Ibrahim traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foriegner in Gerar. 2Ibrahim said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.“ Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man’s wife.“
4Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this.“
6God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not allow you to touch her. 7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you do not restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.“
8Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9Then Abimelech called Ibrahim, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against 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!“ 10Abimelech said to Ibrahim, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?“
11Ibrahim said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12Moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.“‘”
14Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men-servants and women-servants, and gave them to Ibrahim, and restored Sarah, his wife to him. 15Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.“ 16To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.“
17Ibrahim prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, and they bore children. 18For Allah had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Ibrahim’s wife.