“Genesis 21:22-26”

Sunday, December 22, 2019

“Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, 'God is with you in all that you do; now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.' Abraham said, 'I swear it.' But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized. And Abimelech said, 'I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today.'”

---End of Scripture verses---

“Abraham's encounter with Abimelech is reported with such an economy of detail that the background is obscure. Clearly it is told not for its own sake but for other reasons. It projects a fresh image of the patriarch. Now that his life's dream is fulfilled and his posterity assured, he possesses a new sense of confidence. No longer does he exhibit timidity and evasiveness in dealing with royalty; he negotiates as an equal. Moreover, Abraham reaches a new stage in relationship to the promised land. He makes his first acquisition—a well at Beer-sheba—and his rights are acknowledged and guaranteed by the king.” (Nahum Sarna)

“Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham...” (verse 22) King Abimelech of Gerar brought his chief military commander and advisor with him to have an official consultation with Abraham in Beer-sheba. “Abraham's increasing power and prosperity had evidently raised a certain fear in the mind of Abimelech that future conflict might develop between them. Therefore Abimelech sought by honorable and peaceful means to guard against any such possibilities.” (James Burton Coffman). “God is with you in all that you do.” Abimelech astutely comprehended that any dispute between Abraham and himself would actually be a conflict with God Almighty, and he wanted no part of that.

“Swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me...” (verse 23) Abraham had previously “dealt falsely” with Abimelech when he had given his wife into the king's harem claiming that she was his sister. “You have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin... You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” (Genesis 20:9) But Abimelech was seeking more than just future truthfulness from the powerful patriarch. He sought a mutual, nonaggression pact—that Abraham and his posterity would live peaceably among the people of Abimelech's realm and not initiate any form of conflict or military offensive. He requested that Abraham swear to him by God: “By the true and living God, by whom only an oath is to be taken, who was Abraham's God, and whom Abimelech seems to have known and to have been a worshipper of; and therefore moves for an oath to be taken by him, which he knew would be sacred and binding to Abraham...” (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible)

“Abraham said, 'I swear it.'” “Abraham promptly took the requested oath, remembering, no doubt, that Abimelech had indeed granted manifold favors to him, including the rich gifts upon the occasion of his intended marriage to Sarah. Abraham seized upon the occasion to resolve a conflict over possession of a well which had been claimed by some of Abimelech's servants.” (James Burton Coffman) “Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized.” (verse 25) This was the perfect occasion to address and rectify his issue with the aggression of Abilemech's servants in “seizing” the well that Abraham himself had dug (verse 30) Wells were enormously valuable to the inhabitants of arid lands, and especially the possessors of considerable herds and flocks. If Abimelech was serious about keeping his end of the nonaggression pact than he would promptly deal with the conflict over the proper ownership of this well or series of wells.

“I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today.” (verse 26) Abimelech claimed ignorance of Abraham's current crisis, and there is no good reason to doubt his sincerity. He didn't even know who the perpetrators were, therefore he could not be expected to confront them. Furthermore, the patriarch had not previously informed him of this dilemma so this was the first he had ever heard of it. He suggested that the complaint was invalid and turned it around on him by maintaining that Abraham was actually at fault for not telling him sooner. I can't help but admire this Philistine king for his keen sense of logic, wisdom and shrewdness in negotiations. In his encounters with Abraham he taught him the value of honesty, directness and promptness. Lessons that are valuable for all of us to learn!

Please read Genesis 21:27-34 for tomorrow.

- Louie Taylor

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