| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar, | 1From there Abraham traveled to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived in Gerar, |
| 2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. | 2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. |
| 3But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else's wife." | 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman." |
| 4Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, "Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation? | 4Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, "Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? |
| 5Did Abraham not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!" | 5Didn't he himself say to me, 'She is my sister? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands." |
| 6Then in the dream God replied to him, "Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. | 6Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. I have also kept you from sinning against Me. Therefore I have not let you touch her. |
| 7But now give back the man's wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don't give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you." | 7Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours." |
| 8Early in the morning Abimelech summoned all his servants. When he told them about all these things, they were terrified. | 8Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally told them all these things, and the men were terrified. |
| 9Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!" | 9Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, "What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done." |
| 10Then Abimelech asked Abraham, "What prompted you to do this thing?" | 10Abimelech also said to Abraham, "What did you intend when you did this thing?" |
| 11Abraham replied, "Because I thought, 'Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.' | 11Abraham replied, "I thought, 'There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.' |
| 12What's more, she is indeed my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter. She became my wife. | 12Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. |
| 13When God made me wander from my father's house, I told her, 'This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: Every place we go, say about me, "He is my brother."'" | 13So when God had me wander from my father's house, I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go and say about me: 'He's my brother.'" |
| 14So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. | 14Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female slaves, gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. |
| 15Then Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please." | 15Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you want." |
| 16To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your 'brother.' This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you." | 16And he said to Sarah, "Look, I am giving your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. It is a verification of your honor to all who are with you. You are fully vindicated." |
| 17Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. | 17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could bear children, |
| 18For the LORD had caused infertility to strike every woman in the household of Abimelech because he took Sarah, Abraham's wife. | 18for the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife. |
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