21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. 1 21:28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 21:29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these 2 seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof 3 that I dug this well.” 4
1 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
2 tn Heb “What are these?”
3 tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”
4 sn This well. Since the king wanted a treaty to share in Abraham’s good fortune, Abraham used the treaty to secure ownership of and protection for the well he dug. It would be useless to make a treaty to live in this territory if he had no rights to the water. Abraham consented to the treaty, but added his rider to it.