27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.(A) 28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, 29 and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”

30 He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness(B) that I dug this well.(C)

31 So that place was called Beersheba,[a](D) because the two men swore an oath(E) there.

32 After the treaty(F) had been made at Beersheba,(G) Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces(H) returned to the land of the Philistines.(I) 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree(J) in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord,(K) the Eternal God.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:31 Beersheba can mean well of seven and well of the oath.

27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.

28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

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.

31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.

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