Genesis 21:22–34, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
Genesis 21:22–34
Abraham and Abimelech Make a Treaty
A treaty that still names the seized well
Abimelech seeks an oath with Abraham because he sees that God is with him. Abraham swears, but first reproves him about a well seized by Abimelech's servants. Gifts, covenant, and seven ewe lambs become public witness that Abraham dug the well.
The place is named Beer-sheba because they swear there. Abraham plants a tamarisk, calls on the LORD as the everlasting God, and sojourns many days. Visible blessing did not remove the need for truth, evidence, and accountable peace.
How this should shape us
Before making an agreement, put unresolved conflicts on the table. Use clear terms and witnesses, and do not confuse observable success with proof that every choice has been right.
Teach it back
Explain why Abimelech approaches Abraham, how the well dispute changes the conversation, what the seven ewe lambs witness, why the place is called Beer-sheba, and how Abraham's worship of the everlasting God interprets his continued sojourn. Name at least two conclusions the passage does not permit.
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Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Best judgment:
How certain? probableBest judgment:
How certain? probableBest judgment:
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How certain? probableBest judgment:
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Displayed wording, narrative sequence, oath, well, animals, witness, place name, worship, sojourn, and canonical recurrence.
Genesis 21:22–34 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 20; 22:1–19; 26:12–33; 28:10; 46:1; and later Beer-sheba references
Supports: Divine-presence claim, oath, false dealing, loyal treatment, dispute, seizure, covenant idiom, seven/oath wordplay, witness, place name, planting, invocation, divine title, and sojourner status.
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 21:22–34; lemmas and morphology for hayah im, shava, shaqar, hesed, yakhach, gazal, karat berit, sheva, edah, Be'er Sheva, nata, qara, El Olam, and gur
Supports: Time formula, Phichol, oath wording, hesed, well seizure, covenant idiom, seven lambs, Beer-sheba wordplay, tamarisk, El Olam, and sojourn translation checks.
NET Bible, Genesis 21 and translator notes on 21:22–34
Supports: Final-form placement, Abimelech relationship, promise, Beer-sheba, worship, and transition toward Genesis 22.
Genesis commentary, Abraham narrative discussion of Genesis 20–22
Supports: Critical and ethical context for the Abraham cycle; no treaty-specific claim attributed beyond inspected scope.
Genesis 16 and 22: Abraham and Isaac study guide and Abraham-cycle course context
Supports: Literary placement, passage navigation, composition questions, and historical caution only.
Genesis, official Cambridge contents and introduction; commentary locator for Genesis 21:22–34
Supports: Unit boundary, relation to Genesis 20 and 26, scene structures, oath and hesed, well seizure, covenant negotiation, seven ewe lambs as witness, Beer-sheba wordplay, Phichol framing, treaty comparisons, historical uncertainty, and peaceful-coexistence conclusion.
The Biblical Annals 13.3 (2023), pp. 335–365, especially pp. 345–353 and 358–359
Supports: One major late-monarchic historical-critical account of Philistine references in biblical narrative; used as a broad debated alternative, not as passage-specific proof or consensus.
Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 27.2 (2002), official abstract and DOI record
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, narrative sequence, oath, well, animals, witness, place name, worship, sojourn, and canonical recurrence.
Exact location: Genesis 21:22–34 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 20; 22:1–19; 26:12–33; 28:10; 46:1; and later Beer-sheba references
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Divine-presence claim, oath, false dealing, loyal treatment, dispute, seizure, covenant idiom, seven/oath wordplay, witness, place name, planting, invocation, divine title, and sojourner status.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 21:22–34; lemmas and morphology for hayah im, shava, shaqar, hesed, yakhach, gazal, karat berit, sheva, edah, Be'er Sheva, nata, qara, El Olam, and gur
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Time formula, Phichol, oath wording, hesed, well seizure, covenant idiom, seven lambs, Beer-sheba wordplay, tamarisk, El Olam, and sojourn translation checks.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 21 and translator notes on 21:22–34
Open NET Genesis 21 ↗modern open whole book commentary
Genesis
T. Desmond Alexander
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Final-form placement, Abimelech relationship, promise, Beer-sheba, worship, and transition toward Genesis 22.
Exact location: Genesis commentary, Abraham narrative discussion of Genesis 20–22
Open source ↗modern critical open study guide
Genesis 16 and 22: Abraham and Isaac — Study Guide
Joel S. Baden and Yale Bible Study
Yale Divinity School, 2021 course; page inspected 2026
Supports: Critical and ethical context for the Abraham cycle; no treaty-specific claim attributed beyond inspected scope.
Exact location: Genesis 16 and 22: Abraham and Isaac study guide and Abraham-cycle course context
Open source ↗modern scholarly commentary publisher material
Genesis
Bill T. Arnold
Cambridge University Press, 2009
Supports: Literary placement, passage navigation, composition questions, and historical caution only.
Exact location: Genesis, official Cambridge contents and introduction; commentary locator for Genesis 21:22–34
Open source ↗peer reviewed open specialist historical legal and literary study
The Covenants of the Patriarchs with Foreigners at Beersheba: The Historical and Legal Background of the Traditions in Gen 21:22–24, 25–33 and Gen 26:26–31
Dariusz Dziadosz
The Biblical Annals 13(3), pages 335–365, 2023
Supports: Unit boundary, relation to Genesis 20 and 26, scene structures, oath and hesed, well seizure, covenant negotiation, seven ewe lambs as witness, Beer-sheba wordplay, Phichol framing, treaty comparisons, historical uncertainty, and peaceful-coexistence conclusion.
Exact location: The Biblical Annals 13.3 (2023), pp. 335–365, especially pp. 345–353 and 358–359
Open source ↗peer reviewed historical critical study abstract limited
The Philistines in the Bible: A Late-Monarchic Perspective
Israel Finkelstein
Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 27(2), 2002
Supports: One major late-monarchic historical-critical account of Philistine references in biblical narrative; used as a broad debated alternative, not as passage-specific proof or consensus.
Exact location: Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 27.2 (2002), official abstract and DOI record
Open source ↗