He gives Abimelek seven lambs so Abimelek can tell his servants that the well has been purchased. Sarah's joy. Abimelech claimed no prior knowledge of the matter, and the covenant the two men ratified stipulated that the well belonged to Abraham (21:30). And, God provides for his need for water through this well. Sarah And Abraham said, I will swear. When we give thanks at the dinner table, we need to be truly thankful, and not just mumbling a ritual prayer before we say, Please pass the potatoes. God faithfully provides for our protection and for our provision. with thee in all that At last in God's 'Set time," and in spite of all natural difficulties, In the story of Hagar and Ishmael, we notice: What makes us happy? Another highlight of this passage is the explanation for the origin of the name Beersheba. _Isaac;_ that is, laughter or holy joy. _The Covenant with Abimelech_ (Genesis 21:22-34) fear EXPOSITION. Do you call on the name of the Lord regardless of your circumstances. Show to me and my country the same kindness Ive shown you. 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. Now Abraham and his descendants can dwell securely in the land. 22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do. 17 The Angel comforteth her. the three main sources, J. E, P are present. And yet he was used in Gods great purpose of blessing the nations through Abrahams seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. xx. 22. Most of us in our land of plenty dont have to worry about where our next meal is coming from. 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, that is _Father-King,_ was he understood what the sheep and oxen were for, that they were presents to him, at least some of them, and the rest were for the solemnizing and ratifying the covenant between them; but what these were for he could not devise. Abimelech declared himself perfectly unacquainted with the wrong which had been done to Abraham, and immediately returned the well, which discovers how easily misunderstandings might be removed if, instead of harboring enmity, men would resort to friendly conference. THAT ABIMELECH, AND PHICHOL, THE CHIEF CAPTAIN OF HIS HOST, SPAKE And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. 9 Hagar & Ishmael are cast forth. The Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech NINTH SECTION 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. xx. 2. He spoke and the universe was created. One of Abrahams deeply rooted fears when God called him to leave his homeland and go to the land of Canaan was that the people of the land would see his wife and kill him in order to take her. His flight from New York was first delayed and then cancelled, so that he would have missed his meetings. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? Most days, he got up, made sure his animals were being cared for, dealt with problems like sick or straying animals, servants who had squabbles, and finding enough water and food for his flocks and family. Didnt Jesus tell us If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Verse Genesis 21:22. His life wasnt made up of one spectacular event after another. He did what he We have had in fine the judgment of 22._And it came to pass at that time_. You dont need a theological education to bear witness by your walk with God. Bondwoman and her son cast out. Here God shows Abraham that not only would the people of the land not take his wife, they wouldnt even take his well. So its a huge deal for someone to take over a well as Abimeleks servants did. Abimelech and Phichol. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of 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. (22) Abimelech and Phichol.Abimelech, that is Father-King, was the title not only of the king of Gerar, but of the kings of the Philistines generally (Genesis 26:1; 1Samuel 21:10, marg. Abraham. and married, but when Isaac was weaned and Ishmael was expelled: Which things are an allegory.- Galatians 4:22. Finally he blurted out, Well, thats all it will hold anyway. _chemet_ bottle, akin to _chamah_, Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said ( Genesis 21:1 ), I like this. ), Posted on October 2, 2011 by Kurt Bennett, Category: Bible Study, Genesis, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too, I Wish Someone Had Told Me This When I Was Young, Tags: Abraham and Abimelek, Bible relationships, Christian, depression, how to be happy, how to love, love, Well of Beersheba, ive had a dream on this subject and have was awaken, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). 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). 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. NOR WITH MY SON, NOR WITH MY SONS SON.] And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves (designing by another covenant to secure himself against future invasion of Isis rights). 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. A few years ago Abraham told this same Abimelek that Sarah was his sister. 34 Each of the following people made several hugesacrifices to achieve world change, and obey their conscience. In Genesis 21:22-34, we see Abraham in a scene from his ordinary life. 45-46). Throughout Abrahams story run two great promises which God made to Abraham: a son, through whom Abraham would become a great nation, and through whose descendants all the nations would be blessed; and, the land of Canaan, where his descendants would live. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. Without even reading it, he put it on one side of his old-fashioned scale. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Character of God, Discipleship, Ecclesiology (The Church), Empower, Spiritual Life, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. CHAPTER 21 In like manner Phichol, mouth of all, seems to have been the official designation of the prime minister, and commander-in-chief. Wells of water are scarce and . Here is old Abraham just planting a tree and living by his well. This Bible study on Genesis 21 shows God's promise to Sarah and Abraham fulfilled in the birth of their son Isaac, the son of promise. The contemplated object. GENESIS 21:23. CHAPTER 21 ISAAC AND ISHMAEL AND THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH In our last presentation of the Book of Genesis, Truth and Consequences and the opening verses of Genesis chapter 4, we hope to have once again fully established as fact the consequences of Eve's sin, as it is described in Genesis chapter 3, where three times it was acknowledged that she had already conceived, and that therefore, in spite of the . This, however, was an error, which shows. Peace commemorated. None ever waited in vain. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. his mother took him a wife --On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives. with thee in all that At last in God's 'Set time," and in spite of all natural difficulties, ISAAC IS BORN The things of this world made a channel of higher blessings. CRITICAL NOTES. "The Lord visited Sarah as he had said." The Lord keeps His word. 1. He felt 4. Thus, while the Lord gave Abraham authority to dwell in this land, his presence was recognized by the king of Gerar. the three main sources, J. E, P are present. (3) that in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoid both heat of temper and severity of language. mercy in Christ the Lord. all that thou doest: Abimelech. 