Genesis 20

Read on churchofjesuschrist.org (with footnotes)

1And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 1

And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
IV v. 1 (Inspired Version, 1867)

2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 2

And Abraham said again of Sarah, his wife, She is my sister.
IV v. 2 (Inspired Version, 1867)

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 3

And Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said unto him, Behold, thou hast taken a woman which is not thine own; for she is Abraham's wife.
IV v. 3 (Inspired Version, 1867)

4But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 4

And Abimelech had not come near her, for the Lord had not suffered him.
IV v. 5 (Inspired Version, 1867)

5Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 5

And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay me and also a righteous nation? Behold, said he not unto me, She is my sister? And she, even she herself, said, He is my brother. And in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
IV v. 6 (Inspired Version, 1867)

6And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 6

And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst do this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me; therefore suffered I not thee to touch her.
IV v. 7 (Inspired Version, 1867)

7Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 7

Now, therefore, restore the man's wife to him, for he is a prophet; and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not to him, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.
IV v. 8 (Inspired Version, 1867)

8Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 8

Therefore, Abimelech arose early in the morning, and called his servants, and told all these things in their ears; and the men were sore afraid.
IV v. 9 (Inspired Version, 1867)

9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 9

Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And in what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?
IV v. 10 (Inspired Version, 1867)

10And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 10

Thou hast done things unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
IV v. 11 (Inspired Version, 1867)

11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 11

And Abraham said, Because I thought assuredly the fear of God was not in this place and they would slay me for my wife's sake;
IV v. 12 (Inspired Version, 1867)

12And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 12

And yet, indeed, she was my sister; she was the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
IV v. 13 (Inspired Version, 1867)

13And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 13

And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This shall be thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me: At every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
IV v. 14 (Inspired Version, 1867)

14And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 14

And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and menservants and women servants, and gave unto Abraham, and restored unto him Sarah his wife.
IV v. 15 (Inspired Version, 1867)

15And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 15

And Abimelech said, Behold, my land lieth before thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.
IV v. 16 (Inspired Version, 1867)

16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 16

And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, he shall give unto thee a covering of the eyes, and it shall be a token unto all that thou mayest not be taken again from Abraham, thy husband. And thus she was reproved.
IV v. 17 (Inspired Version, 1867)

17So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 17

So Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they bare unto him children.
IV v. 18 (Inspired Version, 1867)

18For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 18

For because of Sarah, Abraham's wife, the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech.
IV v. 19 (Inspired Version, 1867)

Also cited in commentary

1 Kings 22 — The Throne Above the Thrones — Four Hundred Prophets, One Micaiah, the Lying Spirit, and the Arrow That Kept the Word
- The arrow at a venture
Job 42 — Now Mine Eye Seeth Thee — Job Repents by Encounter, God Vindicates His Servant Over the Friends, Job Prays for Those Who Wronged Him, and the Latter End Is Blessed More Than the Beginning
- The accused becomes the mediator
Nehemiah 2 — The Prayer Between the Question and the Answer — Nehemiah's Sad Face, the Arrow Prayer, the Good Hand of God, and the Night Ride to the Ruined Wall
- The prayer between the question and the answer
Abraham 2 — Get Thee Out — Terah's Relapse, the Covenant at Haran, and the Convert Accounted as Abraham's Seed
- Down into Egypt
- How this chapter changes the reader

Cross-references are extracted from the project’s chapter essays — every link below points back into the original prose.

Public-domain text. The modern LDS edition with footnotes and chapter summaries is available on churchofjesuschrist.org ↗.

Study

Joseph Smith Translation

v. 1
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
v. 2
And Abraham said again of Sarah, his wife, She is my sister.
v. 3
And Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said unto him, Behold, thou hast taken a woman which is not thine own; for she is Abraham's wife.
v. 4
And Abimelech had not come near her, for the Lord had not suffered him.
v. 5
And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay me and also a righteous nation? Behold, said he not unto me, She is my sister? And she, even she herself, said, He is my brother. And in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
v. 6
And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst do this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me; therefore suffered I not thee to touch her.
v. 7
Now, therefore, restore the man's wife to him, for he is a prophet; and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not to him, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.
v. 8
Therefore, Abimelech arose early in the morning, and called his servants, and told all these things in their ears; and the men were sore afraid.
v. 9
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And in what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?
v. 10
Thou hast done things unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
v. 11
And Abraham said, Because I thought assuredly the fear of God was not in this place and they would slay me for my wife's sake;
v. 12
And yet, indeed, she was my sister; she was the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
v. 13
And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This shall be thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me: At every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
v. 14
And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and menservants and women servants, and gave unto Abraham, and restored unto him Sarah his wife.
v. 15
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land lieth before thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.
v. 16
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, he shall give unto thee a covering of the eyes, and it shall be a token unto all that thou mayest not be taken again from Abraham, thy husband. And thus she was reproved.
v. 17
So Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they bare unto him children.
v. 18
For because of Sarah, Abraham's wife, the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech.
insertion after v. 3
And the Lord said unto him, Thou shalt return her unto Abraham; for if thou do it not, thou shalt die.