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Chapter 20
Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech
1
Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh… and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּסַּ֨ע מִשָּׁ֤ם אַ֣רְצָה הַנֶּ֔גֶב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בֵּין־ קָדֵ֖שׁ וּבֵ֣ין שׁ֑וּר וַיָּ֖גָר בִּגְרָֽר׃ ’aḇ·rā·hām way·yis·sa‘ miš·šām ’ar·ṣāh han·ne·ḡeḇ way·yê·šeḇ bên- qā·ḏêš ū·ḇên šūr way·yā·ḡār biḡ·rār — WLC · 1
Καὶ ἐκίνησεν ἐκεῖθεν Ἀβραὰμ εἰς γῆν πρὸς λίβα, καὶ ᾤκησεν ἀνὰ μέσον Καδὴς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Σούρ· καὶ παρῴκησεν ἐν Γεραροῖς. — LXX Swete · 1
2
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. -
אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֶל־ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ שָׂרָ֥ה הִ֑וא אֲחֹ֣תִי אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ גְּרָ֔ר שָׂרָֽה׃ וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־ ’aḇ·rā·hām way·yō·mer ’el- ’iš·tōw śā·rāh hî ’ă·ḥō·ṯî ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ me·leḵ gə·rār śā·rāh way·yiš·laḥ way·yiq·qaḥ ’eṯ- — WLC · 2
εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ περὶ Σἀρρας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ ὅτι Ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν· ἐφοβήθη γὰρ εἰπεῖν ὅτι Γυνή μού ἐστιν, μή ποτε αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως δι’ αὐτήν. ἀπέστειλεν βασιλεὺς Γεραρῶν καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν Σάρραν. — LXX Swete · 2
3
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.”
הַלָּ֑יְלָה אֱלֹהִ֛ים וַיָּבֹ֧א אֶל־ אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בַּחֲל֣וֹם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הִנְּךָ֥ מֵת֙ עַל־ הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־ לָקַ֔חְתָּ וְהִ֖וא בְּעֻ֥לַת בָּֽעַל׃ hal·lā·yə·lāh ’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yā·ḇō ’el- ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ ba·ḥă·lō·wm way·yō·mer lōw hin·nə·ḵā mêṯ ‘al- hā·’iš·šāh ’ă·šer- lā·qaḥ·tā wə·hi·w bə·‘u·laṯ bā·‘al — WLC · 3
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Ἀβιμέλεχ ἐν ὕπνῳ τὴν νύκτα, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἴδου σὺ ἀποθνήσκεις περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἧς ἔλαβες· αὕτη δέ ἐστιν συνῳκηκυῖα ἀνδρί.’ — LXX Swete · 3
4
Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
וַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ לֹ֥א קָרַ֖ב אֵלֶ֑יהָ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֲדֹנָ֕י תַּהֲרֹֽג׃ הֲג֥וֹי גַּם־ צַדִּ֖יק wa·’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ lō qā·raḇ ’ê·le·hā way·yō·mar ’ă·ḏō·nāy ta·hă·rōḡ hă·ḡō·w gam- ṣad·dîq — WLC · 4
Ἀβιμέλεχ δὲ οὐχ ἥψατο αὐτῆς, καὶ εἶπεν Κύριε, ἔθνος ἀγνοοῦν καὶ δίκαιον ἀπολεῖς; — LXX Swete · 4
5
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.”
