Genesis 21:22
in Genesis 21At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
KJV
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
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This verse in Genesis 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAt that time - This may either refer to the transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or to the time of Ishmael’s marriage, but most probably to the former. God is with thee - מימרא דיי meimera daiya, the Word of Jehovah; see before, Gen 15:1. That the Chaldee paraphrasts use this term, not for a word spoken, but in the same sense in which St. John uses the λογος του Θεου, the Word of God, (Joh 1:1), must be evident to every unprejudiced reader. See on Gen 15:1 (note).
This site's exposition
God is with you in all that you do
on Genesis 21:22-24
Abimelech comes with Phicol, the commander of his army. His opening is what an outsider could see from the road, that God is with Abraham in all he does. This is the same Abimelech who questioned him in chapter 20, and he asks for an oath of good faith. Abraham answers in three words.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 22.) And Abimelech and Phicol, the commanders of his army, said to his servants, 'Except Abimelech and Phicol, the third name mentioned here is not found in the Hebrew text.'
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And it came to pass at that time,....
The tenour of it was, in general, that there should be a firm and constant friendship between the two families, which should not upon any account be violated.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Abimelech and Phichol--Here a proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in a native prince wishing to form a solemn league with Abraham. The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24].
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְהִי֙ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בָּעֵ֣ת | baet | at the time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| הַהִ֔וא | hahiv' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| וּפִיכֹל֙ | ufikhol | and Phicol | H6369 → | 3 times |
| שַׂר־ | sar- | [the] commander of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| צְבָא֔וֹ | tzevao | army his | H6635 → | 485 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֖ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֣ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| עִמְּךָ֔ | ʾimekha | [is] with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בְּכֹ֥ל | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אַתָּ֖ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עֹשֶֽׂה׃ | ʾoseh | [are] doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
וַֽיְהִי֙and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בָּעֵ֣תat the time
baetH6256 →296 times
הַהִ֔וא<the> that
hahiv'H1931 →1879 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
וּפִיכֹל֙and Phicol
ufikholH6369 →3 times
שַׂר־[the] commander of
sar-H8269 →421 times
צְבָא֔וֹarmy his
tzevaoH6635 →485 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַבְרָהָ֖םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
אֱלֹהִ֣יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
עִמְּךָ֔[is] with you
ʾimekhaH5973 →1050 times
בְּכֹ֥לin all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אַתָּ֖הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
עֹשֶֽׂה׃[are] doing
ʾosehH6213 →2628 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 8:10Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
it leads to
- Lamentations 3:37
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Job 5:12
He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
- Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Psalms 46:11
The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
- Lamentations 3:37
Through
Joshua 3:7Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
it leads to
- Joshua 4:14
On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.
- Joshua 1:5
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- 1 Chronicles 29:25
The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had not been bestowed on any king in Israel before him.
- Joshua 4:14
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.