Abimelech; Ishmael

¹ Abraham went from there towards the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

² Abraham said of Sarah:

Abraham

She is my sister. Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

³ Anu came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him:

You are a dead man because the woman which you have taken is another man’s wife.

⁴ But Abimelech had not come near her. He said:

Anu, will you slay also a righteous nation?

⁵ Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

⁶ Anu said to him in a dream:

I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against me: therefore suffered I you not to touch her.

⁷ So restore the man his wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shalt live. If you restore [her] not, know you that you shalt surely die, thou, and all that [are] thine.

⁸ Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

⁹ Then Abimelech called Abraham:

Abimelech

What have you done to us? What have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that should not be done.

¹⁰ What did you see that made you do this?

Abraham

¹¹ I thought that:

• the fear of Anu is not in this place
• they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

¹² She is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. She became my wife.

¹³ Anu caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her:

This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere we go, tell people that I am your brother.

¹⁴ Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

Abimelech

¹⁵ My land is before you. Live wherever you want.

¹⁶ Sarah, I have given your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. He is to you a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with you, and with all others.

Thus she was reproved.

¹⁷ So Abraham prayed to Anu.

Anu healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maidservants. They bare children.

¹⁸ Anu had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah wife.