XXXII.


Then the brother of Aron set out with his wife to take 2620
his possessions and his household to Abimelech. Abra-
ham told all men that Sarra was his sister, [and] thus
preserved his life by his words: he knew very well that 2625
he had few relatives and friends among that people.
Then the king sent his ministers and bade them bring
to him [the wife of Abraham].[36] Thus for the second
time in a foreign land, the wife of Abraham was taken 2630
from her husband to the embrace of a stranger. Then
the eternal Lord assisted him, as he had often done:
our Preserver came himself by night to where the king
lay drunken with wine. Thereupon the Lord of Truth 2635
began to speak to the king through a dream, and threat-
ened him in wrath:

"Thou hast taken Abraham's wife, his bride from the
hero; for that deed death shall tear thy soul from thy
breast!"

To him thus the sinner, gorged with feasting, replied 2640
in his sleep:

"What! Wilt Thou ever, High King of the Angels,