| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar, | 1Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, |
| 2Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. | 2Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace. |
| 3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.” | 3But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!” |
| 4Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? | 4But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? |
| 5Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.” | 5Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.” |
| 6Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her. | 6In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. |
| 7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.” | 7Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.” |
| 8Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified. | 8Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. |
| 9Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.” | 9Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! |
| 10Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?” | 10Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?” |
| 11Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’ | 11Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ |
| 12Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife. | 12And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. |
| 13So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” | 13When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’” |
| 14So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him. | 14Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and goats, cattle, and male and female servants, and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife, Sarah, to him. |
| 15And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.” | 15Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose any place where you would like to live.” |
| 16And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.” | 16And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’ 1,000 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.” |
| 17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children— | 17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children. |
| 18for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household. | 18For the LORD had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah. |
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