1 The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. _The birth of Isaac. Copyright 1996, Steven J. Cole, All Rights Reserved. Well it didnt turn out quite the way he expected. B.C. Separate from the sheep and oxen he gave to Abimelech, and from those that were used in making the covenant. He did what he to Abraham. Its our job to love God and to love people. How Jesus guarded his heart by taking care of himselfhe even nappedand why you should do the same. As David wrote, all our days were written in Gods book before we even were born (Ps. you do. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. The grocer, who was not a believer, was unmoved by her need. BIRTH OF ISAAC. Hagar and Ishmael sent away. 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. 15. Phichol.] Abraham, the one who took his army of 318 men and rescued Lot from the armies of four kings, Abraham goes after the servants of Abimelek and takes them out, right? I. The name of the Lord itself an invitation to believe and live. _AT THAT TIME_] This may either refer to the 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. Luke 6:21. Genesis 20:17 Genesis 26:28 College Press Bible Study Textbook Series, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible, Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible, Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh, Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary, Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith. The league is proposed by Abimelech, and Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army. The trouble is, people can see that it isnt true. when Abimelech, struck with God's providential regard to him, wa 5. Abraham a sojourner in that land, afterwards the troubler of Israel; for his sake as discipline, for their sakes as opportunity. He checked his boots, they were shiny. But we also need to see that His ordinary provision of our daily food is an example of His faithfulness. Do you see what happened here? And Abimelech said, I wet not who hath done this thing. One way Abimelech knew that Abraham walked with God is that Abraham had prayed that God would heal Abimelech and his family, and God answered that prayer (20:17-18). The prudent measure Abraham gave Abimelech seven ewe lambs as a witness that he had digged the well, and consequently had a right to its possession. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. Heres a bag. COVENANT. 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. 3. Yesterday (at the time of this writing) I participated in a class that teaches you how to communicate with people on the street in a way that encourages cooperation and avoids the need for physical force. Sarah, at the unlikely age of 90 years, gives birth to Isaac, CHRISTI GENESISNOTE ON GENESIS 21:22 GOD IS WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DO. So that place was called Beersheba,because the two men swore an oath there. Even as Gods kindness draws us to him, our kindness with others should point them to Him. "Abraham stretched forth his hand, ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH COVENANT The point is, as God faithfully provides protection and for our daily needs, and as we walk with Him and give Him the credit for His care for us, as Abraham did, He uses us in the ordinary matters of life to bear witness to a world that desperately needs to turn to Him. favourite of God, chap. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in Because of that fear, before they left Haran, he and Sarah had worked out a deceptive scheme to pawn her off as his sister (20:13). Just because youve blown it with someone in the past doesnt mean that you cant be used later to influence that person toward God. God is Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not de Genesis 21 Weaned] in his second or third year, as is usual among Orientals. GODS ANCIENT PEOPLE the long-promised son was born. _ 1. 15 Hagar in distresse. Probably from JE. _chemet_ bottle, akin to _chamah_, law of Hebrew narrative, probably not Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said (Genesis 21:1), As the years passed, he often wondered if it was just a coincidence. Genesis 21 1. Because Abimelech wanted this covenant to apply, not only to himself, but to his posterity (21:23), it secured this source of water not only for Abraham, but for his descendants. Abraham gets his well back. 1886. Well see how much this is worth, he muttered. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in GENESIS 21:22 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. Abraham kept up public worship, in which his neighbours might join. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. THE PROMISE FULFILLED IN ISAAC all-commanding. Abimelech attributes Abrahams success to God. GENESIS 21:23. I like this. The man whos been thoroughly analyzing these files for the last 44 years is Dr. George Valliant. He had to provide protection and give him the land, which He begins to do in a rather ordinary way through this peace agreement. CHRISTI GENESISNOTE ON GENESIS 21:22 GOD IS WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DO. And as a result things turned ugly. Numbers 14:13). THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. After pouring over Jesus every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job ofstudyingJesus words than he wasfollowingJesus words and example. all-commanding. His friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites. This is also remarkable in light of Abrahams past dealings with Abimelech. A son was ABIMELECHS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. No doubt, the king remembered their previous encounter when Abraham dealt falsely with him. Name signifies mouth of all, _i.e.,_ surround, enclose, and _chum_ black. with his wi AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME,. Not when Ishmael was grown up Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. And both of them made a covenant. CONCLUSION: Behind every promise of God is the purpose a Genesis 21:3. The driver of the vehicle wasnt given a graceful way out. Here we have accomplished promise the blessed of his host, spoke to Abraham saying, God is with you in all that 1 Kings 15:19; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 39:1). A believer is invincible until it is his time to go. Abraham took care to have his title to the well allowed, to prevent disputes in future. _Isaac;_ that is, laughter or holy joy. However, see 26:17-33, where Isaac also has a dispute with Abimelech (likely not the same person) over wells and makes a treaty with him. Abimelech, that is _Father-King,_ was Luke 6:21. Genesis 21:22-34 In-Context. . The outcast. In gratitude for former favours he had received from him, in token of the friendship that subsisted between them, and for the confirmation of it; and to show that he was fully satisfied with Abimelech's answer to his complaint, as well as willing to enter into covenant by sacrifice, when such creatures were divided, and the covenanters passed between the pieces, for so it follows: and both of them made a covenant ; or, read more, And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.