20 ABRAHAM GOES TO PHILISTINES
Abraham goes to the land of the Philistines, and again tells the People that Sarah is his Sister. Abimelech the King desires her for a Wife. An Heavenly Messenger warns him, and commands him to return her to her Husband. The whole land afflicted on account of the matter. Sarah Restored to Abraham, who entreats YAHWEH to heal the People of Abimelech.
1 And at that time Abraham journeyed from the plain of Mamre, and he went to the land of the Philistines, and he dwelt in Gerar; it was in the twenty-fifth year of Abraham's being in the land of Canaan, and the hundredth year of the life of Abraham, that he came to Gerar in the land of the Philistines.
2 And when they entered the land he said to Sarah his wife, Say you are my sister, to any one that shall ask you, in order that we may escape the evil of the inhabitants of the land.
3 And as Abraham was dwelling in the land of the Philistines, the servants of Abimelech, king of the Philistines, saw that Sarah was exceedingly beautiful, and they asked Abraham concerning her, and he said, She is my sister.
4 And the servants of Abimelech went to Abimelech, saying, A man from the land of Canaan is come to dwell in the land, and he has a sister that is exceeding fair.
5 And Abimelech heard the words of his servants who praised Sarah to him, and Abimelech sent his officers, and they brought Sarah to the king.
6 And Sarah came to the house of Abimelech, and the king saw that Sarah was beautiful, and she pleased him exceedingly.
7 And he approached her and said to her, What is that man to you with whom you did come to our land? and Sarah answered and said He is my brother, and we came from the land of Canaan to dwell wherever we could find a place.
8 And Abimelech said to Sarah, Behold my land is before you, place your brother in any part of this land that pleases you, and it will be our duty to exalt and elevate him above all the people of the land since he is your brother.
9 And Abimelech sent for Abraham, and Abraham came to Abimelech.
10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, Behold I have given orders that you shalt be honored as you desire on account of your sister Sarah.
11 And Abraham went forth from the king, and the king's present followed him.
12 As at evening time, before men lie down to rest, the king was sitting upon his throne, and a deep sleep fell upon him, and he lay upon the throne and slept till morning.
13 And he dreamed that an heavenly messenger of YAHWEH came to him with a drawn sword in his hand, and the heavenly messenger stood over Abimelech, and wished to slay him with the sword, and the king was terrified in his dream, and said to the heavenly messenger, In what have I sinned against you that you come to slay me with your sword?
14 And the heavenly messenger answered and said to Abimelech, Behold you diest on account of the woman which you did yesternight bring to your house, for she is a married woman, the wife of Abraham who came to your house; now therefore return that man his wife, for she is his wife; and should you not return her, know that you wilt surely die, you and all belonging to you.
15 And on that night there was a great outcry in the land of the Philistines, and the inhabitants of the land saw the figure of a man standing with a drawn sword in his hand, and he smote the inhabitants of the land with the sword, yea he continued to smite them.
16 And the heavenly messenger of YAHWEH smote the whole land of the Philistines on that night, and there was a great confusion on that night and on the following morning.
17 And every womb was closed, and all their issues, and the hand of YAHWEH was upon them on account of Sarah, wife of Abraham, whom Abimelech had taken.
18 And in the morning Abimelech rose with terror and confusion and with a great dread, and he sent and had his servants called in, and he related his dream to them, and the people were greatly afraid.
19 And one man standing among the servants of the king answered the king, saying, O sovereign king, restore this woman to her husband, for he is her husband, for the like happened to the king of Egypt when this man came to Egypt.
20 And he said concerning his wife, She is my sister, for such is his manner of doing when he comes to dwell in the land in which he is a stranger.
21 And Pharaoh sent and took this woman for a wife and YAHWEH brought upon him grievous plagues until he returned the woman to her husband.
22 Now therefore, O sovereign king, know what happened yesternight to the whole land, for there was a very great consternation and great pain and lamentation, and we know that it was on account of the woman which you did take.
23 Now, therefore, restore this woman to her husband, lest it should befall us as it did to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his subjects, and that we may not die; and Abimelech hastened and called and had Sarah called for, and she came before him, and he had Abraham called for, and he came before him.
24 And Abimelech said to them, What is this work you have been doing in saying you are brother and sister, and I took this woman for a wife?
25 And Abraham said, Because I thought I should suffer death on account of my wife; and Abimelech took flocks and herds, and men servants and maid servants, and a thousand pieces of silver, and he gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah to him.
26 And Abimelech said to Abraham, Behold the whole land is before you, dwell in it wherever you shalt choose.
27 And Abraham and Sarah, his wife, went forth from the king's presence with honor and respect, and they dwelt in the land, even in Gerar.
28 And all the inhabitants of the land of the Philistines and the king's servants were still in pain, through the plague which the heavenly messenger had inflicted upon them the whole night on account of Sarah.
29 And Abimelech sent for Abraham, saying, Pray now for your servants to YAHWEH your Elohim, that he may put away this mortality from among us.
30 And Abraham prayed on account of Abimelech and his subjects, and YAHWEH heard the prayer of Abraham, and he healed Abimelech and all his subjects.