Genesis 21:22-34

Lexham English Bible

The Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech

²² And it happened that at that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you, in all that you do. ²³ So now, swear to me here by God that you will not deal with me falsely, or with my descendants, or my posterity. According to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall pledge to do with me and with the land where you have dwelled as an alien.” ²⁴ And Abraham said, “I swear.” ²⁵ Then Abraham complained to Abimelech on account of the well of water that servants of Abimelech had seized. ²⁶ And Abimelech said, “I do not know who did this thing, neither did you tell me, nor have I heard of it except for today.” ²⁷ And Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. And the two of them made^[a] a covenant. ²⁸ Then Abraham set off seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves. ²⁹ And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe-lambs that you have set off by themselves?” ³⁰ And he said, “You shall take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand as proof on my behalf^[b] that I dug this well.” ³¹ Therefore that place is called Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath. ³² And they made^[c] a covenant at Beersheba. And Abimelech, and Phicol his army commander stood and returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³ And he^[d] planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of Yahweh, the everlasting God.^{[e] 34} And Abraham dwelled as an alien in the land of the Philistines many days.