Genesis 20 - Hebrew Names version (HNV)

¹ Avraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.

² Avraham said about Sarah his wife, *She is my sister.* Avimelekh king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

³ But God came to Avimelekh in a dream of the night, and said to him, *Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife.*

⁴ Now Avimelekh had not come near her. He said, *Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?

⁵ Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself, said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this.*

⁶ God said to him in the dream, *Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her.

⁷ Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.*

⁸ Avimelekh rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.

⁹ Then Avimelekh called Avraham, and said to him, *What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!*

¹⁰ Avimelekh said to Avraham, *What did you see, that you have done this thing?*

¹¹ Avraham said, *Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'

¹² Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

¹³ It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, *He is my brother.*'*

¹⁴ Avimelekh took sheep and oxen, male servants and womale servants, and gave them to Avraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.

¹⁵ Avimelekh said, *Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.*

¹⁶ To Sarah he said, *Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.*

¹⁷ Avraham prayed to God. God healed Avimelekh, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.

¹⁸ For the LORD had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Avimelekh, because of Sarah, Avraham's wife.