Genesis 21:30
in Genesis 21He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand as my witness that I dug this well.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said, These seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
KJV
And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 21
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(Verse 30) And he said, 'You shall take these seven ewes from me, that they may be a witness for me that I have dug this well.' Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because both of them swore an oath there. Where this is read, Beersheba, in Hebrew it is called Beersheba. But there are two reasons why it is so named: either because Abimelech received seven lambs from the hand of Abraham, for seven are called Sheba, or because they swore there, for an oath is also called Sheba in the same way.
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
as my witness that I dug this well
Abraham asks Abimelech to accept the seven ewe lambs as his witness that he dug the well. Adam Clarke holds that by accepting them Abimelech owned Abraham's right to it. Matthew Henry calls the sign both just and wise.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is justice, as well as wisdom, to do thus, in perptuam rei memoriam--that the circumstance may be perpetually remembered.
And he said,....
It is justice, as well as wisdom, to do thus, in perptuam rei memoriam--that the circumstance may be perpetually remembered.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A 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.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כִּ֚י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֶׁ֣בַע | sheva' | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| כְּבָשֹׂ֔ת | kevasot | ewe-lambs | H3535 → | 8 times |
| תִּקַּ֖ח | tikach | you will take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִיָּדִ֑י | miyadi | from hand my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בַּעֲבוּר֙ | baavur | inorder that | H5668 → | 49 times |
| תִּֽהְיֶה־ | tihyeh- | it may become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִּ֣י | li | for <the> me | ||
| לְעֵדָ֔ה | leedah | <into> a witness | H5713 → | |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| חָפַ֖רְתִּי | chafarti | I dug | H2658 → | 22 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַבְּאֵ֥ר | habeer | the well | H875 → | 38 times |
| הַזֹּֽאת׃ | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
כִּ֚יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֶׁ֣בַעseven
sheva'H7651 →394 times
כְּבָשֹׂ֔תewe-lambs
kevasotH3535 →8 times
תִּקַּ֖חyou will take
tikachH3947 →966 times
מִיָּדִ֑יfrom hand my
miyadiH3027 →1618 times
בַּעֲבוּר֙inorder that
baavurH5668 →49 times
תִּֽהְיֶה־it may become
tihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לִּ֣יfor <the> me
li
לְעֵדָ֔ה<into> a witness
leedahH5713 →
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
חָפַ֖רְתִּיI dug
chafartiH2658 →22 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַבְּאֵ֥רthe well
habeerH875 →38 times
הַזֹּֽאת׃<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 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
Joshua 24:27And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone. It will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us, and it will…
it leads to
- Luke 19:40
“I tell you,” He answered, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.”
- Joshua 22:34
So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”
- Deuteronomy 31:26
“Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, so that it may remain there as a witness against you.
- Matthew 10:33
But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
- Joshua 22:27–28
Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in…
- Luke 19:40
Through
Genesis 31:52This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm…
it leads to
- Genesis 31:48
Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.
- Genesis 31:44–45
Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.”
- Genesis 31:48
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.