Abraham and Abimelech Make a Covenant

²² At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do;^{(A) 23} now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have resided as an alien.” ²⁴ And Abraham said, “I swear it.”

²⁵ When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,^{(B) 26} Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this; 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 made a covenant.^{(C) 28} Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. 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 shall accept from my hand in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well.”^{(D) 31} Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba,^[a] because there both of them swore an oath.^{(E) 32} When they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³ Abraham^[b] planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.^{[c](F) 34} And Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.