32
So they madeוַיִּכְרְתוּa covenantבְרִיתat Beersheba.בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַעThen Abimelechוַ אֲבִימֶלֶךְand Phicol,וּפִיכֹלthe commanderשַׂרof his army,צְבָאוֹrose upיָּקָםand returnedוַיָּשֻׁבוּto the landאֶל אֶרֶץof the Philistines.פְּלִשְׁתִּים
Genesis 21:32
Study it in the app“So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 21:32, word by word
- So they madeיִּכְרְתוּyichrtu
make a covenant
Literally "cut": to seal a solemn agreement, splitting animals.
Where else “yichrtu” appears- a covenantבְרִיתverit
covenant
The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.
Where else “verit” appears- at Beershebaבְאֵרveer
Beersheba
See it on the mapWhere else “veer” appears- Then Abimelechאֲבִימֶלֶךְavimelech
Abimelech
Abimelech, the name of Philistine kings of Gerar in the days of Abraham and of Isaac, and of other men, such as a son of Gideon. The name means "my father is king"; it may have been a title of the kings of that place.
Where else “avimelech” appears- and Phicolפִיכֹלfichol
Phicol
Phicol, the commander of Abimelech's army.
Where else “fichol” appears- the commanderשַׂרsar
chief
Someone set over others, in the army or in the state.
Where else “sar” appears- of his armyצְבָאtseva
army
An army.
Where else “tseva” appears- rose upיָּקָםyakam
rise
To go from sitting or lying to standing, or to set out.
Where else “yakam” appears- and returnedיָּשֻׁבוּyashuvu
return
To go back to a place.
Where else “yashuvu” appears- to the landאֶרֶץerets
land
A region or nation, above all Israel's.
Where else “erets” appears- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיםpelishtim
Philistines
Philistines: a people that settled on the south-west coast of Canaan and was Israel's enemy in the days of the judges and of David.
Where else “pelishtim” appears
Places in this verse
Beersheba
Today: Beersheba (Be'er Sheva), Israel
A city at the southern edge of the land of Israel, in the Negev desert, about 47 miles (75 km) south of Jerusalem.
Abraham and Isaac made agreements there over a well (Gen 21:31; 26:33). "From Dan to Beersheba" meant the whole land.
The context
31That is why he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore.
32 · This verse (above)
33He planted a tamarisk in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of YHWH, El Olam.
To study Genesis 21 in a group
1. What it says
What happened when Isaac was born, and what did Sarah say (vv. 1-7)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Elohim’s care that he heard the voice of the boy in the wilderness (vv. 17-19)?
3. How I live it
Whom that seems to be pushed aside can you give time and attention today?