Book of Jasher, Chapter 20 — Abraham in Gerar; Abimelech Takes Sarah and Is Warned by the Angel
1And at that time Abraham journeyed from the plain of Mamre, and he went to the land of the Philistines, and he dwelt in Gerar; it was in the twenty-fifth year of Abraham's being in the land of Canaan, and the hundredth year of the life of Abraham, that he came to Gerar in the land of the Philistines.
2And when they entered the land, he said to Sarah his wife, Say you are my sister to anyone who asks you, so that we may escape the evil of the inhabitants of the land.
3And as Abraham was dwelling in the land of the Philistines, the servants of Abimelech, king of the Philistines, saw that Sarah was exceedingly beautiful; and they asked Abraham about her, and he said, She is my sister.
4And the servants of Abimelech went to Abimelech, saying, A man from the land of Canaan has come to dwell in the land, and he has a sister who is exceedingly fair.
5And Abimelech heard the words of his servants, who praised Sarah to him; and Abimelech sent his officers, and they brought Sarah to the king.
6And Sarah came to the house of Abimelech; and the king saw that Sarah was beautiful, and she pleased him exceedingly.
7And he approached her and said to her, What is that man to you, with whom you came to our land? And Sarah answered and said, He is my brother, and we came from the land of Canaan to dwell wherever we could find a place.
8And Abimelech said to Sarah, Behold, my land is before you: settle your brother in any part of this land that pleases you, and it will be our duty to exalt and elevate him above all the people of the land, since he is your brother.
9And Abimelech sent for Abraham, and Abraham came to Abimelech.
10And Abimelech said to Abraham, Behold, I have given orders that you shall be honored as you desire, on account of your sister Sarah.
11And Abraham went out from the king, and the king's present followed him.
12And at evening time, before men lie down to rest, the king was sitting upon his throne; and a deep sleep fell upon him, and he lay upon the throne and slept until morning.
13And he dreamed that an angel of the Lord came to him with a drawn sword in his hand; and the angel stood over Abimelech and wished to slay him with the sword; and the king was terrified in his dream, and said to the angel, In what have I sinned against you, that you come to slay me with your sword?
14And the angel answered and said to Abimelech, Behold, you die on account of the woman you brought to your house last night, for she is a married woman — the wife of Abraham, the man who came to your house. Now return the man his wife, for she is his wife; and if you do not return her, know that you will surely die, you and all who belong to you.
15And on that night there was a great outcry in the land of the Philistines; and the inhabitants of the land saw the figure of a man standing with a drawn sword in his hand, and he struck the inhabitants of the land with the sword — and he continued to strike them.
16And the angel of the Lord struck the whole land of the Philistines that night, and there was great confusion that night and on the following morning.
17And every womb was closed, and every issue; and the hand of the Lord was upon them on account of Sarah, the wife of Abraham, whom Abimelech had taken.
18And in the morning Abimelech rose in terror and confusion and great dread; and he sent and had his servants called in, and he related his dream to them, and the people were greatly afraid.
19And one man standing among the servants of the king answered the king, saying, O sovereign king, restore this woman to her husband, for he is her husband; for the like happened to the king of Egypt when this man came to Egypt.
20And he said of his wife, She is my sister — for such is his way of doing when he comes to dwell in a land where he is a stranger.
21And Pharaoh sent and took that woman as a wife, and the Lord brought grievous plagues upon him until he returned the woman to her husband.
22Now therefore, O sovereign king, know what happened this night to the whole land — for there was very great consternation, and great pain and lamentation, and we know that it was on account of the woman you took.
23Now therefore restore this woman to her husband, lest it befall us as it did Pharaoh king of Egypt and his subjects, and we die. And Abimelech hurried and had Sarah called, and she came before him; and he had Abraham called, and he came before him.
24And Abimelech said to them, What is this you have done, saying you are brother and sister — so that I took this woman as a wife?
25And Abraham said, Because I thought I would suffer death on account of my wife. And Abimelech took flocks and herds, and menservants and maidservants, and a thousand pieces of silver, and he gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah to him.
26And Abimelech said to Abraham, Behold, the whole land is before you: dwell in it wherever you choose.
27And Abraham and Sarah his wife went out from the king's presence with honor and respect, and they dwelt in the land, in Gerar.
28And all the inhabitants of the land of the Philistines and the king's servants were still in pain from the plague that the angel had inflicted upon them the whole night, on account of Sarah.
29And Abimelech sent for Abraham, saying, Pray now for your servants to the Lord your God, that he may take this deadly affliction from among us.
30And Abraham prayed on account of Abimelech and his subjects; and the Lord heard the prayer of Abraham, and he healed Abimelech and all his subjects.