^22–23At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: “No matter what you do, God is on your side. So swear to me that you won’t do anything underhanded to me or any of my family. For as long as you live here, swear that you’ll treat me and my land as well as I’ve treated you.”

²⁴Abraham said, “I swear it.”

^25–26At the same time, Abraham confronted Abimelech over the matter of a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had taken. Abimelech said, “I have no idea who did this; you never told me about it; this is the first I’ve heard of it.”

^27–28So the two of them made a covenant. Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. Abraham set aside seven sheep from his flock.

²⁹Abimelech said, “What does this mean? These seven sheep you’ve set aside.”

³⁰Abraham said, “It means that when you accept these seven sheep, you take it as proof that I dug this well, that it’s my well.”

^31–32That’s how the place got named Beer-sheba (the Oath-Well), because the two of them swore a covenant oath there. After they had made the covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and his commander, Phicol, left and went back to Philistine territory.

^33–34Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba and worshiped God there, praying to the Eternal God.

Read in Logos