Genesis 26:9
Modern Translations
New International Version
So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her."

New Living Translation
Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” “Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied.

English Standard Version
So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

Berean Study Bible
Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she certainly is your wife! So how is it that you said, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘otherwise I might be killed on account of her.’”

NASB 1995
Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Behold, certainly she is your wife! How then did you say, 'She is my sister '?" And Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'I might die on account of her.'"

NASB 1977
Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, certainly she is your wife! How then did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’”

Amplified Bible
Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “See here, Rebekah is in fact your wife! How did you [dare to] say to me, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I thought I might be killed because of her [desirability].”

Christian Standard Bible
Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’? ” Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So she is really your wife! How could you say, 'She is my sister?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might die on account of her."

Contemporary English Version
Abimelech called him in and said, "Rebekah must be your wife! Why did you say she is your sister?" "Because I thought someone would kill me," Isaac answered.

Good News Translation
Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So she is your wife! Why did you say she was your sister?" He answered, "I thought I would be killed if I said she was my wife."

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Abimelech called for Isaac and said, "So she's really your wife! How could you say, 'She's my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "I thought I would be killed because of her."

International Standard Version
So Abimelech called Isaac and confronted him. "She is definitely your wife!" he accused him, "So why did you claim, 'She's my sister?'" Isaac responded, "Because I had thought '…otherwise, I'll die on account of her.'"

NET Bible
So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac replied, "Because I thought someone might kill me to get her."
Classic Translations
King James Bible
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

New King James Version
Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Quite obviously she is your wife; so how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ”

King James 2000 Bible
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a truth she is your wife: and how said you, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

New Heart English Bible
Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Look, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him, "Because I thought, 'Lest I die because of her.'"

World English Bible
Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her.'"

American King James Version
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is your wife; and how said you, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

American Standard Version
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife. And how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die because of her.

A Faithful Version
And Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Behold, she surely is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?" And Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die on account of her. ' "

Darby Bible Translation
Then Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, she is certainly thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? and Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I die on account of her.

English Revised Version
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, surely she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? and Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I should die on her account.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
Then Abimelech called Izhak, and sayde, Loe, shee is of a suertie thy wife, and why saydest thou, She is my sister? To whom Izhak answered, Because I thought this, It may be that I shall dye for her.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
And Abimelech called Isahac, and said: beholde, she is of a suretie thy wife, and why saydest thou, she is my sister? To whom Isahac aunswered: because I thought that I might peraduenture haue dyed for her sake.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
Then Abimelech called Isaac, and sayde: Beholde, she is thy wyfe, why saydest thou then: She is my sister? Isaac answered him: I thought, I might peraduenture hahe died because of her.

Tyndale Bible of 1526
And Abimelech sende for Isaac and sayde: se she is of a suertie thi wife and why saydest thou yt she was thi sister? And Isaac saide vnto hi: I thoughte yt I mighte peradventure haue dyed for hir sake.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Abimelech calls for Isaac and says, “Behold, she [is] surely your wife; and how could you have said, She [is] my sister?” And Isaac says to him, “Because I said, Lest I die for her.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Abimelech calleth for Isaac, and saith, 'Lo, she is surely thy wife; and how hast thou said, She is my sister?' and Isaac saith unto him, 'Because I said, Lest I die for her.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Abimelech will call to Isaak, and will say, Surely, behold, she thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaak will say to him, Because I said, Lest I shall die for her.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And calling for him, he said: It is evident she is thy wife: why didst thou feign her to be thy sister? He answered: I feared lest I should die for her sake.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And summoning him, he said: “It is clear that she is your wife. Why did you falsely claim her to be your sister?” He answered, “I was afraid, lest I might die because of her.”

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abimelek called to Isaaq and said to him, “Behold, she is your wife; how were you saying ‘she is my sister?’” Isaaq said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I shall die because of her.’

Lamsa Bible
So Abimeleck called Isaac, and said, Behold, she is your wife; how then did you say, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I may die on account of her.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said: 'Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou: She is my sister?' And Isaac said unto him: 'Because I said: Lest I die because of her.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said to him, Is she then thy wife? why hast thou said, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, I did so, for I said, Lest at any time I die on her account.
















Genesis 26:8
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