Genesis 21:29

29 and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”

Genesis 21:29 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
English Standard Version (ESV)
29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?"
New Living Translation (NLT)
29 Abimelech asked, “Why have you set these seven apart from the others?”
The Message Bible (MSG)
29 Abimelech said, "What does this mean? These seven sheep you've set aside."
American Standard Version (ASV)
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
29 Abimelech asked him, "What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have set apart?"
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, "Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?"
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
29 Abimelech asked Abraham, "What's the meaning of these seven female lambs? Why have you taken them out and put them by themselves?"

Genesis 21:29 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 21:29

And Abimelech said unto Abraham
Observing what he had done, and not knowing the design of it: what [mean] these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
he understood what the sheep and oxen were for, that they were presents to him, at least some of them, and the rest were for the solemnizing and ratifying the covenant between them; but what these were for he could not devise.

Genesis 21:29 In-Context

27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.
28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock,
29 and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”
30 He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.”
31 So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.
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