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Chapter 20 records an event in the life of Abraham when he left the mountains of Canaan and journeyed south to Ger-ar about 20 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, There he met King Abimeleck, King of Ger-ar (Philistra). Sarah was a beautiful woman and Abraham was afraid that the king would kill him to get Sarah so he told the king that Sarah was his sister. The king took Sarah into his palace. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and told him that Sarah was a married woman and he was as good as dead. Abimelech replied, "Would you kill an innocent man?" The Lord then told Abimelech to restore Sarah to Abraham and if Abraham would pray for him, He would allow him to live.
The next morning Abimelech did as God had told him and questioned Abraham about why he lied about his wife. Abraham explained that he was afraid that Abimelech would kill him to get to Sarah. It would appear in verse 13 that Sarah had agreed to this before they left the city of Ur as a "kindness" to Abraham. The Hebrew word translated "kindness" means a jester showing courtesy to an equal.
Abimelech restored Sarah and gave Abraham gifts of sheep, oxen and male and female slaves. He also gave him permission to dwell wherever he wanted on the king's land. Then Abraham prayed and the king's household was healed.
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