Genesis 21:26
in Genesis 21Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abimelech said, I know not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to-day.
KJV
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
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This verse in Genesis 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well--Wells were of great importance to a pastoral chief and on the successful operation of sinking a new one, the owner was solemnly informed in person.
This site's exposition
a well that Abimelech's servants had seized
on Genesis 21:25-27
Abraham complained about a well Abimelech's servants had seized. Abimelech replied that he had not heard of it until that day. The grievance is on the table before the covenant is made. Water is the standing quarrel here, and the Philistines fight Isaac over wells at 26:15 to 26:22.
This site's exposition
I do not know who has done this
Matthew Henry takes Abimelech at his word. The faults of servants, he says, are not charged to a master who did not know of them, and an honest man can only put right what he learns he has done wrong. Abimelech also turns the blame back on Abraham, who had not told him.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Many are suspected of injustice and unkindness that are perfectly innocent, and we ought to be glad when they clear themselves. The faults of servants must not be imputed to their masters, unless they know of them and justify them; and no more can be expected from an honest man than that he be ready to do right as soon as he knows that he has done wrong.
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I wot not who hath done this thing - The servants of Abimelech had committed these depredations on Abraham without any authority from their master, who appears to have been a very amiable man, possessing the fear of God, and ever regulating the whole of his conduct by the principles of righteousness and strict justice.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מִ֥י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| עָשָׂ֖ה | ʾasah | has he done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַדָּבָ֣ר | hadavar | the thing | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַזֶּ֑ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אַתָּ֞ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִגַּ֣דְתָּ | higadta | you told | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לִּ֗י | li | to <the> me | ||
| וְגַ֧ם | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אָנֹכִ֛י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי | shama'ti | I heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בִּלְתִּ֥י | bilti | except | H1115 → | 112 times |
| הַיּֽוֹם׃ | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
מִ֥יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
עָשָׂ֖הhas he done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַדָּבָ֣רthe thing
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
הַזֶּ֑ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
אַתָּ֞הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הִגַּ֣דְתָּyou told
higadtaH5046 →370 times
לִּ֗יto <the> me
li
וְגַ֧םand also
vegamH1571 →769 times
אָנֹכִ֛יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמַ֖עְתִּיI heard
shama'tiH8085 →1159 times
בִּלְתִּ֥יexcept
biltiH1115 →112 times
הַיּֽוֹם׃this day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Genesis 13:7And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land.
it leads to
- Genesis 26:20
But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him.
- Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
- James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
- James 4:1
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
- Galatians 5:20
idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,
- Genesis 26:20
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.