Genesis 21:29
in Genesis 21and Abimelech asked him, “Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
KJV
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
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This verse in Genesis 21
Commentary
5 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
seven ewe lambs from the flock
on Genesis 21:28-31
These seven ewe lambs are the first lambs Genesis names. They buy a well and stand as Abraham's witness that he dug it. Isaac asks where the lamb is one chapter later, on the way up the mountain. Jerome gives both readings of Beersheba, the well of the seven and the well of the oath.
This site's exposition
Why have you set apart these
Abimelech's question lets Abraham name the purpose aloud. The lambs stand apart from the sheep and cattle of verse 27, which sealed the covenant. Adam Clarke weighs two readings of them, a present to the king or the price of the well.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Abimelech said unto Abraham,.... Observing what he had done, and not knowing the design of it: what mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? he understood what the sheep and oxen were for, that they were presents to him, at least some of them, and the rest were for the solemnizing and ratifying the covenant between them; but what these were for he could not devise.
And Abimelech said unto Abraham,.... Observing what he had done, and not knowing the design of it: what mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? he understood what the sheep and oxen were for, that they were presents to him, at least some of them, and the rest were for the solemnizing and ratifying the covenant between them; but what these were for he could not devise.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֑ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| מָ֣ה | mah | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| הֵ֗נָּה | henah | [are] they | H2007 → | 30 times |
| שֶׁ֤בַע | sheva' | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| כְּבָשֹׂת֙ | kevasot | ewe-lambs | H3535 → | 8 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִצַּ֖בְתָּ | hitzavta | you have set | H5324 → | 75 times |
| לְבַדָּֽנָה׃ | levadanah | to alone them | H905 → | 200 times |
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַבְרָהָ֑םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
מָ֣הwhat?
mahH4100 →752 times
הֵ֗נָּה[are] they
henahH2007 →30 times
שֶׁ֤בַעseven
sheva'H7651 →394 times
כְּבָשֹׂת֙ewe-lambs
kevasotH3535 →8 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִצַּ֖בְתָּyou have set
hitzavtaH5324 →75 times
לְבַדָּֽנָה׃to alone them
levadanahH905 →200 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
Genesis 33:8“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
it leads to
- Genesis 32:5
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”
- Esther 2:17
And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon…
- Genesis 32:13–20
Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
- Genesis 39:5
From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned,…
- Genesis 32:5
Through
Exodus 12:26When your children ask you, ‘What does this service mean to you?’
it leads to
- Exodus 13:14–15
In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
- Deuteronomy 32:7
Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will inform you.
- Psalms 145:4
One generation will commend Your works to the next, and will proclaim Your mighty acts—
- Exodus 13:14–15
Through
1 Samuel 15:14But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”
it leads to
- Psalms 50:16–21
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
- Psalms 50:16–21
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; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).