Genesis 20

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Abraham journeyed on to the region of the Negeb, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he stayed in Gerar,	1 Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cedes and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
2 he said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.	2 And he said of Sara his wife: She is my sister. So Abimelech the king of Oerara sent, and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she has a husband."	3 And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and he said to him: Lo thou shalt die for the woman thou hast taken: for she hath a husband.
4 Abimelech, who had not approached her, said: "O Lord, would you slay a man even though he is innocent?	4 Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said : Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and justl
5 He himself told me, 'She is my sister,' and she herself also stated, 'He is my brother.' I did it in good faith and with clean hands."	5 Did not he say to me : She is my sister: and she say, He is my brother? in the simplicity of my heart, and cleanness of my hands have I done this.
6 God answered him in the dream: "Yes, I know you did it in good faith. In fact, it was I who kept you from sinning against me; that is why I did not let you touch her.	6 And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffered thee not to touch her.
7 Therefore, return the man's wife--as a spokesman he will intercede for you--that your life may be saved. If you do not return her, you can be sure that you and all who are yours will certainly die."	7 Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet: and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not restore her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thins.
8 Early the next morning Abimelech called all his court officials and informed them of everything that had happened, and the men were horrified.	8 And Abimelech forthwith rising up in the night, called all his servants: and spoke all these words in their hearing, and all the men were exceedingly afraid.
9 Then Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him: "How could you do this to us! What wrong did I do to you that you should have brought such monstrous guilt on me and my kingdom? You have treated me in an intolerable way.	9 And Abimelech called also for Abraham, and said to him: What hast thou done to us? what have we offended thee in, that thou hast brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done to us what thou oughtest not to do.
10 What were you afraid of," he asked him, "that you should have done such a thing?"	10 And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?
11 "I was afraid," answered Abraham, "because I thought there would surely be no fear of God in this place, and so they would kill me on account of my wife.	11 Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:
12 Besides, she is in truth my sister, but only my father's daughter, not my mother's; and so she became my wife.	12 Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.
13 When God sent me wandering from my father's house, I asked her: 'Would you do me this favor? In whatever place we come to, say that I am your brother.'"	13 And after God brought me out of my father's house, I said to her: I Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother.
14 Then Abimelech took flocks and herds and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham; and after he restored his wife Sarah to him,	14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.
15 he said, "Here, my land lies at your disposal; settle wherever you please."	15 dummy verses inserted by amos
16 To Sarah he said: "See, I have given your brother a thousand shekels of silver. Let that serve you as a vindication before all who are with you; your honor has been preserved with everyone."	16 And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.
17 Abraham then interceded with God, and God restored health to Abimelech, that is, to his wife and his maidservants, so that they could bear children;
18 for God had tightly closed every womb in Abimelech's household on account of Abraham's wife Sarah.	18 And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children: