| 20 | Genesis | Passage |
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| 1 |
Abraham left there for the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While staying in Gerar, |
Gerar - Abraham and Abimelech. Gn.20.1-18
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| 2 |
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, 'She is my sister,' and Abimelech the king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. |
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| 3 |
But God visited Abimelech in a dream one night. 'You are to die,' he told him, 'because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.' |
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| 4 |
Abimelech, however, had not gone near her; so he said, 'Lord, would you kill someone even if he is upright? |
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| 5 |
Did he not tell me himself, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands.' |
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| 6 |
'Yes, I know,' God replied in the dream, 'that you did this with a clear conscience and I myself prevented you from sinning against me. That was why I did not let you touch her. |
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| 7 |
Now send the man's wife back; for he is a prophet and can intercede on your behalf for your life. But understand that if you do not send her back, this means death for you and all yours.' |
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| 8 |
Early next morning, Abimelech summoned his full court and told them the whole story, at which the people were very much afraid. |
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| 9 |
Then summoning Abraham, Abimelech said to him, 'What have you done to us? What wrong have I done you, for you to bring such guilt on me and on my kingdom? You had no right to treat me like this.' |
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| 10 |
Abimelech then said to Abraham, 'What possessed you to do such a thing?' |
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| 11 |
'Because', Abraham replied, 'I thought there would be no fear of God here and that I should be killed for the sake of my wife. |
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| 12 |
Anyway, she really is my sister, my father's daughter though not my mother's, besides being my wife. |
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| 13 |
So when God made me wander far from my father's home I said to her, 'There is an act of love you can do me: everywhere we go, say of me that I am your brother.' ' |
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| 14 |
Abimelech took sheep, cattle, men and women slaves, and presented them to Abraham, and gave him back his wife Sarah. |
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| 15 |
And Abimelech said, 'Look, my land is open to you. Settle wherever you please.' |
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| 16 |
To Sarah he said, 'Look, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. This will allay suspicions about you, as far as all the people round you are concerned; you have been completely vindicated.' |
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| 17 |
Abraham then interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave-girls, so that they could have children, |
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| 18 |
for Yahweh had made all the women of Abimelech's household barren on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife. |
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