the Fourth Week of Advent
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George Lamsa Translation
Genesis 20
1 AND Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and settled between Rakim and Gadar, and Abraham sojourned in Gadar.2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; and Abimeleck king of Gadar sent and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimeleck in a dream by night and said to him, Behold, you will die on account of the woman whom you have taken; for she is another mans wife.4 But Abimeleck had not touched her; and he said, O LORD, wilt thou slay an innocent people?5 Behold, he said, She is my sister; and she herself also said, He is my brother; in the innocence of my heart and purity of my hands have I done this.6 And God said to him in a dream, Yea, I know that you have done this in the innocence of your heart; for I also restrained you from sinning against me; therefore I did not permit you to touch her.7 Now therefore restore the mans wife, for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shall live; but if you do not restore her, then know that you will surely die, you, and all your family.
8 Therefore Abimeleck rose early in the morning and called all of his servants and told them all these words; and the men were exceedingly afraid.9 Then Abimeleck called Abraham and said to him, What have I done to you? and what crime have I committed against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom such a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.10 And Abimeleck said to Abraham, What induced you to do this thing?11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, perhaps there is no fear of God in this country; and they will slay me for my wifes sake.12 And yet truly she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.13 And it came to pass when God brought me forth out of my fathers house, I said to her, This is the favor which you shall do to me; at every place whither we shall go, say of me, He is my brother.
14 And Abimeleck took sheep and oxen and male and female servants and gave them to Abraham and restored to him Sarah his wife.15 Then Abimeleck said to Abraham, Behold, my land is before you; dwell wherever you please.16 And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother; behold, it is given for you, because you have been humbled in the eyes of my people, and because of the other things for which I have reproved you.17 So Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimeleck and his wife and his maidservants, and they bore children.18 For the LORD had fast closed up the wombs of all women in the household of Abimeleck because of Sarah, Abrahams wife.