Genesis 20

Genesis 20:1

Shur

This is a desert region on the eastern border of Egypt.

Genesis 20:2

sent for Sarah and took her

"made his men go get Sarah and bring her to him"

Genesis 20:3

God came to Abimelek

"God appeared to Abimelek"

Behold

"pay attention, because what I am about to say is both true and important: "

you are a dead man

"you will certainly die soon" or "I will kill you"

a man's wife

"a married woman"

Genesis 20:4

Abimelek had not come near her

"Abimelek had not had sexual relations with Sarah"

even a righteous nation

"even a people who are innocent"

Genesis 20:5

Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister?' Even she herself said, 'He is my brother.'

"Did he himself not tell me that she is his sister? Even she herself told me that he is her brother."

I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands

"I have done this with good intentions and actions" or "I have done this with no evil thoughts or actions"

Genesis 20:6

God said to him

"God said to Abimelech"

in the integrity of your heart you did this

"you did this with good intentions" or "you did this without evil intentions"

to touch her

"to sleep with her"

Genesis 20:7

the man's wife

"Abraham's wife"

you will live

"I will let you live"

all who are yours

"all of your people"

Genesis 20:8

He told all these things to them

"He told them everything that God had told him"

Genesis 20:9

What have you done to us?

"You have done something bad to us!" or "Look what you have done to us!"

to us

The word "us" here is exclusive and does not include Abraham and Sarah. If your language uses an exclusive form of "we" or "us," use it here.

How have I sinned against you, that you have brought ... sin?

"I have done nothing against you to cause you to bring ... sin."

on my kingdom

"on the people of my kingdom"

You have done to me deeds that ought not to be done

"You should not have done this to me"

Genesis 20:10

What prompted you to do this thing?

"Why did you tell me that Sarah is your sister?"

Genesis 20:11

Because I thought, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'

"Because I thought that since no one here fears God, someone may kill me so they can take my wife."

fear of God

This means to deeply respect God and show that respect by obeying him.

Genesis 20:12

Besides, she is indeed my sister

"Also, it is true that Sarah is my sister" or "Also, Sarah really is my sister"

the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother

"we have the same father, but we have different mothers"

Genesis 20:13

my father's house

"my father and the rest of my family" or "my father's household"

I said to her, 'You must show me this faithfulness as my wife: At every place where we go, say about me, "He is my brother."'

"I said to Sarah that I wanted her to be faithful to me by telling people everywhere we go that I am her brother"

Genesis 20:14

Abimelek took

"Abimelek brought some"

Genesis 20:15

Abimelek said

"Abimelek said to Abraham"

Look

"Pay attention, because what I am about to say is both true and important"

my land is before you

This is a way of saying "I make all of my land available to you"

Settle wherever it pleases you

"Live wherever you want"

Genesis 20:16

It is to cover any offense against you in the eyes of all who are with you

"I am giving this to him, so that those who are with you will know that you have done nothing wrong"

before everyone, you are completely made right

"everyone will know that you are innocent"

Genesis 20:18

closed all the wombs of the household of Abimelek

"made all the women of Abimelek's household totally unable to have children"

because of Sarah, Abraham's wife

"because Abimelech had taken Abraham's wife Sarah"