הֲלֹ֨א ה֤וּא אָֽמַר־ לִי֙ הִ֔וא אֲחֹ֣תִי וְהִֽיא־ גַם־ הִ֥וא אָֽמְרָ֖ה ה֑וּא אָחִ֣י עָשִׂ֥יתִי זֹֽאת׃ בְּתָם־ לְבָבִ֛י וּבְנִקְיֹ֥ן כַּפַּ֖י hă·lō hū ’ā·mar- lî hî ’ă·ḥō·ṯî wə·hî- ḡam- hî ’ā·mə·rāh hū ’ā·ḥî ‘ā·śî·ṯî zōṯ bə·ṯām- lə·ḇā·ḇî ū·ḇə·niq·yōn kap·pay — WLC · 5
οὐκ αὐτός μοι εἶπεν Ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν; καὶ αὕτη Ἀδελφός μού ἐστιν • ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ καὶ ἑ ἐποίησα τοῦτο. — LXX Swete · 5
6
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.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֜ים וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אֵלָ֨יו בַּחֲלֹ֗ם גַּ֣ם אָנֹכִ֤י יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ כִּ֤י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּ֔את בְתָם־ לְבָבְךָ֙ אָנֹכִ֛י גַּם־ וָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְ אֽוֹתְךָ֖ מֵחֲטוֹ־ לִ֑י עַל־ כֵּ֥ן לֹא־ נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לִנְגֹּ֥עַ אֵלֶֽיהָ׃ hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yō·mer ’ê·lāw ba·ḥă·lōm gam ’ā·nō·ḵî yā·ḏa‘·tî kî ‘ā·śî·ṯā zōṯ ḇə·ṯām- lə·ḇā·ḇə·ḵā ’ā·nō·ḵî gam- wā·’eḥ·śōḵ ’ō·wṯ·ḵā mê·ḥă·ṭōw- lî ‘al- kên lō- nə·ṯat·tî·ḵā lin·gō·a‘ ’ê·le·hā — WLC · 6
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς καθ’ ὕπνον κἀγὼ ἔγνων ὅτι ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ ἐποίησας τοῦτο, καὶ ἐφεισάμην ἐγώ σου τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν σε εἰς ἐμέ· ἕνεκεν τούτου οὐκ ἀφῆκά σε ἅψασθαι αὐτῆς. — LXX Swete · 6
7
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.”
וְעַתָּ֗ה הָשֵׁ֤ב הָאִישׁ֙ אֵֽשֶׁת־ כִּֽי־ ה֔וּא נָבִ֣יא וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל בַּֽעַדְךָ֖ וֶֽחְיֵ֑ה וְאִם־ אֵֽינְךָ֣ מֵשִׁ֗יב דַּ֚ע כִּי־ מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת אַתָּ֖ה וְכָל־ אֲשֶׁר־ לָֽךְ׃ wə·‘at·tāh hā·šêḇ hā·’îš ’ê·šeṯ- kî- hū nā·ḇî wə·yiṯ·pal·lêl ba·‘aḏ·ḵā weḥ·yêh wə·’im- ’ê·nə·ḵā mê·šîḇ da‘ kî- mō·wṯ tā·mūṯ ’at·tāh wə·ḵāl ’ă·šer- lāḵ — WLC · 7
νῦν δὲ ἀπόδος τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅτι προφήτης ἐστὶν καὶ προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ, καὶ ζήσῃ· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποδίδως, γνῶθι ὅτι ἀποθανῇ σὺ καὶ πάντα τὰ σά. — LXX Swete · 7
8
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…
בַּבֹּ֗קֶר אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם וַיִּקְרָא֙ לְכָל־ עֲבָדָ֔יו וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־ בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם כָּל־ הָאֵ֖לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ מְאֹֽד׃ bab·bō·qer ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ way·yaš·kêm way·yiq·rā lə·ḵāl ‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw way·ḏab·bêr ’eṯ- bə·’ā·zə·nê·hem kāl- hā·’êl·leh had·də·ḇā·rîm hā·’ă·nā·šîm way·yî·rə·’ū mə·’ōḏ — WLC · 8
καὶ ὤρθρισεν Ἀβιμέλεχ τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλησεν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν· ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωπο·ι σφόδρα. — LXX Swete · 8
9
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.”
אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ וַיִּקְרָ֨א לְאַבְרָהָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ מֶֽה־ עָשִׂ֤יתָ לָּ֙נוּ֙ וּמֶֽה־ חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־ הֵבֵ֧אתָ גְדֹלָ֑ה חֲטָאָ֣ה עָלַ֛י וְעַל־ מַמְלַכְתִּ֖י עָשִׂ֖יתָ מַעֲשִׂים֙ עִמָּדִֽי׃ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ יֵֽעָשׂ֔וּ ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ way·yiq·rā lə·’aḇ·rā·hām way·yō·mer lōw meh- ‘ā·śî·ṯā lā·nū ū·meh- ḥā·ṭā·ṯî lāḵ kî- hê·ḇê·ṯā ḡə·ḏō·lāh ḥă·ṭā·’āh ‘ā·lay wə·‘al- mam·laḵ·tî ‘ā·śî·ṯā ma·‘ă·śîm ‘im·mā·ḏî ’ă·šer lō- yê·‘ā·śū — WLC · 9
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀβιμέλεχ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας ἡμῖν; μή τι ἡμάρτομεν εἰς σέ, ὅτι ἐπήγαγες ἐπ’ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν μου ἁμαρτίαν μεγάλην; ἔργον ὃ οὐδεὶς ποιήσει πεποίηκάς μοι. — LXX Swete · 9
10
Abimelech also asked… Abraham, “What prompted… you to do such a thing?”
אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־ אַבְרָהָ֑ם מָ֣ה רָאִ֔יתָ כִּ֥י עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־ הַזֶּֽה׃ הַדָּבָ֥ר ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ way·yō·mer ’el- ’aḇ·rā·hām māh rā·’î·ṯā kî ‘ā·śî·ṯā ’eṯ- haz·zeh had·dā·ḇār — WLC · 10
εἶπεν δὲ Ἀριμέλεχ τῷ Ἀβραάμ Τί ἐνιδὼν ἐποίησας τοῦτο; — LXX Swete · 10
11
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.’
אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֣י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אָמַ֗רְתִּי רַ֚ק אֵין־ יִרְאַ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֔ים הַזֶּ֑ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם וַהֲרָג֖וּנִי עַל־ דְּבַ֥ר אִשְׁתִּֽי׃ ’aḇ·rā·hām kî way·yō·mer ’ā·mar·tî raq ’ên- yir·’aṯ ’ĕ·lō·hîm haz·zeh bam·mā·qō·wm wa·hă·rā·ḡū·nî ‘al- də·ḇar ’iš·tî — WLC · 11
εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραάμ Εἶπα γάρ Ἄρα οὐκ ἔστιν θεοσέβεια ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ἐμέ τε ἀποκτενοῦσιν ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικός μου. — LXX Swete · 11
12
Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father— though not the daughter of my mother— and she became my wife.
וְגַם־ הִ֔וא אָמְנָ֗ה אֲחֹתִ֤י בַת־ אָבִי֙ אַ֖ךְ לֹ֣א בַת־ אִמִּ֑י וַתְּהִי־ לִ֖י לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ wə·ḡam- hî ’ā·mə·nāh ’ă·ḥō·ṯî ḇaṯ- ’ā·ḇî ’aḵ lō ḇaṯ- ’im·mî wat·tə·hî- lî lə·’iš·šāh — WLC · 12
καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν ἐκ πατρός, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐκ μητρός· ἐγενήθη δέ μοι εἰς γυναῖκα. — LXX Swete · 12
13
- 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.”’”
