech ^H40 king ^H4428 of Gerar ^H1642 sent ^H7971 and took ^H3947 Sarah ^H8283. 3 But God ^H430 came ^H935 to Abimelech ^H40 in a dream ^H2472 of the night ^H3915 and said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009, you are a dead ^H4191 man because ^H5921 of the woman ^H802 whom ^H834 you have taken ^H3947, for she is [fn]married ^H1167 H1166.” 4 (Now Abimelech ^H40 had not come ^H7126 near ^H7126 her.) Then he said ^H559, “Lord ^H136, will You kill ^H2026 a nation ^H1471, even ^H1571 though righteous ^H6662? 5 Did he not himself ^H1931 say ^H559 to me, ‘She is my sister ^H269’? And she herself ^H1931 also ^H1571 said ^H559, ‘He is my brother ^H251.’ In the integrity ^H8537 of my heart ^H3824 and the innocence ^H5356 of my [fn]hands ^H3709 I have done ^H6213 this ^H2088.” 6 Then God ^H430 said ^H559 to him in the dream ^H2472, “Indeed ^H1571, I know ^H3045 that in the integrity ^H8537 of your heart ^H3824 you have done ^H6213 this ^H2088, and I also ^H1571 [fn]held ^H2820 you back ^H2820 from sinning ^H2398 against Me; therefore ^H5921 H3651 I did not let ^H5414 you touch ^H5060 her. 7 So now ^H6258, return ^H7725 the man’s ^H376 wife ^H802, for he is a prophet ^H5030, and he will pray ^H6419 for you, and you will live ^H2421. But if ^H518 you do not return ^H7725 her, know ^H3045 that you shall surely ^H4191 die ^H4191, you and all ^H3605 who ^H834 are yours.”

8 So Abimelech ^H40 arose ^H7925 early ^H7925 in the morning ^H1242 and called ^H7121 all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650 and told ^H1696 all ^H3605 these ^H428 things ^H1697 in their hearing ^H241; and the men ^H376 were ^H3372 greatly ^H3966 afraid ^H3372. 9 Then Abimelech ^H40 called ^H7121 Abraham ^H85 and said ^H559 to him, “What ^H4100 have you done ^H6213 to us? And [fn]how ^H4100 have I sinned ^H2398 against you, that you have brought ^H935 on me and on my kingdom ^H4467 a great ^H1419 sin ^H2401? You have done ^H6213 to me [fn]things ^H4639 that ought not to be done ^H6213.” 10 And Abimelech ^H40 said ^H559 to Abraham ^H85, “What ^H4100 have you seen ^H7200, that you have done ^H6213 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697?” 11 And Abraham ^H85 said ^H559, “Because ^H3588 I said ^H559, surely ^H7534 there ^H369 is ^H369 no ^H369 fear ^H3374 of God ^H430 in this ^H2088 place ^H4725, and they will kill ^H2026 me because ^H5921 H1697 of my wife ^H802. 12 Besides ^H1571, she actually ^H546 is my sister ^H269, the daughter ^H1323 of my father ^H1, but not the daughter ^H1323 of my mother ^H517, and she became ^H1961 my wife ^H802; 13 and it happened ^H1961 when ^H834 God ^H430 caused me to wander ^H8582 from my father’s ^H1 house ^H1004, that I said ^H559 to her, ‘This ^H2088 is [fn]the lovingkindness ^H2617 which ^H834 you will show ^H6213 to me: [fn]everywhere ^{H413 H3605 H4725 H834 H8033} we go ^H935, say ^H559 of me, “He is my brother ^H251.”’” 14 Abimelech ^H40 then took ^H3947 sheep ^H6629 and oxen ^H1241 and male ^H5650 and female ^H8198 slaves ^H5650 H8198 and gave ^H5414 them to Abraham ^H85 and returned ^H7725 his wife ^H802 Sarah ^H8283 to him. 15 And Abimelech ^H40 said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, my land ^H776 is before ^H6440 you; [fn]settle ^H3427 wherever it is good ^H2896 in your sight ^H5869.” 16 To Sarah ^H8283 he said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, I have given ^H5414 your brother ^H251 one thousand ^H505 pieces of silver ^H3701; behold ^H2009, it is [fn]your vindication ^H3682 before all ^H3605 who ^H834 are with you, and before ^H854 all ^H3605 you are [fn]cleared ^H3198.” 17 And Abraham ^H85 prayed ^H6419 to God ^H430, and God ^H430 healed ^H7495 Abimelech ^H40 and his wife ^H802 and his maidservants ^H519, so that they bore ^H3205 children. 18 For Yahweh ^H3068 had utterly ^H6113 shut ^H6113 all ^H3605 the wombs ^H7358 of the household ^H1004 of Abimelech ^H40 because ^H5921 H1697 of Sarah ^H8283, Abraham’s ^H85 wife ^H802.