Isaac and Rebekah in Gerar

1There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that had been in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.

2Then Yahweh appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Dwell in the land that I will tell you.”

3Stay in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

4And I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens, and I will give to your offspring all these lands, and in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

5because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6So Isaac stayed in Gerar.

7When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” lest the men of the place kill me because of Rebekah, because she was beautiful in appearance.

8And it happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out through the window and saw, and behold, Isaac was laughing with Rebekah his wife.

9So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Surely, she is your wife! So how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

10And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

11Then Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”