Genesis 21:25-34 ▼

25 But then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized.

26 |I don't know who did this thing,| Abimelech replied. |You didn't report this to me, and I didn't hear about it until today.|

27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and presented them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.

28 Then Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs,

29 so Abimelech asked Abraham, |What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set aside?|

30 He replied, |You are to accept from me these seven ewe lambs as a witness that I have dug this well.|

31 Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba, because the two of them swore an oath.

32 So after they had made a covenant in Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to Philistine territory.

33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD God Everlasting.

34 After this, Abraham resided as a foreigner in Philistine territory for a long period of time.