²²^*At that time Abimelech went with Phicol, the commander of his army, and said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. ²³So make a vow here in the presence of God that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so promise that you will also be loyal to me and to this country in which you are living.”

²⁴Abraham said, “I promise.”

²⁵Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well which the servants of Abimelech had seized. ²⁶Abimelech said, “I don’t know who did this. You didn’t tell me about it, and this is the first I have heard of it.” ²⁷Then Abraham gave some sheep and cattle to Abimelech, and the two of them made an agreement. ²⁸Abraham separated seven lambs from his flock, ²⁹and Abimelech asked him, “Why did you do that?”

³⁰Abraham answered, “Accept these seven lambs. By doing this, you admit that I am the one who dug this well.” ³¹And so the place was called Beersheba,^a because it was there that the two of them made a vow.

³²After they had made this agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol went back to Philistia. ³³Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshipped the Lord, the Everlasting God.

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Footnotes

abeersheba: This name in Hebrew means “Well of the Vow” or “Well of Seven” (see also 26:33).

Cross references

*21.22: Gn 26:26