Genesis 21:29

29 And Abimelech said to him, What will these seven ewe lambs (mean) to themselves, which thou madest stand asides half? (And Abimelech said to him, What mean ye with these seven ewe lambs, which thou hast made to stand aside?)

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 And so Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave to Abimelech, and both smote together a bond of peace. (And Abraham took some sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech, and they made a covenant together.)
28 And (then) Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock asides half.
29 And Abimelech said to him, What will these seven ewe lambs (mean) to themselves, which thou madest stand asides half? (And Abimelech said to him, What mean ye with these seven ewe lambs, which thou hast made to stand aside?)
30 And he said, Thou shalt take of mine hand seven ewe lambs, that those be into witnessing to me, for I digged this well. (And he said, Take thou these seven ewe lambs from me, and by accepting them, thou agreeth that I have dug this well.)
31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba, (that is, The Well of the Oath ,) for ever either swore there;
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.