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Genesis 21:22-34
New International Version
Genesis 21:22-34
New International Version
The Treaty at Beersheba
22 At that time Abimelek(A) and Phicol the commander of his forces(B) said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.(C) 23 Now swear(D) to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants.(E) Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”(F)
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.(G) 26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”
27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.(H) 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(I) that I dug this well.(J)”
31 So that place was called Beersheba,[a](K) because the two men swore an oath(L) there.
32 After the treaty(M) had been made at Beersheba,(N) Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces(O) returned to the land of the Philistines.(P) 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree(Q) in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord,(R) the Eternal God.(S) 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines(T) for a long time.
Footnotes
- Genesis 21:31 Beersheba can mean well of seven and well of the oath.
Genesis 21:22-34
King James Version
Genesis 21:22-34
King James Version
22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
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Genesis 21:22-34
New King James Version
Genesis 21:22-34
New King James Version
A Covenant with Abimelech
22 And it came to pass at that time that (A)Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, (B)“God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore, (C)swear[a] to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”
24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants (D)had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them (E)made a [b]covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, (F)“What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”
30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that (G)they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he (H)called that place [c]Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and (I)there called on the name of the Lord, (J)the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 21:23 take an oath
- Genesis 21:27 treaty
- Genesis 21:31 Lit. Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven
Genesis 21:22-34
English Standard Version
Genesis 21:22-34
English Standard Version
A Treaty with Abimelech
22 At that time (A)Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, (B)“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 (C)as 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 (D)had 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 (E)made 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 (F)that 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 (G)called there on the name of the Lord, (H)the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 21:30 Or you
- Genesis 21:31 Beersheba means well of seven or well of the oath
Genesis 21:22-34
New American Standard Bible
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 21:25 Lit rebuked
- Genesis 21:26 Lit except
- Genesis 21:31 I.e., well of an oath
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.