all-commanding. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as Separate from the sheep and oxen he gave to Abimelech, and from those that were used in making the covenant. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you., Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimeleks servants had seized. Perhaps he is unaware of the birth of Isaac. Isaac is weaned. It may have been that his servants were telling him, No way, Abraham didnt dig that well, we did! 4 He is circumcised. Subscribe | RSS | Privacy Disclaimer. The trouble is, people can see that it isnt true. When Abraham and Abimelech previously met, on the occasion when Abraham lied about his wife, Abimelech endorsed Abraham living where it pleases you (20:15). BIRTH OF ISAAC. . all-commanding. The significance of the presence of Phichol at the ceremony indicates Abimelechs promise not to pursue military action against Abraham. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in As the years passed, he often wondered if it was just a coincidence. Genesis 21:22. He gives Abimelek seven lambs so Abimelek can tell his servants that the well has been purchased. He complains to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimeleks servants had seized. The days spent in Philistia left behind them some enlightenment. Genesis 21:1; Genesis 22:1 So swear to me here before God that you won't deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Abimeleks servants seized the well so Abraham mustered his servants and seized it right back, correct? Show to me and my country the same kindness Ive shown you. Asking their forgiveness is often the first step in that process. Truthfully, I have nothing to offer but a little prayer.. CHRISTI GENESISNOTE ON GENESIS 21:22 GOD IS WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DO. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. Sometimes when you read the Bible, you get the feeling that God majors in the spectacular. transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or to the time of favourite of God, chap. On the flight that crashed was a godly pastor from Southern California. In the Grant Study, 268 Harvard graduates (including John F. Kennedy by the way. So its a huge deal for someone to take over a well as Abimeleks servants did. Luke 6:21. The league is proposed by Abimelech, and Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army. Abimeleks servants save face. 6 Sarahs ioy. could sing with Mary, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spi God is with thee in all that thou doest See also David living in the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. army H6635 spoke H559 (H8799) Abraham H85 saying And so it was at that time that Abimelech, and Phicol the captain Adaptation of Divine truth to those to whom it is sent. Verse Genesis 21:22. ), his knowledge of Isaac's birth, and his general observation of the patriarch's prosperity. This passage chronicles a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech. Observing what he had done, and not knowing the design of it: what mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves ? And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? The Lords whole thing boils down to that. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. Ishmael's marriage, but most probably to the former. . As he was leaving, a young man walked up and quoted John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. The businessman didnt see how such a thing could be true and he didnt understand the connection between Gods giving His Son and a person having eternal life. Peace established, Abimelech and Phichol, having accomplished their mission, returned to Philistia. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible - The Birth of Isaac 7. surround, enclose, and _chum_ black. Philistines generally (Genesis 2 ISHMAEL AND ISAAC You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today., So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. Finally he blurted out, Well, thats all it will hold anyway. (Murphy)that Abimelechthe king of Gerar (Genesis 20:2; Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:16)and Phi-cholif the name be Shemitic, "mouth of all," i.e. God also took care of Hagar and Ishmael, remembering His promise to greatly multiply their descendants (see Birth of Isaac ). Phichol.] All rights reserved. And yet he was used in Gods great purpose of blessing the nations through Abrahams seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. of his host, spoke to Abraham saying, God is with you in all that The name, Beersheba seems to play on them both. In this section And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God. Now therefore swear unto me here by Godthe verb to swear is derived from the Hebrew numeral seven, inasmuch as the septennary number was sacred, and oaths were confirmed either by seven sacrifices (Genesis 21:28) or by seven witnesses and pledgesthat thou wilt not deal falsely with me,literally, if thou shalt lie unto me; a common form of oath in Hebrew, in which the other member of the sentence is for emphasis left unexpressed (cf. The significance of this passage is Abraham finding a place in the land promised to him in safety. Read the Scripture: Genesis 21:22-34. laughed with the laughter of incredulity, now laughed with the _Abimelech, king of Gerara, who knew that Abraham was a prophet, and a Are we honest, even in small matters? 