Genesis 21:24-30 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 21:22-32

We have here an account of the treaty between Abimelech and Abraham, in which appears the accomplishment of that promise (Gen. 12:2) that God would make his name great. His friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites. I. The league is proposed by Abimelech, and Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army. 1. The inducement to it was God's favour to Abraham (Gen. 21:22): ?God is with thee in all that thou doest,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:24

And Abraham said, I will swear. Sensible of the many favours he had received from Abimelech in times past, and was still indulged with, he very readily agreed to his proposal; and the rather, as he knew by the vision between the pieces, that it would be four hundred years before his posterity should be put into the possession of the land of Canaan; and therefore could take an oath that neither he, nor his son, nor his grandson, should be injured or dispossessed. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:25

And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water ,.... Before he swore and entered into covenant with him, he thought it advisable to inform him of an affair that had happened concerning a well of water, which in those hot and dry countries, as the southern parts of the land of Canaan were, was an affair of great importance; and to make complaint of the ill usage of Abimelech's servants with respect to it, and to reason with him about it, that the thing might be adjusted to mutual... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:26

And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing ,.... He pleads ignorance; he knew nothing of it before, nor now which of his servants had done it; intimating, that if he could know who it was, he should severely reprimand him for it: neither didst thou tell me : signifying that he was to blame he did not complain of it sooner; and at least he had no reason to blame him, since he had never informed him before of it, and therefore could not expect to be redressed: neither yet... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:27

And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech ,.... In gratitude for former favours he had received from him, in token of the friendship that subsisted between them, and for the confirmation of it; and to show that he was fully satisfied with Abimelech's answer to his complaint, as well as willing to enter into covenant by sacrifice, when such creatures were divided, and the covenanters passed between the pieces, for so it follows: and both of them made a covenant ; or,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:28

And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. Separate from the sheep and oxen he gave to Abimelech, and from those that were used in making the covenant. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:29

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. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:30

And he said ,.... That is, Abraham replied to Abimelech: for these seven ewe lambs shall thou take of my hand ; as a present from him, to be retained as his own: that they may be a witness to me that I have digged this well : these were to be a testimony that the well that had been taken away from Abraham was one that he had dug, and was his property, and which Abimelech acknowledged by his acceptance of these seven lambs; and very probably Abraham received a note from the hand of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 21:25

Abraham reproved Abimelech - Wells were of great consequence in those hot countries, and especially where the flocks were numerous, because the water was scarce, and digging to find it was accompanied with much expense of time and labor. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 21:26

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. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 21:22-32

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:27

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:28

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:29

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:30

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 21:25

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 21:26

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