a. Genesis 21:22 – 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:
1. Phichol – פיכל Piykol, "strong"
2. “God is with thee” - אלהים 'elohiym, Abimelech recognizes God as Elohiym, not the covenant God יהוה Yĕhovah
3. Its obvious to Abimelech that God is with him, not only from the previous encounter but says “in all that thou doest”
b. Genesis 21:23 – 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.
1. Why would a king travel all the way out to visit a resident to ask him to treat him kindly, there seems to be more to this story, lets continue…
2. Abimelech seems to have not gotten completely over the first encounter and does not fully trust Abraham
3. Notice that Abimelech asked Abraham to swear kindness to him, yet Abimelech did not reciprocate
4. Why did the king ask Abraham to swear? Abraham lost credibility when he previously misled Abimelech; therefore, Abimelech could only trust his word by invoking the name of his God.
§ Its important to honor your word and maintain a reputation of integrity
c. Genesis 21:24 – And Abraham said, I will swear.
1. Matthew 5:34 -37 – But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem
§ Why did Abraham feel the need to swear?
§ He knew he had violated the king’s trust and felt obligated to honor his request
2. Abimelech did not swear kindness to Abraham, this appears to be a one-sided deal so far
3. This situation is repeated almost exactly with Isaac in Genesis 26
d. Genesis 21:25 – And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
1. Reproved - יכח yakach, verb, to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right
2. Note that Abraham accommodated Abimelech’s request before he brought up the issue with the well
3. Even if unknown to Abimelech we can see the common behavior expected from his servants, they are violent and take things by force
4. How does someone take a well or real estate? Much like today the US government, or state governments can take property through eminent domain (though here in the US they are suppose to provide payment for it) Many nations, even today, considered all land to be the property of the king or government and few were afforded the right to own private property.
§ Genesis 20:15 - And Abimelech said, Behold, my land [is] before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
§ Abraham had been granted permission to live in peace within the land of the Philistines
e. Genesis 21:26 – 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.
1. Here we get to the main reason of Abimelech’s visit to Abraham, a diplomatic mission to alleviate any resentment.
2. Abimelech – “I didn’t know anything about this until today!”, Doesn’t say that he just now heard it from Abraham, but he heard it this day
3. This shows that Abimelech had a healthy respect for God and His servant Abraham.
§ Jasher 22:5-7 – And they came and quarreled with the servants of Abraham, and they robbed them of the great well which they had dug. And Abimelech king of the Philistines heard of this affair, and he went with Phicol the captain of the host and twenty of his men came to Abraham, and Abimelech spoke to Abraham concerning his servants, and Abraham rebuked Abimelech concerning the well of which his servants had robbed him. And Abimelech said to Abraham, As the Lord liveth who created the whole earth, I did not hear of the act which my servants did unto thy servants until this day.
f. Genesis 21:27 – And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
1. Covenant formed the same way that Abraham expected to form the covenant of 15:10
2. What is the covenant? v.30 that the well belonged to Abraham and that Abraham and his family could settle the land peacefully
g. Genesis 21:28 – And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
1. Payment for the legal right to dwell in the land of the Philistines
2. God promised this land to Abraham, now he has legal claim with the current ruler.
h. Genesis 21:29 – And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What [mean] these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
i. Genesis 21:30 – 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.
j. Genesis 21:31 – Wherefore he called that place Beersheba
1. Beersheba Sheba
§ Corresponding to the seven ewe lambs given to Abimelech
2. They both sware on this covenant
k. Genesis 21:32 – Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba
1. Think about how important Abraham was that a king and his Captain (and most likely an entire entourage) traveled to Abraham just to get his word that he would treat them kindly
2. Almost like a politician seeking an endorsement
l. Genesis 21:33 – And [Abraham] planted a grove in Beersheba
1. Abraham planted a grove – tamarisk tree, possibly trees
§ a general term for several species of Old World shrubs and trees in the genus Tamarix with scalelike leaves on very thin terminal twigs
§ The tree can protect other vegetation from high wind, Abraham possibly planted some crops there
§ Jasher 22:11-12 – And Abraham planted a large grove in Beersheba, and he made to it four gates facing the four sides of the earth, and he planted a vineyard in it, so that if a traveler came to Abraham he entered any gate which was in his road, and remained there and ate and drank and satisfied himself and then departed. For the house of Abraham was always open to the sons of men that passed and repassed, who came daily to eat and drink in the house of Abraham.
o Sounds like Abraham attempted to replicate Eden
o It goes on to say in v.13 that Abraham would provide clothing, food and even money to those who would come in need, but most importantly is says he would “…make known to him the Lord who created him in the earth; this did Abraham all his life.”
o Abraham lived a life devoted to God, and served as a witness upon the earth of the one true God.
2. Appears to be a connection between Abraham and Isaac calling upon יהוה Yĕhovah, at this location Beersheba
§ Genesis 26:23-25 - And he (Isaac) went up from thence to Beersheba
§ Genesis 26:26-33 – Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, [even] betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou [art] now the blessed of the LORD. And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water. And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city [is] Beersheba
m. Genesis 21:34 – And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
1. Sojourn - גור guwr, verb,
§ to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely
§ to stir up trouble, strife, quarrel, gather together
§ to dread, fear, stand in awe, be afraid
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