| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident 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 about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. | 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. |
| 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 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. He said, "Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation? | 4But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? |
| 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 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 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. | 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. |
| 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 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 in the morning Abimelech summoned all his servants. When he told them about all these things, they 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. |
| 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 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! |
| 10Then Abimelech asked Abraham, "What prompted you to do this thing?" | 10Whatever possessed you to do such a 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, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ |
| 12What's more, she is indeed my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter. She became my wife. | 12And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. |
| 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."'" | 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 gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back 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. |
| 15Then Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please." | 15Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose any place where you would like to live.” |
| 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 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.” |
| 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 servants, so they could have 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 caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah. |
|
