²²At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. ²³Now, swear an oath to me here in front of God that you will never cheat me, my children, or my descendants. Show me and the land where you’ve been living the same kindness that I have shown you.”

²⁴Abraham said, “I so swear.”

²⁵Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well which Abimelech’s servants had seized. ²⁶Abimelech replied, “I don’t know who did this. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear about it until today.”

²⁷Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made an agreement. ²⁸Then Abraham set apart seven female lambs from the flock. ²⁹Abimelech asked him, “What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have set apart?”

³⁰Abraham answered, “Accept these lambs from me so that they may be proof^athat I dug this well.” ³¹This is why that place is called Beersheba,^bbecause both of them swore an oath there.

³²After they made the treaty at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and went back to the land of the Philistines. ³³Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba and worshiped the Lord, the Everlasting God, there.

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Footnotes

a 21:30 Or “a witness.”
b 21:31 Beersheba can mean either “Well of the Seven” or “Well of the Oath.”