DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible - Flipbook - Page 44
G enesis 20
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will soon be too old to have children. 32 Come, let’s get him drunk with wine,
and then we will have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family
line through our father.”
33 So that night they got him drunk with wine, and the older daughter
went in and had intercourse with her father. He was unaware of her lying
down or getting up again.
34 The next morning the older daughter said to her younger sister, “I had
sex with our father last night. Let’s get him drunk with wine again tonight,
and you go in and have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family
line through our father.” 35 So that night they got him drunk with wine again,
and the younger daughter went in and had intercourse with him. As before,
he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.
36 As a result, both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their own father.
37 When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab.* He
became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. 38 When the
younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi.* He became
the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites.
Abraham Deceives Abimelech
Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between
Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there
as a foreigner, 2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my
sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to
him at his palace.
3 But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are
a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!”
4 But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you
destroy an innocent nation? 5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And
she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My
hands are clean.”
6 In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why
I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her.
7 Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is
a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be
sure that you and all your people will die.”
8 Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?”
he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like
this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should
ever do what you have done! 10 Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”
11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want
my wife and will kill me to get her.’ 12 And she really is my sister, for we both
have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 13 When God
called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told
her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”
14 Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and goats, cattle, and male and
female servants, and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his
wife, Sarah, to him. 15 Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose
20
19:37 Moab sounds like a Hebrew term that means “from father.” 19:38 Ben-ammi means
“son of my kinsman.”
