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 21:30-31
Context21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof 5 that I dug this well.” 6 21:31 That is why he named that place 7 Beer Sheba, 8 because the two of them swore 9 an oath there.
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.
7 tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”
8 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.
9 sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.
