1 ARST Meanwhile Abraham{ and his family} left from the place where they were living{ and moved south} to the Negev{ Desert} area. There they lived between{ the cities of} Kadesh and Shur, and they stayed for a while in{ the city of} Gerar. BSB BSB: Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
2 ARST { While they were there,} Abraham told{ people} that his wife Sarah{ was} his sister. So{ one day} Abimelech,{ who was} the king of Gerar, had{ some of his servants} bring Sarah{ to his home}{ to be his wife}. BSB BSB: Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
3 ARST But that night God appeared to{ King} Abimelech in a dream and warned him,“Listen, you are about to die because the woman whom you have taken{ to be your wife} is{ already} married to someone else!” BSB BSB: One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
4 ARST However Abimelech had not{ yet} slept with Sarah, so he asked{ God},“Lord, will you kill{ me and} my people even if{ we are} innocent? BSB BSB: Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
5 ARST Abraham himself told me that Sarah was his sister. And she herself also said that he was her brother.{ So} I took her{ to be my wife} with a pure conscience, and I did not know that I was doing anything wrong!” BSB BSB: Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
6 ARST God replied to him in the dream,“Yes, I realize that{ it was} with a pure conscience that you took Sarah{ to be your wife}. In fact, I{ am the one who} kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you sleep with her. BSB BSB: Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
7 ARST Now then, you must give Abraham’ s wife back{ to him}. He is a spokesman{ for me}, so he will ask me to be merciful to you, so that you will not die. However, if you refuse to give Sarah back{ to him}, you can be sure that you and all your people will definitely die!” BSB BSB: Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
8 ARST Early the next morning{ King} Abimelech got up and called together all of his officials. He told them everything that had happened, and they were very afraid{ that God would punish them}. BSB BSB: Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.
9 ARST Then the king summoned Abraham and scolded him{ by saying},“You have treated us very badly! I never did anything wrong to you, and yet you have caused me and the people whom I rule to be guilty of sinning terribly! You have wronged me in ways that should never be done{ to anyone}!” BSB BSB: Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
10 ARST Finally,{ King} Abimelech asked him,“What motivated you to do what you did?” BSB BSB: Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”
11 ARST Abraham answered{ him},“{ I did it,} because I thought that there was certainly no one in this city who revered God, so{ I was afraid} they would kill me to get my wife{ for themselves}. BSB BSB: Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’
12 ARST Besides that, Sarah actually{ is} my half- sister. We have the same father, but different mothers, and{ after we grew up,} we got married. BSB BSB: Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.
13 ARST { Years} later when God told me to leave my father’ s family, I asked her to do me a favor and tell people wherever we go that I{ am} her brother.” BSB BSB: So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 ARST Then{ King} Abimelech brought{ many} sheep and cattle and male and female servants{ to Abraham} and gave{ them all} to him. He{ also} gave Abraham’ s wife Sarah back to him. BSB BSB: So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
15 ARST Then{ King} Abimelech said{ to him},“Look, my land{ is} available to you. Live{ wherever} you decide{ is} best.” BSB BSB: And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
16 ARST Then he{ turned} to Sarah{ and} said,“Listen, I have given 1, 000{ pieces of} silver to your brother. I’ m doing this so that everyone knows you did nothing wrong, and to compensate you for everything{ that has happened to you}.” BSB BSB: And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”
17 ARST Then Abraham asked God{ to be merciful to the king}. So God healed{ King} Abimelech, as well as his wife and his female servants, and they were able to have children{ again}. BSB BSB: Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—
18 ARST { Previously} Yahweh had kept all the women in Abimelech’ s household from conceiving because he had taken Abraham’ s wife Sarah. BSB BSB: for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.