Isaac and the wells of Gerar (P4): Abimelech and Abraham's alliance at Beer-Sheba

Simone-Christelle NgoMakon
4 days ago
4 min read

Azul king! Salam Aleïkum queen! Don't rush to judgment. "Better is a poor and wise young boy, than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to be warned. For he has come out of the house of prisoners to reign, even though he was born poor in his kingdom." (Ecclesiastes 4:13-14, Darby). The wise man wants to reign, the fool wants revenge. The wise man learns, listens, observes and discerns before acting. The fool engages his kingdom in battles for which he has neither strength, wisdom nor allies.

4. Abimelech and Abraham's covenant at Beer-Sheba (Genesis 21:22-34)

❖ (Genesis 26:17-18, Segond 21): "17 Isaac journeyed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar, where he settled. 18 Isaac dug again the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and that the Philistines had filled in after Abraham's death. He gave them the names his father had given them.

Issac left where he had been and settled in the Valley of Gerar. Usually, livestock farming is favored in the mountains and agriculture in the valleys and hills. Let's go back in time to the story of Abraham.

❖ (Genesis 21 : 22 - 34, NKJV) : " 22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “GOD is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore, swear to me by GOD that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”

24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?” 30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting GOD. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

At least four years passed between Abimelech's first visit (Genesis 20:1-18) and this scene. Abimelech asked Abraham to promise that he would show integrity and generosity during his stay in Gerar. This king knew that GOD was with Abraham. He understood that fighting Abaraham would be pointless. He went to Abraham's house accompanied by his army leader Picol, whose name means strength (Strong n°6369, Hebrew). Abimilec offered Abraham a win-win partnership. He asked him to share the favor he enjoyed with THE LORD. He said me, my children, my grandsons and my country. He didn't want Abraham to leave. Why else did he mention his grandsons?

Abraham agreed to live in peace with them. Nevertheless, he reproached Abimelech about a well that his servants had taken by force. Abimelech told him that he didn't know who was at fault and that Abraham should have informed him beforehand.

🙂 I have a problem with this way of doing things. It seems that for the Philistines, stealing is normal. First on his order from Abimelech, his servants kidnapped Sarah (Genesis 20:2). Then they took Abraham's wells by force. It says his servants, not the inhabitants of Gerar. Even if he knew nothing about it, as king, could he do nothing? Couldn't he investigate? Couldn't he apologize to Abraham?

❖ (Genesis 20:14-15, NKJ): "Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife back to him. And Abimelech said, See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you."

Had Abimelech's servants forgotten that he had authorized Abraham to dig wells? Stealing is an evil, no matter who commits it (Proverbs 6:30-31). Stealing from the rich is not excusable. Let's give Abimelech the benefit of the doubt. Abraham shows us the solution: formalize publicly, don't accept everything for free, and invoke the name of the LORD (Genesis 20:27-32).

🙂 Let's learn from this story:

Let's assume our responsibilities. Let's not be silently complicit in evil. Let's learn to resolve conflicts, not run away from them. Abimelech may not have ordered his servants to seize Abraham's wells, but as king he could have done something about it. His attitude gives the impression that he approved of these thefts.

Abraham did not let this incident spoil his relations with Abimelech and the Philistines. He formally bought the well of Beer-Sheba. He did not ask his servants to fight with Abimelech's servants. He spoke to Abimelech himself about the problem. Let's not be citizens who complain about everything and accuse presidents of everything. Let's use the law. Let's inform the right people. If there are complaints, let's address them to those who are responsible for resolving them, or those who are capable of resolving them.

Abimelech reminds us to choose our priorities carefully. His servants behaved badly, but he was not to be heard from again. Abimelech's order of priorities was well known: his children, his grandchildren and then the people. A way of saying: if our homes are at peace, we'll always find a way to resolve our conflicts. This principle is well understood and applied in diplomatic relations.