Genesis 21:22-34

New American Standard Bible

Covenant with Abimelech

²² Now it came about at that time that ^(A)Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “^(B)God is with you in all that you do; ²³ so now, ^(C)swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my descendants, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have resided.” ²⁴ Abraham said, “I swear it.” ²⁵ But Abraham ^[a]complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech ^(D)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 ^[b]until today.”

²⁷ So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and ^(E)the two of them made a covenant. ²⁸ But Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. ²⁹ Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?” ³⁰ He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a ^(F)witness for me, that I dug this well.” ³¹ Therefore he called that place ^[c](G)Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath. ³² So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, got up and returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³ Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there ^(H)he called on the name of the Lord, the ^(I)Everlasting God. ³⁴ And Abraham resided ^(J)in the land of the Philistines for many days.