King Abimelech Makes a Treaty with Abraham

21:22-34

22 Meanwhile, one day King Abimelech came with his army captain Phicol to Abraham and said to him, “I have noticed that God is with you and helps you in everything that you do. 23 Now then, please vow to me here in God’s presence that you will never again deceive me or my children or my descendants. Instead, just as I have treated you kindly, vow that you will also be kind to me and my people in this country where you are living.” 24 Abraham replied to him, “I vow that I will do those things.”

25 Then Abraham also confronted King Abimelech about a water well that Abimelech’s servants had taken control of from Abraham’s servants. 26 But Abimelech responded, “I have no idea who did that. Besides that, you did not tell me about it before, and so today is the first that I have heard about it.”

27 Then Abraham gave some of his sheep and cattle to Abimelech, and he and Abimelech made a peace treaty with one another. 28 Abraham also separated seven female lambs from the rest of the flock. 29 So Abimelech asked him, “Why did you separate those seven lambs from the rest of the flock?” 30 Abraham replied, “Because I want you to accept them from me, to show everyone that you agree with me that I dug this well and it belongs to me.” 31 Abimelech accepted the lambs, so Abraham named that place Beersheba, which means “Well of the Seven” or “Well of the Vow,” because that’s where they both vowed to live at peace with one another.

32 After Abraham and King Abimelech made their peace treaty at Beersheba, Abimelech and his army captain Phicol left from there and went back to their homes in the Philistines’ territory that Abimelech ruled over. 33 Then Abraham planted an evergreen tree named tamarisk at the place called Beersheba, and there he worshiped Yahweh, who is the God who lives forever. 34 After that, Abraham lived there in the Philistines’ territory for many years.