21:22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. Abraham, being now in a good neighbourhood, stayed a great while there. When you come to a passage like this in the Bible, the question is, Why did God include this in sacred Scripture? Seemingly betraying a secret suspicion of the prince's veracity, the act aimed at preventing any recurrence of the grievance, and in this light it appears to have been regarded by Abimelech. has When the owner asked how much she could afford, she replied, My husband was killed in the war. "'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. It is wise to connect ourselves with those who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to those who have been kind to us. After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beersheba. (2) that as Beersheba was situated on the confines of the Philistines' territory, Abraham must frequently have sojourned in their country while pasturing his flocks (Rosenmller). He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More. Wheres the justice? You might be thinking. 22. The music and the sermon were okay, but didnt really help. 7. Abraham decided to take a different approach. Ishmael made fun of the covenant family, as Sarah had feared. shava) in this pericope (23, 24, 31, 31). Bible Study: The Treaty at Beersheba (Genesis 21:22-34) - kdmanestreet But what Im saying is that sinlessness isnt the requirement to bear witness for Christ. 6 Sarahs ioy. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? ISAAC IS BORN A.M. 2118. 17:9-14). mercy in Christ the Lord. There he made, not only a constant practice, but an open profession of his religion. Abraham called on the name of the everlasting God. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech As the usual covenant presents (cf. When Abimelech confronted Abraham about things, Abraham was rather uncomplimentary, saying that his reason for deceiving him was that he assumed that there would not be any fear of God among such people (20:11). 23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the . Then this brand new cop said,Sir, step out of the car. 17 The Angel comforteth her. Im not suggesting that you go on sinning and tell everyone that youre a Christian. Here is old Abraham just planting a tree and living by his well. (1) that a person cannot always be held responsible for what his servants do, (2) that it is wrong to judge on insufficient evidence with reference to the characters and conduct of others, and. As Abraham is the father of all the faithful, so the when Abimelech, struck with God's providential regard to him, wa 5. So the treaty is solidified. Wells of water are scarce and . And both of them made a covenant. the title not only of the king of Gerar, but of the kings of the Peace. I dont have to give you my license and registration., Listen you ! b. Abimelech claimed no prior knowledge of the matter, and the covenant the two men ratified stipulated that the well belonged to Abraham (21:30). His men may have dug who knows how many dry wells before finding this one. vs.22-34 The treaty between Abraham and Abimelech. And it came to pass at that time,possibly in immediate sequence to the incident of the preceding chapter, but, "according to the common law of Hebrew narrative, probably not long after the birth of Isaac."(Murphy)that Abimelechthe king of Gerar (Genesis 20:2; Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:16)and Phi-cholif the name be Shemitic, "mouth of all," i.e . So why, after he already gave Abimelek flocks of sheep and cattle, did Abraham give him seven lambs as a witness that Abraham dug the well? The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24]. genesis-26:26-34 - Bible Commentaries - page 8 of 14 He did what he ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH Sensible of the many favours he had received from Abimelech in times past, and was still indulged with, he very readily agreed to his proposal; and the rather, as he knew by the vision between the pieces, that it would be four hundred years before his posterity should be put into the possession of the land of Canaan; and therefore could take an oath that neither he, nor his son, nor his grandson, should be injured or dispossessed. But it is significant that Gods blessing on Abraham is evident even to this pagan king, Abimelech, who tells Abraham, God is with you in all that you do (21:22). The Atlantic, June 2009), Jesus told us that all the law and all the prophets are summed up in these two statements:Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. AndLove your neighbor as yourself.. Abimelech has reason to be suspicious of Abraham, but recognizes Gods blessing on his life, so he wisely seeks a covenant of truth and peace between them. The covenant arising out of bodily wants a civil agreement. He was simply living his daily life as the friend of God before the watching world. Gunkel has given strong And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days. I.e. Genesis 21:22. Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? This is one of the attributes of God to His people. that it could not be explained on merely natural grounds. the commander-in-chief of his forces) spake unto Abraham (having come from Gerar for the purpose), saying, God is with thee in all that thou doesta conviction derived from his former acquaintance with the patriarch (Genesis 20:1. Maybe youre sinking into sudden depression, because youre thinking, Im not perfect! Stay tuned: (2) For the world to see God in our lives we dont have to be perfect. Bondwoman and her son cast out. You dont need a theological education to bear witness by your walk with God. 1. Its about relationships with people. Peace commemorated. A believer is invincible until it is his time to go. "Blessed are the peace-makers," and "beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace.". Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of I heard a story about a new police officer who, on his first day on the job, caught someone speeding. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. Genesis 21:22-34 - DRB - And it came to pass at that t Abraham didnt fight with Abimeleks servants. The satisfactory explanation. _AT THAT TIME_] This may either refer to the I. A son was ABIMELECHS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. 4. Lesson 44: Faithful God of the Ordinary (Genesis 21:22-34) Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 21:22-32 We have here an account of the treaty between Abimelech and Abraham, in which appears the accomplishment of that promise (Gen. 12:2) that God would make his name great. 9 Hagar & Ishmael are cast forth. The most comprehensive longitudinal study in history is a research project called the Grant Study. Do you call on the name of the Lord regardless of your circumstances. But Abraham still struggled with this fear long after he had been living in the land. Abimelek avoids contention within his ranks. army H6635 spoke H559 (H8799) Abraham H85 saying And so it was at that time that Abimelech, and Phicol the captain He was just living the ordinary, hum-drum, day-to-day existence of a nomad with his flocks and herds. Genesis 21:22-34 New International Version The Treaty at Beersheba 22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do. ISAAC IS BORN There he called on the name of the Lord, as the everlasting God; probably in the grove he planted, which was his place of prayer. It is not necessary to conclude from verse 1 and 2 that Sarah only became pregnant after the episode that is told in the previous chapter. "The great well has an internal diameter at the mouth of twelve feet six inches, or a circumference of nearly forty feet. 1 Kings 15:19; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 39:1). Abimelech and Abraham, or ancient covenanters. and poetical word. Sometimes we may wonder, How does God fit in with the ordinary?. CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, &C. Hence it is plain that Abraham had As the psalmist proclaims, Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His loving kindness, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Ps. The inducement to it was God's favour to Abraham (Gen. 21:22): ?God is with thee in all that thou doest, read more, Observe, 1. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of mll "speak," an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. As a tax payer Im your boss I pay your ! After this had gone on for several times, the businessman suddenly was struck with the simple truth of that verse. He was Gods number one man on earth, but he wasnt holding miracle services. a. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. 8. Abimelech protests that he is unaware of the situation regarding the disputed well and suggests that Abraham bears some of the blame for not telling him of the situation. His calendar wasnt full of speaking engagements. II. 6. God's people, though expected meekly to suffer wrong, cannot always help seeing that it is wrong they suffer. fear Because of the cops statement that I wont ask you again! this situation is destined to go sideways. Genesis 20:2 Genesis 26:26 God. I like this. 33:18-19). ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH And Abraham said, I will swear. No more can be expected from an honest man than that he be ready to do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. 2. Even so, as believers, we know that every second of our lives is under the watchful care of the heavenly Father. And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me,that this peculiar kind of oath never occurs again in Old Testament history is no proof of the mythical character of the narrative (Bohlen); on the contrary, "that the custom existed in primitive Hebrew times is shown by the word , which had early passed into the language, and which would be inexplicable without the existence of such a custom" (Havernick)that I have digged this well. Hes lying! Weaned] in his second or third year, as is usual among Orientals. GODS ANCIENT PEOPLE And Abimelech said, I wet not who hath done this thing. Happy they who can do both in peace! He wasnt traveling all over the globe. Worldly policy may have urged Abimelech to cement a league with the powerful chieftain in his neighborhood, but religions affinity would also seem to have exercised an influence in drawing him to seek the friendship of one who appeared to enjoy celestial protection. continued in the country of the Philistines for a considerable time; It is as much the duty of him who has a grievance to reveal it, as it is the duty of him who has caused the grievance to remove it. Genesis 21:22-34 Meaning and Commentary - Bible Study Tools V1 The *Lord had promised that he would visit Sarah. 22. Another highlight of this passage is the explanation for the origin of the name Beersheba.