21 ²² Now about that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, addressed Abraham in these terms: 'God is with you in all that you do. 21 ²³ Now swear an oath to me in the name of God, that you will not break faith with me, my offspring, or my descendants. As I have kept faith with you, so shall you keep faith with me and with the country where you have come to live as an alien.' 21 ²⁴ Abraham said, 'I swear.'

21 ²⁵ It happened that Abraham had a complaint against Abimelech about a well which Abimelech's men had seized. 21 ²⁶ Abimelech said, 'I do not know who did this. You never told me, and I have heard nothing about it till now.' 21 ²⁷ So Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech; and the two of them made a pact. 21 ²⁸ Abraham set seven ewe-lambs apart, and when 21 ²⁹ Abimelech asked him why he had set these lambs apart, 21 ³⁰ he said, 'Accept these from me in token that I dug this well.' 21 ³¹ Therefore that place was called Beersheba That is Well of Seven and Well of an Oath, because there the two of them swore an oath. 21 ³² When they had made the pact at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army returned at once to the country of the Philistines, and 21 ³³ Abraham planted a strip of ground Or planted a tamarisk at Beersheba. There he invoked the LORD, the everlasting God, by name, 21 ³⁴ and he lived as an alien in the country of the Philistines for many a year.