21:32 So they made a treaty 4 at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned 5 to the land of the Philistines. 6
1 tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”
2 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.
3 sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.
4 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
5 tn Heb “arose and returned.”
6 sn The Philistines mentioned here may not be ethnically related to those who lived in Palestine in the time of the judges and the united monarchy. See D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 238.