Genesis 21:26

26 And Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor * did I hear of it until today."

Genesis 21:26 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 21:26

And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing
He pleads ignorance; he knew nothing of it before, nor now which of his servants had done it; intimating, that if he could know who it was, he should severely reprimand him for it: neither didst thou tell me:
signifying that he was to blame he did not complain of it sooner; and at least he had no reason to blame him, since he had never informed him before of it, and therefore could not expect to be redressed: neither yet heard [of it] but today:
he had not heard of it from others, as the Targum of Jonathan rightly adds, by way of explanation, but that very day, and very probably not till the moment he had it from Abraham himself.

Genesis 21:26 In-Context

24 Abraham said, "I swear it."
25 But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized.
26 And Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today."
27 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.
28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

Footnotes 1

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