page_title: Wife–sister narratives in the Book of Genesis
section_title: Abraham and Abimelech
hierarchical_section_title: Wife–sister narratives in the Book of Genesis / Synopsis of the three narratives / Abraham and Abimelech
context_page_description: There are three wife-sister narratives in Genesis, part of the Torah, all of which are strikingly similar. The narratives occur in Genesis 12, 20 and 26. At the core of each is the story of a Biblical Patriarch, who has come to be in the land of a powerful foreign overlord who misidentifies the Patriarch's wife as the Patriarch's sister, and consequently attempts to wed her himself. The overlord later finds out his error. Two of the three stories are similar in many other details, including the ruler's name, Abimelech.
context_section_description: Genesis 20:1-16 narrates the story of  Abraham emigrating to the southern region of Gerar, whose king is named Abimelech.  Abraham states that Sarah, his wife, is really his sister, leading Abimelech to try to take Sarah as a wife; however, God intervened before Abimelech touched Sarah.  Abimelech complains to Abraham, who states that Sarah is his half-sister.
  Abimelech then restores Sarah to Abraham, and gives him gifts of livestock and servants by way of apology, and also allows Abraham to reside anywhere in Gerar. Abimelech also gives 1000 pieces of silver to Abraham to reprove Sarah by a "covering of the eyes". Abraham then prays for Abimelech and the king and his wife and concubines are able to conceive children; they previously could not.
caption: Abimelech rebuking Abraham by Wenceslas Hollar. Abimelech asks Abraham, "What has thou done unto us?"
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