Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the arid southern plain, and he settled as an immigrant in Gerar, between Kadesh and Shur.
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Abraham traveled from there south to the Negev and settled down between Kadesh and Shur. While he was camping in Gerar,
2 Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She's my sister." So King Abimelech of Gerar took her into his household.
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Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She's my sister."
3 But God appeared to Abimelech that night in a dream and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of this woman you have taken. She is a married woman."
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But God came to Abimelech in a dream that night and told him, "You're as good as dead - that woman you took, she's a married woman."
4 Now Abimelech hadn't gone near her, and he said, "Lord, will you really put an innocent nation to death?
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Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man?
5 Didn't he say to me, ‘She's my sister,' and didn't she—even she—say, ‘He's my brother'? My intentions were pure, and I acted innocently when I did this."
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Didn't he tell me, 'She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, 'He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this."
6 God said to him in the dream, "I know that your intentions were pure when you did this. In fact, I kept you from sinning against me. That's why I didn't allow you to touch her.
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God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your intentions were pure, that's why I kept you from sinning against me; I was the one who kept you from going to bed with her.
7 Now return the man's wife. He's a prophet; he will pray for you so you may live. But if you don't return her, know that you and everyone with you will die!"
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So now give the man's wife back to him. He's a prophet and will pray for you - pray for your life. If you don't give her back, know that it's certain death both for you and everyone in your family."
8 Abimelech got up early in the morning and summoned all of his servants. When he told them everything that had happened, the men were terrified.
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Abimelech was up first thing in the morning. He called all his house servants together and told them the whole story. They were shocked.
9 Then Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that you have brought this terrible sin to me and my kingdom, by doing to me something that simply isn't done?"
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Then Abimelech called in Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What have I ever done to you that you would bring on me and my kingdom this huge offense? What you've done to me ought never to have been done."
10 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking when you did this thing?"
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Abimelech went on to Abraham, "Whatever were you thinking of when you did this thing?"
11 Abraham said, "I thought to myself, No one reveres God here and they will kill me to get my wife.
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Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife.
12 She is, truthfully, my sister—my father's daughter but not my mother's daughter—and she's now my wife.
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Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's.
13 When God led me away from my father's household, I said to her, ‘This is the loyalty I expect from you: in each place we visit, tell them, “He is my brother.”'"
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When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, 'Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'"
14 Abimelech took flocks, cattle, male servants, and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and Abimelech returned his wife Sarah.
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Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female.
15 Abimelech said, "My land is here available to you. Live wherever you wish."
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He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish."
16 To Sarah, he said, "I've given your brother one thousand pieces of silver. It means that neither you nor anyone with you has done anything wrong. Everything has been set right."
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And to Sarah he said, "I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver - that clears you of even a shadow of suspicion before the eyes of the world. You're vindicated."
17 Abraham prayed to God; and God restored Abimelech, his wife, and his women servants to health, and they were able to have children.
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Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants, and they started having babies again.
18 Because of the incident with Abraham's wife Sarah, the LORD had kept all of the women in Abimelech's household from having children.
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For God had shut down every womb in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.