Genesis

Genesis 21:25–32

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,^f because it was there that the two of them swore an oath. 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.

Footnotes

f 21:31 Beersheba means well of seven or well of the oath.

Read all of Genesis 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 21:25

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But when Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֖ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
complained	וְהוֹכִ֥חַ	wə·hō·w·ḵi·aḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H3198 decide, adjudge, prove
to Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
about	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
a well	בְּאֵ֣ר	bə·’êr	Noun - feminine singular construct	H875 well, pit
that	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Abimelech’s	אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
servants	עַבְדֵ֥י	‘aḇ·ḏê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H5650 slave, servant
had seized	גָּזְל֖וּ	gā·zə·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1497 tear away, seize, rob

Genesis 21:26

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
replied	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
know	יָדַ֔עְתִּי	yā·ḏa‘·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
who	מִ֥י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
has done	עָשָׂ֖ה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
this	הַזֶּ֑ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
You	אַתָּ֞ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
did not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
tell	הִגַּ֣דְתָּ	hig·gaḏ·tā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
me	לִּ֗י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
so I	אָנֹכִ֛י	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
have not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
heard	שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי	šā·ma‘·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H8085 hear
about it until today	בִּלְתִּ֥י	bil·tî	Preposition	H1115 not, except

Genesis 21:27

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Abraham	אַבְרָהָם֙	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
brought	וַיִּקַּ֤ח	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
sheep	צֹ֣אן	ṣōn	Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
and cattle	וּבָקָ֔ר	ū·ḇā·qār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
and gave them	וַיִּתֵּ֖ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
to Abimelech	לַאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ	la·’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
and the two men	שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם	šə·nê·hem	Number - masculine dual construct; third person masculine plural	H8147 two
made	וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ	way·yiḵ·rə·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3772 cut off, cut down
a covenant	בְּרִֽית׃	bə·rîṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1285 covenant

Genesis 21:28

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֗ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
separated	וַיַּצֵּ֣ב	way·yaṣ·ṣêḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5324 take one's stand, stand
seven	שֶׁ֛בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
ewe lambs	כִּבְשֹׂ֥ת	kiḇ·śōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H3535 ewe-lamb
from the flock	הַצֹּ֖אן	haṣ·ṣōn	Article; Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Genesis 21:29

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
asked	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Why	מָ֣ה	māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you set apart	הִצַּ֖בְתָּ	hiṣ·ṣaḇ·tā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5324 take one's stand, stand
these	הָאֵ֔לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
seven	שֶׁ֤בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
ewe lambs	כְּבָשֹׂת֙	kə·ḇā·śōṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H3535 ewe-lamb

Genesis 21:30

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He replied	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
You are to accept	תִּקַּ֖ח	tiq·qaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3947 take
the seven	שֶׁ֣בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
ewe lambs	כְּבָשֹׂ֔ת	kə·ḇā·śōṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H3535 ewe-lamb
from my hand	מִיָּדִ֑י	mî·yā·ḏî	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3027 hand
as my witness	לְעֵדָ֔ה	lə·‘ê·ḏāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H5713 testimony, witness
that	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I dug	חָפַ֖רְתִּי	ḥā·p̄ar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2658 dig, search for
this	הַזֹּֽאת׃	haz·zōṯ	Article; Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
well	הַבְּאֵ֥ר	hab·bə·’êr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H875 well, pit

Genesis 21:31

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
that	הַה֖וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
place	לַמָּק֥וֹם	lam·mā·qō·wm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
was called	קָרָ֛א	qā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Beersheba	שָׁ֑בַע	šā·ḇa‘	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H884 Beersheba
because	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it was there	שָׁ֥ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
that the two	שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃	šə·nê·hem	Number - masculine dual construct; third person masculine plural	H8147 two
of them swore an oath	נִשְׁבְּע֖וּ	niš·bə·‘ū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7650 swear

Genesis 21:32

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
After they had made	וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ	way·yiḵ·rə·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3772 cut off, cut down
the covenant	בְרִ֖ית	ḇə·rîṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1285 covenant
at Beersheba	שָׁ֑בַע	šā·ḇa‘	Preposition; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H884 Beersheba
Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
and Phicol	וּפִיכֹל֙	ū·p̄î·ḵōl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6369 Picol
the commander	שַׂר־	śar-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
of his army	צְבָא֔וֹ	ṣə·ḇā·’ōw	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6635 army, war, warfare
got up	וַיָּ֣קָם	way·yā·qām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
and returned	וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ	way·yā·šu·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the land	אֶ֥רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of the Philistines	פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃	pə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 21:25 Genesis 26:15–22

Genesis 21:30 Genesis 31:52

Genesis 21:31 Genesis 26:33 · Genesis 21:14

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.