CAP. XX.
[verse 1] Abraham thens gon into the sowth londe, dwellide bitwix Cades and Sur, [verse 2] and he was pilgrym in Gererys; and he seide of [to DF.] Sara, his wijf, My sistyr she is. Thanne sende [sent BDEFH.] Abymalech, the kyng of Gerere, and toke hyr. [verse 3] God forsothe com to Abymalech bi sweuyn in the niȝt, and seide to hym, Lo! thow shalt die, for the wijf that thow hast takun, for [forsothe BDEFH.] she hath a man. [verse 4] Abimalech forsothe had not towchid hir, and seith, Lord, whether an vnkunnynge folk of kynde and a ryȝtwys thow shalt slee? [verse 5] Seide he not to me, my sistir she [ȝe sche D.] is, and she seith, my brother he is? In symplenes of myn herte, and clennes of myn hondis I dide this. [verse 6] And the Lord seide to hym, I knowe that thurȝ symplenes of herte thow didist, and therfor Y kepte thee, that thow shuldist not synne in me, and I suffryde not that [verse 7] thow shuldist towche hyr; now thanne ȝelde the wijf to hir man, for a prophet he is; and he shal preie for thee, and thow shalt lyue; if sotheli thow wolt not ȝeldyn, wite thow [Om. BDEFH.] that thurȝ deeth thow shalt die, thow and alle that ben thin. [verse 8] And anoon of the nyȝt rysynge, Abimalech clepide alle his seruauntis, and spake alle thes wordis in the eeris of hem; and alle men dredden hem greetli. [verse 9] Abymalech forsothe clepide also Abra|ham, and seide to hym, What hast thow don to vs? what han we synned in thee, for thow hast brouȝt ynne vpon me and vpon my rewme a greet synne? thingis that thow shuldist not do thow hast don to vs. [verse 10] And eftsonys askynge seith, What hast thow seen that that [Om. BE.] thow shuldist don? [verse 11] Abraham answeryde, I thouȝte with my silf, seiynge, perauenture the drede of God is not in this place, and thei shal [verse 12] sle me for my wijf; ellis forsothe and verreili my sister she is, the dowȝter of my fadir, and not the dowȝter of my mo|dir; [verse 13] and I toke her into a [Om. BDEFH.] wyif; and
