Beersheba

Well of the oath, or well of seven, a well dug by Abraham, and so named because he and Abimelech here entered into a compact (Gen. 21:31). On re-opening it, Isaac gave it the same name (Gen. 26:31-33). It was a favourite place of abode of both of these patriarchs (21:33-22:1, 19; 26:33; 28:10). It is mentioned among the “cities” given to the tribe of Simeon (Josh. 19:2; 1 Chr. 4:28). From Dan to Beersheba, a distance of about 144 miles (Judg. 20:1; 1 Chr. 21:2; 2 Sam. 24:2), became the usual way of designating the whole Promised Land, and passed into a proverb. After the return from the Captivity the phrase is narrowed into “from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom” (Neh. 11:30). The kingdom of the ten tribes extended from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim (2 Chr. 19:4). The name is not found in the New Testament. It is still called by the Arabs Bir es-Seba, i.e., “well of the seven”, where there are to the present day two principal wells and five smaller ones. It is nearly midway between the southern end of the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.

Recorded scripture occurrences (32)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:14

OET-RV GEN 21:14

14 Avraham got up early the next morning, and got some bread and a skin of water and helped Hagar put them on her shoulder. Then he gave her the child and sent her away, and she left and wandered in the wilderness around Be’er -Sheva (Beersheba).

OET-LV GEN 21:14

14 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he _rose _early in_morning and_he/it _took food and_a _skin _of water and_he/it _gave to Hāgār placing on shoulder _of_her and_DOM the_boy and_he_sent _her _away and_she _went and_she _wandered in_the _wilderness _of Bəʼēr.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:31

OET-RV GEN 21:31

31 So that’s why the place was named ‘Be’er -Sheva’ (Beersheba) (which means ‘Well of the seven’ or ‘Well of the oath’), because that’s where the two of them made their agreement.

OET-LV GEN 21:31

31 Therefore yes/correct/thus/so he _called (to)_place (the)_that Bəʼēr Shəⱱāʼ if/because there the _two _of_of _them they _swore _an _oath.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:32

OET-RV GEN 21:32

32 So the agreement was made at Be’er-Sheva, then Avimelek and Pikol, the commander of his army, got up and returned home to the Pelishti region.

OET-LV GEN 21:32

32 And_they _made a _covenant at_Bəʼēr- sheⱱaˊ and_ ʼAⱱīmelek and_Pikol the _commander _of his _army _of_his _he/it _rose _up and_they _returned to the _land _of the_Pəlishtiy.

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