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G ENESIS 21
page 19
in the Lord’s presence. 28 He looked out across
the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and
watched as columns of smoke rose from the cities like smoke from a furnace.
29 But God had listened to Abraham’s request
and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.
Lot and His Daughters
30 Afterward Lot left Zoar because he was afraid
of the people there, and he went to live in a cave
in the mountains with his two daughters. 31 One
day the older daughter said to her sister, “There
are no men left anywhere in this entire area,
so we can’t get married like everyone else. And
our father 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
20
19:37 Moab sounds like a Hebrew term that means “from
father.” 19:38 Ben-ammi means “son of my kinsman.”
20:16 Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver, about 25 pounds or
11.4 kilograms in weight. 21:6 The name Isaac means
“he laughs.”
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 any
place where you would like to live.” 16 And he
said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’
1,000 pieces of silver* in the presence of all
these witnesses. This is to compensate you for
any wrong I may have done to you. This will
settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.”
17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God
healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female
servants, so they could have children. 18 For the
Lord had caused all the women to be infertile
because of what happened with Abraham’s
wife, Sarah.
The Birth of Isaac
The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah
exactly what he had promised. 2 She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for
Abraham in his old age. This happened at just
the time God had said it would. 3 And Abraham
named their son Isaac. 4 Eight days after Isaac
was born, Abraham circumcised him as God
had commanded. 5 Abraham was 100 years old
when Isaac was born.
6 And Sarah declared, “God has brought me
laughter.* All who hear about this will laugh
with me. 7 Who would have said to Abraham
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