In a saga spanning years, Abraham embarks on a bold journey away from the Philistines, settling near Hebron where his people thrive by newly dug wells. However, this newfound prosperity stirs trouble when Abimelech’s servants seize the precious well, igniting a fierce confrontation. Tensions escalate as Abraham stands his ground, determined to reclaim what is rightfully his, leading to an intense face-off with Abimelech and his captain, Phichol.
Amid the conflict, a dramatic covenant is forged between Abraham and Abimelech, solidified by the symbolic exchange of sheep and 7 ewe lambs. Peace is restored in Beersheba, where Abraham plants a lush grove with four gates welcoming travelers from all directions. His home becomes a sanctuary of generosity, offering sustenance and comfort to all who pass by, as Abraham dedicates his life to spreading knowledge of the Lord. Meanwhile, Abraham’s descendants and distant relatives like Lot’s and Ishmael’s offspring multiply and flourish, carving their own legacies in the land, while the echoes of Terah’s passing signal the close of an era.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
Insignificant Characters
Watch an explainer video for the Well of the Oath chapter:
Exposition
Abraham moves to Beersheba and digs wells
Rising Action
Abraham’s servants quarrel with Abimelech’s servants
Climax
Abimelech and Phichol meet with Abraham
Genesis 21:22-25
Jasher 22:6
Abimelech claims he didn’t know what his servants had done
Genesis 21:26
Jasher 22:7
Falling Action
Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant at Beersheba
Genesis 21:27-32
Jasher 22:8-10
Resolution
Abraham plants a grove in Beersheba
Genesis 21:33-34
Jasher 22:11-14
Lot’s grandchildren born
Ishmael and Meribah’s grandchildren born
Terah died
Genesis 11:32
Jasher 22:32-34
Abraham learns about Nahor’s children
Genesis 22:20
Jasher 22:16
Jubilee: 43
Year: 2075
Abraham moves to Beersheba and digs wells i
Jasher 22:3-4
3 And the days increased and reached twenty six years, and after that Abraham with his servants and all belonging to him went from the land of the Philistines and removed to a great distance, and they came near to Hebron, and they remained there, and the servants of Abraham dug wells of water, and Abraham and all belonging to him dwelt by the water, and the servants of Abimelech king of the Philistines heard the report that
4 Abraham’s servants had dug wells of water in the borders of the land.
Abraham's servants quarrel with Abimelech's servants
Jasher 22:5
5 And they came and quarreled with the servants of Abraham, and they robbed them of the great well which they had dug.
Abimelech and Phichol meet with Abraham
Genesis 21:22-25
22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
Jasher 22:6
6 And Abimelech king of the Philistines heard of this affair, and he with Phicol the captain of his host and twenty of his men came to Abraham, and Abimelech spoke to Abraham concerning his servants, and Abraham rebuked Abimelech concerning the well of which his servants had robbed him.
Abimelech claims he didn’t know what his servants had done
Genesis 21:26
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
Jasher 22:7
7 And Abimelech said to Abraham, As the Lord liveth who created the whole earth, I did not hear of the act which my servants did unto thy servants until this day.
Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant at Beersheba
Genesis 21:27-29
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
Genesis 21:30-32
30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
Jasher 22:8-10
8 And Abraham took seven ewe lambs and gave them to Abimelech, saying, Take these, I pray thee, from my hands that it may be a testimony for me that I dug this well.
9 And Abimelech took the seven ewe lambs which Abraham had given to him, for he had also given him cattle and herds in abundance, and Abimelech swore to Abraham concerning the well, therefore he called that well Beersheba, for there they both swore concerning it.
10 And they both made a covenant in Beersheba, and Abimelech rose up with Phicol the captain of his host and all his men, and they returned to the land of the Philistines, and Abraham and all belonging to him dwelt in Beersheba and he was in that land a long time.
Abraham plants a grove in Beersheba
Genesis 21:33
33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
Jasher 22:11
11 And Abraham planted a large grove in Beersheba, and he made to it four gates facing the four sides of the earth, and he planted a vineyard in it, so that if a traveler came to Abraham he entered any gate which was in his road, and remained there and ate and drank and satisfied himself and then departed.
Jasher 22:12-14
12 For the house of Abraham was always open to the sons of men that passed and repassed, who came daily to eat and drink in the house of Abraham.
13 And any man who had hunger and came to Abraham’s house, Abraham would give him bread that he might eat and drink and be satisfied, and any one that came naked to his house he would clothe with garments as he might choose, and give him silver and gold and make known to him the Lord who had created him in the earth; this did Abraham all his life.
14 And Abraham and his children and all belonging to him dwelt in Beersheba, and he pitched his tent as far as Hebron.
Genesis 21:34
34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.
Genesis 22:23a
23a And Bethuel begat Rebekah:
Year: 2080-2086
Lot’s grandchildren born
Jasher 24:24-26
24 And the two sons of Lot went and took themselves wives from the land of Canaan, and they bare children to them, and the children of Moab were Ed, Mayon, Tarsus, and Kanvil, four sons, these are fathers to the children of Moab unto this day.
25 And all the families of the children of Lot went to dwell wherever they should light upon, for they were fruitful and increased abundantly.
26 And they went and built themselves cities in the land where they dwelt, and they called the names of the cities which they built after their own names.
Year: 2080-2093
Ishmael and Meribah’s grandchildren born
Jasher 25:22-23
22 And these are the names of the sons of Nebayoth the first born of Ishmael; Mend, Send, Mayon; and the sons of Kedar were Alyon, Kezem, Chamad and Eli.
23 And the sons of Adbeel were Chamad and Jabin; and the sons of Mibsam were Obadiah, Ebedmelech and Yeush; these are the families of the children of Ribah the wife of Ishmael.
Genesis 11:32
32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Jasher 22:32-34
32 And Terah lived twenty-five years after he begat Zoba.
33 And Terah died in that year, that is in the thirty-fifth year of the birth of Isaac son of Abraham.
34 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and he was buried in Haran.
Abraham learns about Nahor’s children
Genesis 22:20
20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
Jasher 22:16
16 And children were born to Nahor which Milca the daughter of Haran, and sister to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, bare to him.
Notes
i
The 26 years are assumed to be from when Isaac was born.
