Genesis 21:22–33

Abraham and Abimelech Make a Covenant

²²At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “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 or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have resided as an alien.” ²⁴And Abraham said, “I swear it.”

²⁵When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,^{* 26}Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” ²⁷So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.^{* 28}Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. ²⁹And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” ³⁰He said, “These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well.”^{* 31}Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba,^p because there both of them swore an oath.^{* 32}When they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³Abraham^q planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.^r*