Abraham and Sarah at Gerar

¹Abraham moved to the Southern Desert, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. Later he went to Gerar, and while there

²he told everyone that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.[#Gn 12.13; 26.7.]

³But God came to Abimelech in a dream and said, “You have taken a married woman into your home, and for this you will die!”

^4-5Abimelech said to the Lord, “Don't kill me! I haven't slept with Sarah. Didn't they say they were brother and sister? I am completely innocent.”

⁶Then God continued:

⁸Early the next morning Abimelech sent for his officials, and when he told them what had happened, they were frightened.

⁹Abimelech then called in Abraham and said:

¹¹Abraham answered:

¹⁴After Abimelech had given Abraham some sheep, cattle, and slaves, he sent Sarah back

¹⁵and told Abraham he could settle anywhere in his country.

¹⁶Then he said to Sarah, “I have given your brother 1,000 pieces of silver as proof to everyone that you have done nothing wrong.”[#20.16 One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.]

^17-18Meanwhile, God had kept Abimelech's wife and slaves from having children. But Abraham prayed, and God let them start having children again.