Genesis · Chapter 20

[ edit] Abraham þens gon into þe ſowþ londe, dwellide bitwix Cades and Sur, and he was pilgrym in Gererys; and he ſeide of Sara, his wijf, My ſiſtyr ſhe is. Þanne ſende Abymalech, þe kyng of Gerere, and toke hyr. God forſoþe com to Abymalech bi ſweuyn in þe niȝt, and ſeide to hym, Lo! þow ſhalt die, for þe wijf þat þow haſt takun, for ſhe haþ a man. Abimalech forſoþe had not towchid hir, and ſeiþ, Lord, wheþer an vnkunnynge folk of kynde and a ryȝtwys þow ſhalt ſlee? Seide he not to me, my ſiſtir ſhe is, and ſhe ſeiþ, my broþer he is? In ſymplenes of myn herte, and clennes of myn hondis I dide þis.

And þe Lord ſeide to hym, I knowe þat þurȝ ſymplenes of herte þow didiſt, and þerfor Y kepte þee, þat þow ſhuldiſt not ſynne in me, and I ſuffryde not þat þow ſhuldiſt towche hyr; now þanne ȝelde þe wijf to hir man, for a prophet he is; and he ſhal preie for þee, and þow ſhalt lyue; if ſoþeli þow wolt not ȝeldyn, wite þow þat þurȝ deeþ þow ſhalt die, þow and alle þat ben þin. And anoon of þe nyȝt ryſynge, Abimalech clepide alle his ſeruauntis, and ſpake alle þes wordis in þe eeris of hem; and alle men dredden hem greetli.

Abymalech forſoþe clepide alſo Abraham, and ſeide to hym, What haſt þow don to vs? what han we ſynned in þee, for þow haſt brouȝt ynne vpon me and vpon my rewme a greet ſynne? þingis þat þow ſhuldiſt not do þow haſt don to vs. And eftſonys aſkynge ſeiþ, What haſt þow ſeen þat þat þow ſhuldiſt don?

Abraham anſweryde, I þouȝte wiþ my ſilf, ſeiynge, perauenture þe drede of God is not in þis place, and þei ſhal ſle me for my wijf; ellis forſoþe and verreili my ſiſter ſhe is, þe dowȝter of my fadir, and not þe dowȝter of my modir; and I toke her into a wyif; and ſiþ God led me out fro þe hows of my fadir, I ſeide to hir, Þis mercy þow ſhalt do wiþ me in al place to which we ſhulen go to; þow ſhalt ſey, þat þi broþer Y am. Þanne Abymalech toke ſheep, and oxen, and ſeruauntis, and handmaydens, and ȝaue to Abraham; and ȝildide to hym Sara, his wijf, and ſeiþ, Þe lond is bifore ȝow; where euer it ſhal pleſe to þee, dwel.

And to Sara he ſeide, Lo! a þowſynd pens of ſiluer I haue ȝouun to þi broþer; þis ſhal be to þee into veyl of eyen to alle þat ben wiþ þee; and whidir euer þow ſhalt gon, haue mynde þee otaken. Abraham forſoþe preiynge, God helide Abymalech, and wijf, and hand maydenes of hym, and beren child; God forſoþe had cloſid al þe womb of þe hows of Abymalech, for Sara, Abrahams wijf.