The Covenant at Beersheba

Abimelech and Phicol approach Abraham because they see that God is with him, and they ask for a sworn pledge of honest treatment. Abraham agrees to the oath.

A²²t that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. ²³Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness that I have shown to you.” ²⁴And Abraham replied, “I swear it.”

Abraham raises a complaint about a seized well, and Abimelech denies prior knowledge of it. Their covenant includes Abraham's seven ewe lambs as witness that he dug the well, and the place is named Beersheba because of the oath.

²⁵But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized, ²⁶Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.” ²⁷So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. ²⁸Abraham separated seven ewe lambs from the flock, ²⁹and Abimelech asked him, “Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?” ³⁰He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand as my witness that I dug this well.” ³¹So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.

After the covenant is made, Abimelech and Phicol depart, and Abraham plants a tamarisk tree at Beersheba. There he calls on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God, and remains in the land for a long time.

³²After they had made the covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army got up and returned to the land of the Philistines. ³³And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. ³⁴And Abraham resided in the land of the Philistines for a long time.