---
title: Joseph Smith Translation (1867 edition)
description: Genesis from the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), 1867 edition.
authors:
  - Smith, Joseph, Jr.
collections:
  - joseph-smith
tags:
  - translation
published: "1867"
publisher: RLDS Publication Board
publisher_place: Plano, Illinois
publisher_note: "The title page reads: Published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Joseph Smith, I. L. Rogers, E. Robinson, Publishing Committee; 1867."
edition: First edition (Plano, 1867)
language: en
type: book
chapter: 20
verse_count: 19
reference: "Joseph Smith Jr., *Joseph Smith Translation*, first edition (Plano, IL: RLDS Publication Board, 1867), Genesis, chap. 20, https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft
  identifier: holyscripturestr00smituoft
  scan: University of Toronto / Trinity College Library copy, Internet Archive
  transcription: "OCR text of the 1867 scans (Toronto copy and a second copy, holyscriptures00smit), reconciled word by word; Romans was also checked against the page images. Method, per-chapter validation log and known limits: docs/jst-1867-import.md."
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: 1867 US publication
  source: https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft
  publication_year: 1867
---

# Genesis 20

*the father of the children which are Ammonites; the same which are unto this day. Abraham goeth to Gerar Abraham and Sarah reproved by Abimelech.*

**1** And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
**2** And Abraham said again of Sarah his wife, She is my sister.
**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.
**4** And the Lord said unto him, Thou shalt return her unto Abraham, for if thou do it not thou shalt die.
**5** And Abimelech had not come near her; for the Lord had not suffered him.
**6** 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 mine heart, and in the innocency of my hands have I done this.
**7** 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.
**8** 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 return her not to him, know thou that thou shalt surely die; thou and all that are thine.
**9** 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.
**10** 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?
**11** 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?
**12** 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;
**13** 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.
**14** 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.
**15** And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men servants, and womenservants, and gave unto Abraham, and restored unto him Sarah his wife.
**16** And Abimelech said, Behold, my land lieth before thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.
**17** 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.
**18** So Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid servants, and they bare unto him children.
**19** For because of Sarah, Abraham's wife, the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech.