Genesis 21:22-34

A Treaty with Abimelech

22 At that time ¹Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, ²"God is with you in all that you do.

23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but ³as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned."

24 And Abraham said, "I will swear."

25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants ⁴had seized,

26 Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today."

27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men ⁵made a covenant.

28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.

29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?"

30 He said, "These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this^[a] may be a witness for me that I dug this well."

31 Therefore ⁶that place was called Beersheba,^[b] because there both of them swore an oath.

32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.

33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and ⁷called there on the name of the LORD, ⁸the Everlasting God.

34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

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.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 20:2; [Genesis 26:1, 26]
• 2. [Genesis 26:28]
• 3. Genesis 20:14
• 4. [Genesis 26:15, 18, 20-22]
• 5. Genesis 26:31
• 6. Genesis 26:33
• 7. Genesis 4:26; Genesis 12:8
• 8. Isaiah 40:28; [Psalms 90:2]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or you
• [b]. Beersheba means well of seven or well of the oath