1And Abraham moved south toward the Negev, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed for a while in Gerar. 2And there, again, Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, “She is my sister”: and Abimelech, the king of Gerar, sent, and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Behold, you are as good as dead, for the woman whom you have taken is another man's wife.” 4But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, “LORD, will You slay also a righteous nation? 5Did he not tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ And even she said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and my innocence I have done this.” 6And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; and I also prevented you from sinning against Me: that is why I did not allow you to touch her. 7Now return his wife to the man; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live: but if you do not return her, be sure that you and all who belong to you shall surely die.”

8So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told them all these things: and the men were very much afraid. 9Then Abimelech summoned Abraham, and said, “What have you done to us? And how have I offended you, that you have brought such guilt upon me and my kingdom? No one should do what you have done to me!” 10And he continued, “Why did you do this?” 11And Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me to take my wife.’ 12And she really is my sister - the daughter of my father, but not of my mother - and she became my wife. 13And when God caused me to leave my father's home, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show you love me: wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.’” 14Then Abimelech brought sheep, cattle, menservants, and women servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife, Sarah, to him. 15And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you: live wherever you please.” 16And to Sarah he said, “Look, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver, in the presence of all these witnesses. This is to compensate you for any wrong I may have done to you. This will settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.” 17So Abraham prayed to God: and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maidservants, so they could again have children. 18For the LORD had kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from conceiving because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.