Discovery BoxGenesis 21:19 
Context21:19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. 1 She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.
Genesis 21:25
Context21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint 2 against Abimelech concerning a well 3 that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 4
Genesis 21:30
Context21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof 5 that I dug this well.” 6
1 tn Heb “And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” The referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to argue; to dispute”; it can focus on the beginning of the dispute (as here), the dispute itself, or the resolution of a dispute (Isa 1:18). Apparently the complaint was lodged before the actual oath was taken.
3 tn Heb “concerning the matter of the well of water.”
4 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to steal; to rob; to take violently.” The statement reflects Abraham’s perspective.
5 tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”
6 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.
