Genesis 20

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Abraham left there for the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While stayingin Gerar,	1 Abraham removed from thence to the south country, and dwelt between Cedes and Sur, and sojourned in Gerara.
2 Abraham said of his wife Sarah, 'She is my sister,' and Abimelech the king of Gerar had Sarahbrought to him.	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 visited Abimelech in a dream one night. 'You are to die,' he told him, 'because of the womanyou have taken, for she is a married woman.'	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, however, had not gone near her; so he said, 'Lord, would you kil someone even if he isupright?	4 Now Abimelech had not touched her, and he said : Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, that is ignorant and justl
5 Did he not tel me himself, "She is my sister"? And she herself said, "He is my brother." I did this with a clear conscience and 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 'Yes, I know,' God replied in the dream, 'that you did this with a clear conscience and I myselfprevented you from sinning against me. That was 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 Now send the man's wife back; for he is a prophet and can intercede on your behalf for your life. Butunderstand that if you do not send her back, this means death for you and al yours.'	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 next morning, Abimelech summoned his ful court and told them the whole story, at which thepeople were very much afraid.	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 summoning Abraham, Abimelech said to him, 'What have you done to us? What wrong have Idone you, for you to bring such guilt on me and on my kingdom? You had no right to treat me like this.'	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 Abimelech then said to Abraham, 'What possessed you to do such a thing?'	10 And again he expostulated with him, and said, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?
11 'Because', Abraham replied, 'I thought there would be no fear of God here and that I should be kil edfor the sake 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 Anyway, she real y is my sister, my father's daughter though not my mother's, besides being 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 So when God made me wander far from my father's home I said to her, "There is an act of love youcan do me: everywhere we go, say of me 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 Abimelech took sheep, cattle, men and women slaves, and presented them to Abraham, and gavehim back his wife Sarah.	14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and servants and handmaids, and gave to Abraham: and restored to him Sara, his wife.
15 And Abimelech said, 'Look, my land is open to you. Settle wherever you please.'	15 dummy verses inserted by amos
16 To Sarah he said, 'Look, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. This wil al aysuspicions about you, as far as al the people round you are concerned; you have been completely vindicated.'	16 And said: The land is before you, dwell wheresoever it shall please thee.
17 Abraham then interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave-girls, so thatthey could have children,
18 for Yahweh had made al the women of Abimelech's household barren on account of Sarah,Abraham's wife.	18 And when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech and his wife, and his handmaids, and they bore children: