GENESIS 21:22 Abimelek the king of Gerar and his top general Phicol approach Abraham and say to him, We recognize that God is with you in everything you do. In like manner Phichol, mouth of all, seems to have been the official designation of the prime minister, and commander-in-chief. He wouldnt have had much exciting news to report in his monthly fund-raising letter. See also David living in the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. 5. I. _Isaac;_ that is, laughter or holy joy. 22 Abimelechs couenant with Abraham at Beer-sheba. of his host, spoke to Abraham saying, God is with you in all that Even in this ordinary incident, Abraham acknowledged Gods faithful care for him. Peace established, Abimelech and Phichol, having accomplished their mission, returned to Philistia. It is as much the duty of him who has a grievance to reveal it, as it is the duty of him who has caused the grievance to remove it. There he made, not only a constant practice, but an open read more, And it came to pass at that time ,. Not when Ishmael was grown up and married, but when Isaac was weaned and Ishmael was expelled: that Abimelech, and Phichol, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham ; Abimelech was king of Gerar, the same that is spoken of in the preceding chapter, and Phichol was the general of his army; these two great personages came together and paid Abraham a visit, and had some conversation with him, who was still in Gerar, or however in some part of read more, Now therefore swear unto me here 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, could he prevail upon him to swear: that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son ; perhaps he had heard that God had promised to give the whole read more, And Abraham said, I will swear. continued in the country of the Philistines for a considerable time; COVENANT BETWEEN that it could not be explained on merely natural grounds. 27:7). ALL CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY IS CONSCIOUSLY IDENTIFIED WITH GOD. army H6635 spoke H559 (H8799) Abraham H85 saying And so it was at that time that Abimelech, and Phicol the captain You many Read Genesis 21:22-34 here: Bible Gateway. 3. And yet he was used in Gods great purpose of blessing the nations through Abrahams seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. mll "speak," an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. _The Covenant with Abimelech_ (Genesis 21:22-34) "Blessed are the peace-makers," and "beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace.". Why? Genesis 21:1; Genesis 22:1 Genesis 21:22-34 New International Version The Treaty at Beersheba 22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do. So they conclude that Christians are hypocrites, and they fail to see God in our lives. The impelling motives. Should be consulted by all who wish to be well-informed on the issues alluded to by Moses. Genesis 21:22-34 In-Context 20 God was with the lad, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer . Abraham, being now in a good neighbourhood, stayed a great while there. I.e. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of The greatest possible injury of a material kind that could be done to a nomads chief was the all faction of his water supplies. God promised that His covenant with Abraham would be an everlasting covenant; Abraham recognized God as everlasting., This foreshadows future encounters between the Israelites and the Philistines. The one great miracle in his life was the birth of Isaac in his old age. The grocer, who was not a believer, was unmoved by her need. How Jesus loved his betrayer Judas, even to the very end. Abimelech declared himself perfectly unacquainted with the wrong which had been done to Abraham, and immediately returned the well, which discovers how easily misunderstandings might be removed if, instead of harboring enmity, men would resort to friendly conference. Finally he blurted out, Well, thats all it will hold anyway. Even as Gods kindness draws us to him, our kindness with others should point them to Him. Then this brand new cop said,Sir, step out of the car. _chemet_ bottle, akin to _chamah_, CHIEF CAPTAIN OF HIS HOST SPAKE UNTO ABRAHAM, SAYING, GOD IS WITH THEE The LXX. fear Some try to convey that they are perfect. chesed) to Abraham. Isaac's birth (Genesis 22:1) 2. So swear to me here before God that you wont deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Another step in Abrahams walk with God is seen in verse 33, where he plants a tree and calls on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. Planting the tree was an act to remind Abraham of Gods faithfulness, especially in the everyday matter of providing the well which supplied the water for this tree to grow. 8. The Lords whole thing boils down to that. But He doesnt just provide for our needs so that we can live comfy lives for our own happiness. Well it didnt turn out quite the way he expected. As already Mature, Aner, and Eshcol had formed a league with the patriarch (vide Genesis 14:13). We wont know Gods purpose until were in heaven. Another wrong thing happens: An imperfect Christian concludes that he had better not say anything about his faith until he gets all his problems solved. Even so, as believers, we know that every second of our lives is under the watchful care of the heavenly Father. Im not suggesting that you go on sinning and tell everyone that youre a Christian. The shaft is formed of excellent masonry to a great depth until it reaches the rock, and at this juncture a spring trickles perpetually. And Abraham plantedas a sign of his peaceful occupation of the soil (Calvin); as a memorial of the transaction about the well ('Speaker's Commentary'); or simply as a shade for his tent (Rosenmller); scarcely as an oratory (Bush, Kalisch)a grovethe wood, plantation (Targum, Vulgate, Samaritan, Kimchi); a field, (LXX. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH MAKE A COVENANT AT BEERSHEBA. He was just living the ordinary, hum-drum, day-to-day existence of a nomad with his flocks and herds. Theyre people who live rather ordinary lives, except for one significant fact--their lives count for eternity because they are used by God to help fulfill His purpose. _GOD IS WITH - The Birth of Isaac But we can have the comfort of knowing that both men were under Gods providential care. 22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the The covenant arising out of bodily wants a civil agreement. Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? In this narrative, Abraham appears as a chieftain powerful enough for a king to wish to make an alliance with him; and thus his abandonment of Sarah, and his receiving of presents in compensation for the wrong done her, seems the more unworthy of him. Abraham denies his relationship CHAPTER 21 139:16)! It is a beautiful illustration of how God faithfully provides everything we need for life and godliness so that we can fulfill His purpose. CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY Bondwoman and her son cast out. 20:16 in the command not to bear false witness against ones neighbor. 4. A son was ABIMELECHS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. It is wise to connect ourselves with those who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to those who have been kind to us. The palpable injury. But what about Abraham? He sarcastically said, Write your prayer on a piece of paper and you can have its weight in groceries. To his surprise, she pulled a folded note out of her pocket and handed it to him. His calendar wasnt full of speaking engagements. Abimelech claimed no prior knowledge of the matter, and the covenant the two men ratified stipulated that the well belonged to Abraham (21:30). ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH Genesis 31 Genesis 32 Genesis 33 Genesis 34 Genesis 35 Genesis 36 Genesis 37 Genesis 38 Genesis 39 Genesis 40 Genesis 41 He rained down fire and brimstone to destroy wicked Sodom. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. He checked his police cruiser, it looked good, the light bar was on. 2. 15 Hagar in distresse. and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Genesis 21:1). Do others see the hand of God on your life? Thus, while the Lord gave Abraham authority to dwell in this land, his presence was recognized by the king of Gerar. He normally didnt attend church, but he was troubled about some matters and went to church, hoping to find some relief. He did what he Two powerful princes, in their conduct exemplifying the spirit of unity and peace which should bind together private persons in their daily intercourse, as well as kings and nations in their political alliance. favourite of God, chap. As he was leaving, a young man walked up and quoted John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. The businessman didnt see how such a thing could be true and he didnt understand the connection between Gods giving His Son and a person having eternal life. In that case Abraham went down to Egypt, whereas Isaac went only as far as Gerar, in the land of the Philistines, but the same place where we read of Abraham denying his relationship with Sarah. Genesis 21:22-34 What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves? Abimelech and PhicholHere a proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in a native prince wishing to form a solemn league with Abraham. He sent the plagues on Egypt and parted the Red Sea. 4. 2. Hagar and Ishmael sent away. So why, after he already gave Abimelek flocks of sheep and cattle, did Abraham give him seven lambs as a witness that Abraham dug the well? Verses 1-34. A few years ago Abraham told this same Abimelek that Sarah was his sister. Abraham was the friend of God. The world is watching, and without a word of witness, they should be able to tell that we are Christians as they see our godly lives. Th Genesis 21:22 time H6256 Abimelech H40 Phichol H6369 commander H8269 Abimelech, on the other hand, acts generously as of old, and shows no signs of ill-will at the growing power of one whose expectation was that his race would possess the whole land. 22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the In seeking to bring about both of these promises, Abraham resorted to human schemes to help God out: with the son, he went in to Hagar and produced Ishmael; with regard to the land, his fears of being wiped out by the inhabitants of the land prompted him to lie about Sarah being his sister, not his wife. So its a huge deal for someone to take over a well as Abimeleks servants did. transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or to the time of Good men should do all they can to make others so. Calling on Gods Name in whatever land you live, Despite the struggles in this new land, Abraham remembers his covenant with God (the God of Everlasting) and calls on His name. Abraham, having got into a good neighbourhood, knew when he was well off, and continued a great while there. The apparent contradiction between the statement of this verse and that of Genesis 21:32 may be removed by supposing either. Heres a bag. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? The significance of this passage is Abraham finding a place in the land promised to him in safety. How to survive a life of loving like Jesus (or how not to become a Christian doormat). Hence "the ownership of wells m Palestine was as jealously guarded as the possession of a mine in our own" (Inglis). Of great importance for the scientific data that has been included in the author's exposition. has you do. and married, but when Isaac was weaned and Ishmael was expelled: It is wise to connect ourselves with those who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to those who have been kind to us. CONTENTS: Birth of Isaac. You, our leader and master, have pulled the rug out from under us! Ishmael's marriage, but most probably to the former. _AT THAT TIME_] This may either refer to the God burned the words into his heart and gave him the faith to believe. Genre The passage is narrative. His friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites. BIRTH OF ISAAC. BIRTH OF ISAAC. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in Genesis 21:1; Genesis 22:1 had once laughed through unbelief; now being ashamed of that, she 1. His friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites. could sing with Mary, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spi God is with thee in all that thou doest 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. The days spent in Philistia left behind them some enlightenment. V2 So Sarah became *pregnant. He made a traffic stop that went something like this: Listen, I know my rights. There he called on the name of the Lord, as the everlasting God; probably in the grove he planted, which was his place of prayer. 4. Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 22 Abimelechs couenant with Abraham at Beer-sheba. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as Because there they aware both of them. 33:18-19). The neighborhood of Beersheba, the revelation of Jehovah, the little company of believers. of faith in another point of view. There he planted a grove for a shade to his tent, or perhaps an orchard of fruit-trees; and there, though we cannot say he settled, for God would have him, while he lived, to be a stranger and a pilgrim, yet he sojourned many days, as many as would consist with his character, as Abraham the Hebrew, or passenger. The herdsmen of the king had appropriated Abraham's well. God also took care of Hagar and Ishmael, remembering His promise to greatly multiply their descendants (see Birth of Isaac ). xx. 15. )was probably the Tamarix Africanae (Gesenius, Furst, Delitzsch, Rosenmller, Kalisch), which, besides being common in Egypt and Petraea, is mid to have been found growing near the ancient Beershebain Beersheba, and called there (not beneath the tree or in the grove, but in the place) on the name of the Lord,Jehovah (vide Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:4)the everlasting Godliterally, the God of eternity (LXX; Vulgate, Onkelos); not in contrast to heathen deities, who are born and die (Clericus), but "as the everlasting Vindicator of the faith of treaties, and as the infallible Source of the believer's rest and peace" (Murphy). He sets apart seven lambs from the flock and gives them to Abimelek. In Chapter s 20, 21 we have the question of the heir and of the path I wont ask you again!. He did what he I heard a story about a new police officer who, on his first day on the job, caught someone speeding. Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. So he changed his plans and flew home to L.A. Two days later, he heard on the news that a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles had crashed, killing everyone on board. 7. Thus Abimelek narrowly averted sinning against the Lord which, the Lord informed him, would have cost him his life. Abimelech and Abraham, or ancient covenanters. The term for making a treaty (used here and vs. 32) is karat. that Abimelech, and Phichol, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham; Abimelech was king of Gerar, the same that is spoken of in the preceding chapter, and Phichol was the general of his army; these two great personages came together and paid Abraham a visit, and had some conversation with him, who was still in Gerar, or however in some part of that country not far from it: saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest; greatly prospered him in the things of the world, for of them only could they make a judgment; they saw that he increased in worldly substance, and that his family was increased, and that he succeeded in everything in which he engaged; and, being jealous of his growing greatness and power, were desirous of securing an interest in him and in his favour. But it is significant that Gods blessing on Abraham is evident even to this pagan king, Abimelech, who tells Abraham, God is with you in all that you do (21:22). I Wish Someone Had Told Me This When I Was Young, Genesis 21:1-21 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6 KJV), You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it: 1 Corinthians 12:27, Joseph's 5 Steps to Avoid Temptation: Genesis 39:6-23, 10 Attributes Of Jesus' Relationship With His Father (And what we can learn from them), Jesus And The 5 Love Languages: Chapter 17 from the newly released book Love Like Jesus, Joseph's 4 Steps to Success: Genesis 39:1-6, The Consequences Of Ignoring God: God's Way, Your Way, And Your Crushed Spirit, The Surprising Power of Habits: Important Conversation with My Younger Self, #5, Drunk and Naked--Love Covers a Multitude: Genesis 9:18-29, Things You Should Know About The Author Of This Blog. So instead of fighting Abimelek or insisting on Abimelek giving back control of the well, Abraham provides a graceful way out. Adaptation of Divine truth to those to whom it is sent. (3) that in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoid both heat of temper and severity of language. Which things are an. Numbers 14:13). He gives Abimelek seven lambs so Abimelek can tell his servants that the well has been purchased. List one sac- IN ALL THAT THOU DOEST:_ The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Abimelech, that is _Father-King,_ was Do we work hard or slack off? I dont have to give you my license and registration., Listen you ! *** Abimelech reenters the picture with his enforcer, Phicol. CHRISTI GENESISNOTE ON GENESIS 21:22 GOD IS WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DO. Asking their forgiveness is often the first step in that process. No more can be expected from an honest man than that he be ready to do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. The significance of the presence of Phichol at the ceremony indicates Abimelechs promise not to pursue military action against Abraham. In that desert land, a well was essential for survival, both for a mans flocks and for his family. Genesis 21:22. The prudent measure Abraham gave Abimelech seven ewe lambs as a witness that he had digged the well, and consequently had a right to its possession. Abimelek responds, This is the first Ive heard of it. all that thou _AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, THAT ABIMELECH AND PHICHOL THE In the immediately preceding verses, God has provided Isaac and dismissed Ishmael, so that Abraham would learn that Gods promises do not depend on human schemes and effort for their fulfillment. Didnt Jesus tell us If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Because Abimelech wanted this covenant to apply, not only to himself, but to his posterity (21:23), it secured this source of water not only for Abraham, but for his descendants.
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