Genesis 16:14

16:14 That is why the well was called ¹  Beer Lahai Roi. ²  (It is located ³  between Kadesh and Bered.)

Genesis 21:31

21:31 That is why he named that place ⁴  Beer Sheba, ⁵  because the two of them swore ⁶  an oath there.

Genesis 22:19

22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together ⁷  for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. ⁸ 

Genesis 26:33

26:33 So he named it Shibah; ⁹  that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba ¹⁰  to this day.

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¹ tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.

² sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” The text suggests that God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed.

³ tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁴ tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”

⁵ sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” Both the verb “to swear” and the number “seven” have been used throughout the account. Now they are drawn in as part of the explanation of the significance of the name.

⁶ sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.

⁷ tn Heb “and they arose and went together.”

⁸ tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.

⁹ sn The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shiv’ah) means (or at least sounds like) the word meaning “oath.” The name was a reminder of the oath sworn by Isaac and the Philistines to solidify their treaty.

¹⁰ sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of an oath” or “well of seven.” According to Gen 21:31 Abraham gave Beer Sheba its name when he made a treaty with the Philistines. Because of the parallels between this earlier story and the account in 26:26-33, some scholars see chaps. 21 and 26 as two versions (or doublets) of one original story. However, if one takes the text as it stands, it appears that Isaac made a later treaty agreement with the people of the land that was similar to his father’s. Abraham dug a well at the site and named the place Beer Sheba; Isaac dug another well there and named the well Shibah. Later generations then associated the name Beer Sheba with Isaac, even though Abraham gave the place its name at an earlier time.