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Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

26 One day King Abimelech came from Gerar with his adviser, Ahuzzath, and also Phicol, his army commander. 27 “Why have you come here?” Isaac asked. “You obviously hate me, since you kicked me off your land.”

28 They replied, “We can plainly see that the Lord is with you. So we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let’s make a covenant. 29 Swear that you will not harm us, just as we have never troubled you. We have always treated you well, and we sent you away from us in peace. And now look how the Lord has blessed you!”

30 So Isaac prepared a covenant feast to celebrate the treaty, and they ate and drank together. 31 Early the next morning, they each took a solemn oath not to interfere with each other. Then Isaac sent them home again, and they left him in peace.

32 That very day Isaac’s servants came and told him about a new well they had dug. “We’ve found water!” they exclaimed. 33 So Isaac named the well Shibah (which means “oath”). And to this day the town that grew up there is called Beersheba (which means “well of the oath”).

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26 Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.(A) 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?(B)

28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you;(C) so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty(D) with you 29 that you will do us no harm,(E) just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”(F)

30 Isaac then made a feast(G) for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath(H) to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.

32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well(I) they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” 33 He called it Shibah,[a] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.[b](J)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:33 Shibah can mean oath or seven.
  2. Genesis 26:33 Beersheba can mean well of the oath and well of seven.