*
Abraham journeyed towards the south-country…
Passing between Kadesh and Sur he entered into Gerar.
*
Abimelech, the king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
*
That night, God came to Abimelech, in a dream, and said,
“You are a dead-man!
The woman you took is the wife of my prophet.
You must restore Sarah to Abraham
before you and all your people are slain.”
*
Abimelech replied, “Lord, you would slay the righteous?
Did Sarah, herself, not say that Abraham was her brother?
My heart retains its integrity, my hands their innocence.”
*
The next morning Abimelech called Abraham before him and said,
“What did you see here that prompted you to do this?”
Abraham replied, “Sarah is my sister, she is the daughter of my father
though not the daughter of my mother.”
*
Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “my land is open to you,
you may dwell within it wherever you please.”
And to Sarah, “I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver,
henceforth, let him be a covering of the eyes for all those who see you.”
*