וַיְהִ֞י כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר אֱלֹהִים֮ הִתְע֣וּ אֹתִ֗י אָבִי֒ מִבֵּ֣ית וָאֹמַ֣ר לָ֔הּ זֶ֣ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשִׂ֖י חַסְדֵּ֔ךְ עִמָּדִ֑י אֶ֤ל כָּל־ הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָב֣וֹא שָׁ֔מָּה אִמְרִי־ לִ֖י הֽוּא׃ אָחִ֥י way·hî ka·’ă·šer ’ĕ·lō·hîm hiṯ·‘ū ’ō·ṯî ’ā·ḇî mib·bêṯ wā·’ō·mar lāh zeh ’ă·šer ta·‘ă·śî ḥas·dêḵ ‘im·mā·ḏî ’el kāl- ham·mā·qō·wm ’ă·šer nā·ḇō·w šām·māh ’im·rî- lî hū ’ā·ḥî — WLC · 13
ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἐξήγαγέν με ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ εἶπα αὐτῇ ταύτην τὴν δικαιοσύνην ποίησον ἐπ’ ἐμέ· εἰς πάντα τόπον οὗ ἐὰν κεῖ· εἰπὸν ἐμὲ ὅτι Ἀδελλφός μού ἐστιν. — LXX Swete · 13
14
So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ וַיִּקַּ֨ח צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֗ר וַעֲבָדִים֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לְאַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיָּ֣שֶׁב אֵ֖ת אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ שָׂרָ֥ה ל֔וֹ ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ way·yiq·qaḥ ṣōn ū·ḇā·qār wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥōṯ way·yit·tên lə·’aḇ·rā·hām way·yā·šeḇ ’êṯ ’iš·tōw śā·rāh lōw — WLC · 14
ἔλαβεν δὲ ία δίδραχμα, πρόβατα καὶ μόσχους καὶ παῖδας καὶ παιδίσκας, καὶ ἔδωκεν τῷ Ἀβράμ· καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτῷ Σάρραν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ. — LXX Swete · 14
15
And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please…”
אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה אַרְצִ֖י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ שֵֽׁב׃ בַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ way·yō·mer hin·nêh ’ar·ṣî lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā šêḇ baṭ·ṭō·wḇ bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā — WLC · 15
καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβιμέλεχ τῷ Ἀβραάμ ἰδοὺ ἡ γῆ μου ἐναντίον σου· οὗ ἐάν σοι ἀρέσκῃ κατοίκει. — LXX Swete · 15
16
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.”
אָמַ֗ר וּלְשָׂרָ֣ה הִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֜תִּי לְאָחִ֔יךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אֶ֤לֶף כֶּ֙סֶף֙ הוּא־ לָךְ֙ כְּס֣וּת עֵינַ֔יִם לְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֑ךְ וְאֵ֥ת כֹּ֖ל וְנֹכָֽחַת׃ ’ā·mar ū·lə·śā·rāh hin·nêh nā·ṯat·tî lə·’ā·ḥîḵ hin·nêh ’e·lep̄ ke·sep̄ hū- lāḵ kə·sūṯ ‘ê·na·yim lə·ḵōl ’ă·šer ’it·tāḵ wə·’êṯ kōl wə·nō·ḵā·ḥaṯ — WLC · 16
τῇ δὲ Σάρρᾳ εἶπεν Ἴδου δέδωκα χίλια δίδραχμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· ταῦτα ἔσται σοι εἰς τιμὴν τοῦ προσώπου σου καὶ πάσαις ταῖς μετὰ σοῦ· καὶ πάντα ἀλήθευσον. — LXX Swete · 16
17
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—
אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל אֶל־ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־ וַיִּרְפָּ֨א אֲבִימֶ֧לֶךְ וְאֶת־ אִשְׁתּ֛וֹ וְאַמְהֹתָ֖יו וַיֵּלֵֽדוּ׃ ’aḇ·rā·hām way·yiṯ·pal·lêl ’el- hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm ’ĕ·lō·hîm ’eṯ- way·yir·pā ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ wə·’eṯ- ’iš·tōw wə·’am·hō·ṯāw way·yê·lê·ḏū — WLC · 17
προσηύξατο δὲ Ἀβραάμ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ ἰάσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν Ἀβιμέλεχ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς παιδίσκας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔτεκον· — LXX Swete · 17
18
for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, [[YHWH|the LORD]]… had completely closed… all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
כִּֽי־ עַל־ דְּבַ֥ר אַבְרָהָֽם׃ס אֵ֥שֶׁת שָׂרָ֖ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּעַ֥ד עָצֹ֤ר עָצַר֙ כָּל־ רֶ֖חֶם אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ לְבֵ֣ית kî- ‘al- də·ḇar ’aḇ·rā·hām ’ê·šeṯ śā·rāh Yah·weh bə·‘aḏ ‘ā·ṣōr ‘ā·ṣar kāl- re·ḥem ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ lə·ḇêṯ — WLC · 18
ὅτι συνέκλεισεν κύριος ἔξωθεν πᾶσαν μήτραν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Ἀβιμέλεχ ἕνεκεν Σάρρας τῆς γυναικὸς Ἀβραάμ. — LXX Swete · 18