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.
22 And it came to pass at that time, H6256 that Abimelech H40 and Phichol H6369 the chief captain H8269 of his host H6635 spake H559 unto Abraham, H85 saying, H559 God H430 is with thee in all that thou doest: H6213
23 Now therefore swear H7650 unto me here H2008 by God H430 that thou wilt not deal falsely H8266 with me, nor with my son, H5209 nor with my son's son: H5220 but according to the kindness H2617 that I have done H6213 unto thee, thou shalt do H6213 unto me, and to the land H776 wherein thou hast sojourned. H1481
24 And Abraham H85 said, H559 I will swear. H7650
25 And Abraham H85 reproved H3198 Abimelech H40 because H182 of a well H875 of water, H4325 which Abimelech's H40 servants H5650 had violently taken away. H1497
26 And Abimelech H40 said, H559 I wot H3045 not who hath done H6213 this thing: H1697 neither H3808 didst thou tell H5046 me, neither H3808 yet heard H8085 I of it, but H1115 to day. H3117
27 And Abraham H85 took H3947 sheep H6629 and oxen, H1241 and gave H5414 them unto Abimelech; H40 and both of them H8147 made H3772 a covenant. H1285
28 And Abraham H85 set H5324 seven H7651 ewe lambs H3535 of the flock H6629 by themselves.
29 And Abimelech H40 said H559 unto Abraham, H85 What H2008 mean these seven H7651 ewe lambs H3535 which thou hast set H5324 by themselves?
30 And he said, H559 For these seven H7651 ewe lambs H3535 shalt thou take H3947 of my hand, H3027 that H5668 they may be a witness H5713 unto me, that I have digged H2658 this well. H875
31 Wherefore he called H7121 that place H4725 Beersheba; H884 because there they sware H7650 both of them. H8147
32 Thus they made H3772 a covenant H1285 at Beersheba: H884 then Abimelech H40 rose up, H6965 and Phichol H6369 the chief captain H8269 of his host, H6635 and they returned H7725 into the land H776 of the Philistines. H6430
22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the 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 the well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I know 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 they two 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, These seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba. Because there they sware both of them.
32 So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba. And Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
22 And it cometh to pass at that time that Abimelech speaketh -- Phichol also, head of his host -- unto Abraham, saying, `God `is' with thee in all that thou art doing;
23 and now, swear to me by God here: thou dost not lie to me, or to my continuator, or to my successor; according to the kindness which I have done with thee thou dost with me, and with the land in which thou hast sojourned.'
24 And Abraham saith, `I -- I do swear.'
25 And Abraham reasoned with Abimelech concerning the matter of a well of water which Abimelech's servants have taken violently away,
26 and Abimelech saith, `I have not known who hath done this thing, and even thou didst not declare to me, and I also, I have not heard save to-day.'
27 And Abraham taketh sheep and oxen, and giveth to Abimelech, and they make, both of them, a covenant;
28 and Abraham setteth seven Lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech saith unto Abraham, `What `are' they -- these seven lambs which thou hast set by themselves?'
30 And he saith, `For -- the seven lambs thou dost accept from my hand, so that it becometh a witness for me that I have digged this well;'
31 therefore hath he called that place `Beer-Sheba,' for there have both of them sworn.
32 And they make a covenant in Beer-Sheba, and Abimelech riseth -- Phichol also, head of his host -- and they turn back unto the land of the Philistines;
22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech, and Phichol the captain of his host, spoke to Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest.
23 And now swear to me here by God that thou wilt not deal deceitfully with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson. According to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land in which thou sojournest.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water that Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this, neither hast thou told me [of it], neither have I heard [of it] but to-day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, What [mean] these seven ewe-lambs, these which thou hast set by themselves?
30 And he said, That thou take the seven ewe-lambs of my hand, that they may be a witness to me that I have dug this well.
31 Therefore he called that place Beer-sheba, because there they had sworn, both of them.
32 And they made a covenant at Beer-sheba. And Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the captain of his host, and returned into the land of the Philistines.
22 It happened at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spoke to Abraham, saying, "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, nor with my son, nor with my son's son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner."
24 Abraham said, "I will swear."
25 Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26 Abimelech said, "I don't know who has done this thing. Neither did you tell me, neither did I hear of it, until today."
27 Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.
28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What do these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves mean?"
30 He said, "You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well."
31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba,{Beersheba can mean "well of the oath" or "well of seven."} because they both swore there.
32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
22 Now at that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army, said to Abraham, I see that God is with you in all you do.
