Genesis 21:31 · Bible study
Genesis 21:31 Commentary: The Dual Meaning of Beersheba
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Beersheba mean 'well of the oath' or 'well of seven'? This study explores the wordplay and covenant significance in Genesis 21:31.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Beersheba means both 'well of the oath' and 'well of seven,' a deliberate double meaning rooted in the covenant and the seven lambs.
- Key words: be’er (well), sheba (seven/oath), qara (called), nishbe’u (they swore, Niphal of shava)
- Main debate: Whether the primary meaning is 'well of seven' (from the lambs) or 'well of the oath' (from the verb 'to swear'); most commentators allow both.
- Theological theme: God's faithfulness in human covenants; the integrity of oaths; the significance of numbers (seven as completeness) in biblical symbolism.
- Best use: A passage for teaching on peacemaking, the value of public commitments, and how God weaves meaning into place and story.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there.
KJV King James Version 1769
Wherefore he called that place Beer–sheba; because there they sware both of them.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
therefore hath he called that place `Beer-Sheba,' for there have both of them sworn.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Therefore he called that place Beer-sheba, because there they had sworn, both of them.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Therefore that place was called Bersabee; because there both of them did swear.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por esto llamó á aquel lugar Beer-seba; porque allí juraron ambos.
Por isto chamou a aquele lugar Berseba; porque ali ambos juraram.
C’ est pourquoi on appelle ce lieu Beer-Schéba; car c’ est là qu’ ils jurèrent l’ un et l’ autre.
Daher heißt die Stätte Beer- Seba, weil sie beide miteinander da geschworen haben.
Daarom noemde men die plaats Ber-seba, omdat die beiden daar gezworen hadden.
Perciò egli chiamò quel luogo Beer-Sceba, perché ambedue vi avean fatto giuramento.
Dlatego nazwano miejsce ono Beerseba; albowiem tam obaj przysięgli.
Потому и назвал он сие место: Вирсавия, ибо тут оба они клялись
所以 他給那 地方 起名叫 別是巴（就是盟誓的井的意思），因為 他們 二人在那裡 起了誓。
So he gave that place the name Beer-sheba, because there the two of them had given their oaths.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 21:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the name Beersheba plays on the Hebrew word sheba, which means both 'seven' and 'oath.' The verse explicitly ties the name to the oath sworn by Abraham and Abimelech: 'because they both swore an oath there.' But the surrounding narrative gives the number seven equal weight. Abraham sets apart seven ewe lambs as a witness to the well, and the treaty is sealed with this number. Calvin notes that the word shaba means 'to swear' and also connects to seven; he does not see a contradiction but a deliberate double meaning. Keil and Delitzsch argue the primary name is 'seven-well,' derived from the lambs, but the oath is inseparable because swearing literally means 'to seven oneself.' The Cambridge Bible points out that the LXX translates it 'well of the oath' while the correct derivation is 'well of seven,' and that the two meanings practically merge in Hebrew. The consensus is straightforward: the name memorializes both the seven lambs and the covenant oath, binding them into a single act of witness and trust.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The name Beersheba commemorates the covenant between Abraham and Abimelech, involving both an oath and the number seven, and the place becomes a lasting symbol of peace and boundary in Israel's history.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Etymology of Beersheba | The name plays on the Hebrew word sheba, meaning both seven and oath. The verse explicitly connects it to the oath, and the seven lambs point to the number. | Some commentators (e.g., Calvin, Gill) emphasize the oath as the primary meaning; others (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible) hold that 'well of seven' is the correct derivation, with the oath a secondary association. Both sides acknowledge the double meaning. |
| Significance of the seven lambs | The lambs serve as a witness to Abraham's ownership of the well and as a pledge that the covenant is binding. | Whether the lambs are a gift (ceding ownership) or a token (confirming Abraham's rights). Calvin suggests they are a memorial of the oath; Keil & Delitzsch see them as the direct basis for the name 'seven-well.' |
| Role of Abimelech in the covenant | Abimelech initiates the covenant after observing God's blessing on Abraham. He seeks a mutual oath of non-aggression. | Some see Abimelech as a godly Gentile (Wesley, Henry); others note that his confession ('God is with you') does not imply personal faith in Yahweh, but political prudence (Calvin). The text does not record his worship. |
| Theological significance of the well dispute | The dispute over the well is a real conflict that leads to a formal covenant establishing peace and resource rights. | Whether Abraham should have confronted Abimelech earlier, or whether he acted wisely by waiting for the right moment. Calvin praises his patience; some modern readers question his passivity. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Beersheba stood at the southern edge of Canaan, about fifty miles southwest of Jerusalem, at the gateway to the Negev desert. The region was dry; wells were precious property, often a cause of conflict. Abraham had dug this well, and Abimelech's servants had seized it. The covenant Abraham negotiates addresses water rights and peaceful coexistence, a practical peace treaty between a nomadic patriarch and the Philistine king of Gerar.
The narrative follows established ancient Near Eastern treaty forms: gifts exchanged (sheep and cattle), a formal oath sworn, and a witness (the seven lambs) to guarantee the agreement. The seven lambs function as a legal 'sign' (the Hebrew word in v.30 is edah, witness). By giving them, Abraham transfers ownership of the well to Abimelech's hands, securing his access by treaty rather than force.
The name Beersheba appears earlier in the chapter (v.14) but this verse explains its origin. The Hebrew wordplay is deliberate: sheba can mean both 'oath' and 'seven.' Moses does not force a choice; he lets both meanings echo. The narrator is creating an aetiology, a story that explains why a place is called what it is. Later biblical writers will use Beersheba as a boundary marker for Israel: 'from Dan to Beersheba' (Judges 20:1; 2 Samuel 17:11). For Abraham, it becomes his home for many years (v.34), a place where he calls on 'Yahweh, the Everlasting God.'
