1Abraham set out from there toward the land of the Negeb. He dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar.2Abraham said to Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.3God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "Behold, you are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman."4Abimelech had not approached her. He said, "O Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?"5"Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister,' and did she not also say, 'He is my brother'? I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."6God said to him in the dream, "I also know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, and therefore I withheld you from sinning against me; I did not permit you to touch her."7"Now return the woman to the man, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die, you and all who belong to you."8Abimelech rose early in the morning and summoned all his servants. He spoke all these words in their hearing, and the men were very much afraid.9Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us, and how have I sinned against you, that you have brought great sin upon me and my kingdom? You have done to me what ought never to be done."10Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see that prompted you to do this thing?"11Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me on account of my wife.'"12"She is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife."13When God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, "This is the kindness you must show me: in every place we enter, say of me, 'He is my brother.'"14Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; he also returned Sarah his wife to him.15Abimelech said, "Behold, my land lies before you; settle wherever it pleases you."16To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It shall serve you as a covering of the eyes before all who are with you, and it is a rebuke to all."17Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maidservants so that they bore children.18For the LORD had completely closed every womb in Abimelech's household because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.