23 Now, then, give me your oath, in the name of God, that you will not be false to me or to my sons after me, but that as I have been good to you, so you will be to me and to this land where you have been living.
24 And Abraham said, I will give you my oath.
25 But Abraham made a protest to Abimelech because of a water-hole which Abimelech's servants had taken by force.
26 But Abimelech said, I have no idea who has done this thing; you never gave me word of it, and I had no knowledge of it till this day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made an agreement together.
28 And Abraham put seven young lambs of the flock on one side by themselves.
29 Then Abimelech said, What are these seven lambs which you have put on one side?
30 And he said, Take these seven lambs from me as a witness that I have made this water-hole.
31 So he gave that place the name Beer-sheba, because there the two of them had given their oaths.
32 So they made an agreement at Beer-sheba, and Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army, went back to the land of the Philistines.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 21
Commentary on Genesis 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Ge 21:1-13. Birth of Isaac.
1. the Lord visited Sarah—The language of the historian seems designedly chosen to magnify the power of God as well as His faithfulness to His promise. It was God's grace that brought about that event, as well as the raising of spiritual children to Abraham, of which the birth of this son was typical [Calvin].
3, 4. Abraham called the name of his son … Isaac … and circumcised—God was acknowledged in the name which, by divine command, was given for a memorial (compare Ge 17:19), and also in the dedication of the child by administering the seal of the covenant (compare Ge 17:10-12).
8. the child grew, and was weaned—children are suckled longer in the East than in the Occident—boys usually for two or three years.
Abraham made a great feast, &c.—In Eastern countries this is always a season of domestic festivity, and the newly weaned child is formally brought, in presence of the assembled relatives and friends, to partake of some simple viands. Isaac, attired in the symbolic robe, the badge of birthright, was then admitted heir of the tribe [Rosenmuller].
9. Sarah saw the son of Hagar … mocking—Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence (Ga 4:29).
10. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman—Nothing but the expulsion of both could now preserve harmony in the household. Abraham's perplexity was relieved by an announcement of the divine will, which in everything, however painful to flesh and blood, all who fear God and are walking in His ways will, like him, promptly obey. This story, as the apostle tells us, in "an allegory" [Ga 4:24], and the "persecution" by the son of the Egyptian was the commencement of the four hundred years' affliction of Abraham's seed by the Egyptians.
12. in all that Sarah hath said—it is called the Scripture (Ga 4:30).
13. also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation—Thus Providence overruled a family brawl to give rise to two great and extraordinary peoples.
Ge 21:14-21. Expulsion of Ishmael.
14. Abraham rose up early, &c.—early, that the wanderers might reach an asylum before noon. Bread includes all sorts of victuals—bottle, a leathern vessel, formed of the entire skin of a lamb or kid sewed up, with the legs for handles, usually carried over the shoulder. Ishmael was a lad of seventeen years, and it is quite customary for Arab chiefs to send out their sons at such an age to do for themselves: often with nothing but a few days' provisions in a bag.
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba—in the southern border of Palestine, but out of the common direction, a wide extending desert, where they lost their way.
15. the water was spent, &c.—Ishmael sank exhausted from fatigue and thirst—his mother laid his head under one of the bushes to smell the damp while she herself, unable to witness his distress, sat down at a little distance in hopeless sorrow.
19. God opened her eyes—Had she forgotten the promise (Ge 16:11)? Whether she looked to God or not, He regarded her and directed her to a fountain close beside her, but probably hid amid brushwood, by the waters of which her almost expiring son was revived.
20, 21. God was with the lad, &c.—Paran (that is, Arabia), where his posterity has ever dwelt (compare Ge 16:12; also Isa 48:19; 1Pe 1:25).
his mother took him a wife—On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives.
Ge 21:22-34. Covenant.
22. Abimelech and Phichol—Here a proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in a native prince wishing to form a solemn league with Abraham. The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24].
25-31. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well—Wells were of great importance to a pastoral chief and on the successful operation of sinking a new one, the owner was solemnly informed in person. If, however, they were allowed to get out of repair, the restorer acquired a right to them. In unoccupied lands the possession of wells gave a right of property in the land, and dread of this had caused the offense for which Abraham reproved Abimelech. Some describe four, others five, wells in Beer-sheba.
33. Abraham planted a grove—Hebrew, "of tamarisks," in which sacrificial worship was offered, as in a roofless temple.
34. Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land—a picture of pastoral and an emblem of Christian life.