seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 21:22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. 26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”
27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. 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 that I dug this well.”
31 So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.
32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.
Here's the link to the commentary I read.Abimelech… spoke to Abraham: This was probably not the same Abimelech of Genesis 20. Abimelech was the title of a ruler among the Canaanites, not a specific name. This ruler and Phichol, the commander of his army, met with Abraham.
Swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me: Because God had so blessed Abraham, he was a man of great wealth, influence, and power. Abimelech knew that it was important to have Abraham in favor towards him and his descendants. Abraham agreed, saying “I will swear.”
Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well: Because Canaan had no significant rivers and a great reliance upon rain, a well was an important and strategic property. Apparently, Abraham was in possession of a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized. The man of faith did not simply accept this wrong; he rebuked Abimelech because of a well.
Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant: The sheep and oxen were probably used as sacrifices to make or cut the covenant, as in Genesis 15:7-21.
You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand: The seven ewe lambs were special gifts from Abraham to Abimelech to show favor and offer some compensation for his loss of access to the well. Abraham understood his own property rights, but was not greedy or miserly. The acceptance of the seven lambs was Abimelech’s recognition that Abraham had dug this well and it belonged to him.
Here's a link to the Commentary I read.I tried to post a map of where the Philistines [and Abraham] were living at the time. But it was way too big... but it wouldn't go away. I'm old, so sometimes tech bites me on the butt. I decided just to leave it there... maybe it will help in the future.... these Bible characters did a lot of moving.
Anyway... To me, it looks like Abraham made a treaty with another king called Abimelech [title apparently] and the king's top commander in the area east of Gaza and a little south of Judah!
Remember when God made the covenant with Abraham? They cut those animals in half and placed them just so.... Well, that's what is going on here. Abraham provided the sheep and they cut them all in half, the two men had a treaty!
I guess they had a big barbeque after the deal was done.
So, this is about a Peace Treaty involving a well Abraham dug for his animals.
I find it interesting that in yesterday's verses.... Ishmael almost died for lack of a well. Ishmael, for those of you who didn't read yesterday's study.... is Abraham's oldest son... a bastard born to Hagar, Abraham's wife's Egyptian slave. Don't worry.... Abraham knew who he was getting pregnant, his wife told him he could.
When Sarah, Abraham's wife, finally got pregnant [at the ripe ol' age of 100] she threw Hagar and 13-year-old Ishmael out. Hagar and Ishmael wandered around the desert until Hagar had to drag Ishmael under a bush to keep him alive. Ishmael almost died of lack of water... and now Abraham's making a treaty over water rights in a completely different area.... how "coincidental".
It's a Peace Treaty....
