Genesis 21:22-34

Abraham's Covenant with Abimelech

22 At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do.

23 Now swear to me here by God that you will not break an agreement with me or with my children and descendants. As I have kept faith with you, so you will keep faith with me and with the country where you are a resident alien."

24 And Abraham said, "I swear [it]."

25 But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the water well that Abimelech's servants had seized.

26 Abimelech replied, "I don't know who did this thing. You didn't report anything to me, so I hadn't heard about it until today."

27 Then Abraham took sheep and cattle^[a] and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.

28 But Abraham had set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock.

29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, "Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?"

30 He replied, "You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand so that this act^[b] will serve as my witness that I dug this well."

31 Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba^[c] because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.

32 After they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.

33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he worshiped^[d] ^[e] the Lord, the Everlasting God.

34 And Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines for many days.

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Genesis 21:22-34 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 21

This chapter gives an account of the conception, birth, circumcision, and weaning of Isaac, Ge 21:1-8; of the mocking of Ishmael, and of the casting out of him and his mother from Abraham's house, at the request of Sarah, which, though grievous to Abraham, he complied with at the direction of God, Ge 21:9-13; of the provision Abraham made for their departure, and of the supply they met with in the wilderness from God, where Ishmael was brought up, and where he married, Ge 21:14-21; and of a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech, king of Gerar, Ge 21:22-32; and of Abraham's planting a grove, and calling on the name of the Lord, Ge 21:33; and the chapter is closed with this observation, that Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days, Ge 21:34.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 5

[a]. A covenant or treaty was regularly ratified by animal sacrifice (Gn 8:20-9:9; 15:9-17; Ex 24:8) and often involved an exchange of gifts (1 Kg 15:19; Hs 12:1). The animals here could serve both purposes.
[b]. Lit that it
[c]. Seven Wells, or Well of the Oath
[d]. Or proclaimed or invoked the name of; lit called on the name of
[e]. Gn 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 26:25