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.