¶ Abraham went as a straūger in to the lande of Ge¦rar. The kynge of Gerar taketh away his wyfe.
CAPI. XX.
[ A] ANd Abraham departed thence towarde the south country and dwelled betwene Cades and Sur and soiourned in Ge∣rar. And Abraham sayd of Sara his wyfe that she was his syster. Than Abimelech kyng of Gerar sent and fet Sara awaye.
And God came to Abimelech by nyghte in a dreame and sayd to hym: Se, thou arte but a deed man for the womans sake whiche thou hast taken awaye, for she is a mannes wyfe. But Abimelech had not yet come nye her / and therfore sayd: Lorde, wylte thou sleye rygh∣tous people? sayd not he vnto me, that she was his syster? yea, and sayde not she her selfe that he was her brother? with a pure herte [ B] and innocent handes haue I doone this. And God sayde vnto hym in a dreame. I wote it well that thou dydest it in the purenesse of thy herte. And therfore I kepte the that thou shol∣dest not synne agaynste me / neyther suffred I the to come nyghe her. Now therfore delyuer to the man his wyfe agayne / for he is a Pro∣phete. And lette hym praye for the that thou mayste lyue. But yf thou delyuer her not a∣gayne / be sure that thou shalte dye the deth / with all that thou hast.
Then Abimelech rose vp be tymes in the mornynge, and called all his seruauntes / and toide all these thynges in theyr cares / and the [ C] men were sore afrayde. And Abimelech called Abraham and sayd vnto hym: what hast thou done vnto vs, & what haue I offended the, that thou sholdest brynge on me and on my kyng∣dome so greate a synne? thou hast doone dedes vnto me that ought not to be done. And Abi∣melech sayd moreouer vnto Abraham: what sawest thou that moued the to do this thyng?
And Abraham answered. I thought that per¦aduenture the feare of God was not in this place / & that they sholde sley me for my wyfes sake: yet in very dede she is my sister, the dough¦ter of my father / but not of my mother: and became my wyfe. And after God caused me to wandre out of my fathers house / I sayd vnto [ D] her: This kyndnes shalt thou shewe vnto me in all places where we come, that thou saye of me, that I am thy brother.
Then toke Abimelech shepe and oxen / men seruaūtes / and women seruaūtes & gaue them vnto Abraham / and delyuered hym Sara his wyfe agayne. And Abimelech sayd: beholde the land lyeth before the / dwell where it plea∣seth the best. And vnto Sara he sayd: Se, I haue gyuen thy brother a thousande peces of syluer / beholde this thyng shall be a couerynge to thyne eyes, and vnto all that are with the / and vnto all men an excuse.
And so Abraham prayed vnto God / & God healed Abimelech and his wyfe & his maydens so that they bare chyldren. For the Lorde had closed to all the matryces of the house of Abi∣melech, bycause of Sara Abrahams wyfe.