The episode shows God's care in the small matters of life, a disputed well, a needed truce, and how human agreements can reflect divine faithfulness. Abraham does not simply accept Abimelech's offer; he insists on a formal, witnessed covenant. The place where that covenant is made will be remembered forever, its name a monument to integrity and peace.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Genesis 21:31. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is consistently cited in later tradition.
Reception History
Across Jewish and Christian tradition, Genesis 21:31 has been valued for its aetiological explanation of a major biblical place name. The Targums (e.g., Targum Jonathan) render the name as 'well of the seven lambs,' emphasizing the number. Early church fathers such as Augustine saw in the well and covenant a type of the New Covenant sealed by Christ. Reformation commentators like Calvin and the Geneva Bible focused on the integrity of the oath and God's providential care in the details of life. The place Beersheba itself became a symbol of the southern boundary of the Promised Land, recalled in the formula 'from Dan to Beersheba.' The dual meaning of 'seven' and 'oath' continues to spark discussion among commentators, who see in the wordplay a reminder that human commitments and divine completeness meet in the stories of Scripture.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Seven lambs as witness, Abraham goes beyond a handshake. The lambs make the covenant visible and binding. In a world of broken promises, God's people are called to be people of the oath.
- A well that becomes a home, From conflict to covenant, Beersheba becomes Abraham's dwelling place. God turns a point of friction into a foundation for future generations.
- The God behind the wordplay, The double meaning of Beersheba is not a coincidence; it reflects God who weaves together justice and mercy, promise and fulfillment.
Five-point outline
- Water rights and neighborly love (v.25, 26)
- The ethics of a formal covenant (v.27)
- Seven: the number of completeness (v.28, 30)
- The act of swearing: binding oneself to faithfulness (v.31)
- The legacy of a place named for both oath and number (v.32, 34)
Illustration hooks
- A neighbor's fence, A property line dispute resolved not by litigation but by a meal and a handshake. The seven lambs were Abraham's way of saying, 'Let's make this official and blessed.'
- Anniversary gifts, A couple marks their marriage with a symbol that carries two meanings (e.g., a ring that signifies both love and commitment). Beersheba's name does the same: an oath and a number that together hold the story.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does Abraham give seven lambs instead of just making a promise?
- Does this mean Christians should make oaths, or is the New Testament against swearing?
- How does God want us to resolve conflicts over resources like money, land, or time?
Leading a Discussion
This verse looks simple, a place name explained by an oath. But the Hebrew wordplay between 'seven' and 'swear' opens a window into how God's people make and keep commitments. The story of Abraham and Abimelech models honest negotiation, public witness, and worship that follows peace.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 21:22, 31. What does the well dispute tell you about the challenges of living as a foreigner? How does Abraham handle it?
- Why do you think Abraham insisted on the seven lambs as a separate gift? What role does a 'witness' play in agreements today?
- The name Beersheba can mean 'well of the oath' or 'well of seven.' Which meaning do you lean toward, and why? Can both be true at once?
- In verse 33, Abraham plants a tree and calls on the name of the Lord. How does worship relate to the peace treaty that just happened?
- Where in your life do you need to make or renew a covenant, with family, neighbors, or God?
- The double meaning of Beersheba suggests God works through both our numbers (practical details) and our words (promises). How do you see that interplay in your own faith?
- How does this story change the way you think about resolving a conflict over resources?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 21:14 | Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. |
| Genesis 26:23 | He went up from there to Beersheba. |
| Genesis 26:33 | He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day. |
| Joshua 15:28 | Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, |
| Judges 20:1 | Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah. |
| II Samuel 17:11 | But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person. |
| I Kings 4:25 | Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes the literal meaning of Beer-sheba: well of the oath or of swearing. The name directly commemorates the mutual oath that both parties swore there, sealing the covenant between them.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the name Beer-sheba means "the well of swearing," not "the well of seven," because the covenant made there involved an oath between Abraham and Abimelech. He grants the Hebrew word can mean seven and notes ancient oaths used seven witnesses, but the swearing itself is the clearer point.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary notes that the verse's derivation of Beer-sheba as "the well of swearing" is not complete. The correct meaning is "the well of seven," hinted at by Abraham's seven lambs and the seven wells at the site. The Hebrew words for "seven" and "to swear" are closely connected, making the two interpretations nearly identical.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Wherefore the place is called Beer-sheba, because there they both sware.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that Beersheba carries a double meaning in its name. It refers to the seven lambs Abraham set apart, since "sheba" means seven, and also to the oath both parties swore to seal their covenant. He notes the Targum of Jonathan rendering it "the well of seven lambs" while stressing the oath as the more certain reason for the naming.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that Beersheba means "seven-well," not primarily from the oath but from the seven lambs Abraham used to secure the well. They connect the sacredness of seven to creation, not to any divine numbers, and note no sacrifice was involved.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats the naming of Beer-sheba as a direct record of the mutual oath taken by Abraham and Abimelech, grounding the place name in their sworn agreement rather than just the well itself. He highlights how this covenant moment transitions into Abraham’s personal devotion, noting that he planted a tamarisk tree there to call on the Lord as the everlasting God. This act marks a shift from political negotiation to spiritual worship in the same location.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees this treaty as proof that God's promise to make Abraham's name great was already coming true. A powerful king like Abimelech valued Abraham's friendship and sought a formal covenant with him, even though Abraham was only a foreigner and a tenant in the land.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the name Beer-sheba means "well of the oath." The well was named to create a lasting reminder of the covenant they swore to, so that the parties would always remember the agreement they had made.