Midrash sobre Génesis 20:4

(Gen. 20:4:) NOW ABIMELECH HAD NOT APPROACHED < HER >. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, everyone is equal before you. Job has said (in Job 9:22): IT IS ALL ONE … HE DESTROYS THE INNOCENT AND THE WICKED. (Gen. 20:4:) WOULD YOU SLAY EVEN THE RIGHTEOUS GENTILE? In the case of the Sodomites, when they had not sinned before you, would you have destroyed them? So with me, when I have not sinned before you, would you slay me? (Gen. 20:4f.:) WOULD YOU SLAY EVEN THE RIGHTEOUS? DID HE NOT SAY TO ME: SHE IS MY SISTER?… I DID THIS WITH AN INNOCENT HEART AND CLEAN HANDS. Moreover, I did not believe it until I had asked her (in vs. 5, cont.), BUT EVEN SHE HERSELF SAID: HE IS MY BROTHER. Still I did not believe it until I had asked her donkey and camel drivers, and they said: She is his sister.¹⁰⁰The Buber text has “my sister.” (Gen. 20:6:) THEN GOD SAID UNTO HIM IN THE DREAM: I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE THIS WITH AN INNOCENT HEART. The Holy One said: In one way you are blameless, but in one way you have lied. Your innocent heart is here (in this text); your clean hands are not here. You know that this is so. "With clean hands" is not what is written here but WITH AN INNOCENT HEART. The Holy One said to him. You have desired to sin against me, BUT I, EVEN I, SAVED YOU FROM SINNING AGAINST ME. They said about this ABIMELECH that he was proper in that he did not touch her. Our masters have said: It was good for him that it is so written (in Gen. 20:4): NOW ABIMELECH HAD NOT APPROACHED HER. Abimelech said: Sovereign of the World, to be sure, you are persuaded¹⁰¹Gk. peitho. that I did not touch her. Who will persuade her husband that I did not touch her?¹⁰²Gen. R. 52:8. The Holy One said to him: What do you care about persuasion?¹⁰³Gk. peisis. He knows. Why? Because he is a prophet, as stated (in Gen. 20:7): SO NOW, RESTORE THE MAN'S WIFE, FOR HE IS A PROPHET. If he prays for you, you shall live; (ibid.): BUT IF YOU DO NOT RESTORE HER, KNOW THAT YOU SHALL DIE. Blessed are the righteous, for so the Holy One glorifies them.

And Abimelech became impotent, and all the women of his house became barren, even || to the smallest insect (which also became) barren, as it is said, "For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech" (Gen. 20:18). And the angel Michael descended and drew his sword against him. Abimelech said to him: Is this a true judgment and a true sentence to slay me as long as I had no knowledge? "Wilt thou slay even a righteous nation?" (Gen. 20:4). He said unto him: "Restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet" (Gen. 20:7). "And he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live" (ibid.).