Episode 6: Abraham repeats the "She's my sister" lie

(Genesis 20)

20 ¹ Abraham and Sarah traveled to the south country of Gerar. ² When they arrived, Abraham told king Abimelech, that Sarah was his sister. And Abimelech had Sarah brought to him.

God threatens to kill Abimelech and his people

³ God came to Abimelech in a dream that night, and said,

You are a dead man. Because the woman you have taken is another man's wife.

^4-5 But Abimelech (who hadn't come near Sarah), said, "But they said she was his sister."

6 God said,

I know you didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I stopped you from sinning against me by touching her.

⁷ Give Sarah back to Abraham. He'll pray for you, and I won't kill you.

If you don't, I'll kill you and all your people.

⁹ Abimelech called Abraham, and said, "Why did you lie to me about your wife?"

¹¹ Abraham said, "Because I thought you'd kill me to get my wife."

Abraham says it was only a half lie

¹² Abraham said to king Abimelech,

She is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother.

¹³ I ask Sarah to tell people she is my sister when we are away from home.

^14-16 Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, along with sheep, oxen, slaves, and a thousand pieces of silver.

God opens all the wombs in Abimelech's house

^17-18 Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female slaves, so that they all bare children. (God had "closed all the wombs" in Abimelech's house, because he believed Abe's lie about Sarah.)