22 Now at that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army, said to Abraham, I see that God is with you in all you do. 23 Now, then, give me your oath, in the name of God, that you will not be false to me or to my sons after me, but that as I have been good to you, so you will be to me and to this land where you have been living. 24 And Abraham said, I will give you my oath. 25 But Abraham made a protest to Abimelech because of a water-hole which Abimelech's servants had taken by force. 26 But Abimelech said, I have no idea who has done this thing; you never gave me word of it, and I had no knowledge of it till this day. 27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made an agreement together. 28 And Abraham put seven young lambs of the flock on one side by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech said, What are these seven lambs which you have put on one side? 30 And he said, Take these seven lambs from me as a witness that I have made this water-hole. 31 So he gave that place the name Beer-sheba, because there the two of them had given their oaths. 32 So they made an agreement at Beer-sheba, and Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army, went back to the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham, after planting a holy tree in Beer-sheba, gave worship to the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham went on living in the land of the Philistines as in a strange country.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 21:22-34
Commentary on Genesis 21:22-34
(Read Genesis 21:22-34)
Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. 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. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. Abraham took care to have his title to the well allowed, to prevent disputes in future. No more can be expected from an honest man than that he be ready to do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. Abraham, being now in a good neighbourhood, stayed a great while there. There he made, not only a constant practice, but an open profession of his religion. 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. Abraham kept up public worship, in which his neighbours might join. Good men should do all they can to make others so. Wherever we sojourn, we must neither neglect nor be ashamed of the worship of Jehovah.