Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While the name "Beersheba" literally means "well of seven," the immediate context here emphasizes its meaning as the "well of an oath." This highlights that the covenant and the promise sealed by their oaths were the most significant events, even more so than the number of lambs or the physical well itself.
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham finds himself negotiating a peace and land-use treaty with Abimelech, the king of the Philistines. This agreement, sealed with sacrifices and the specific presentation of seven ewe lambs, solidifies Abraham's right to the well he dug, and secures peaceful coexistence between them. The verse marks the formal naming of this significant location, Beersheba, as a lasting testament to the sworn covenant made there.
Why was this particular well so important that it was named after an oath? It wasn't just a promise, but a solemn agreement.
The name 'Beersheba' literally means 'Well of the Oath' or 'Well of Seven'. While the number seven held significance (perhaps alluding to the seven lambs Abraham gave Abimelech as a sign), the primary reason for the name in this context was the oath sworn between Abraham and Abimelech.
This oath wasn't just a casual agreement; it was a binding covenant. In a time and place where trust was easily broken, and disputes over vital resources like water were common, an oath sworn 'by the living God' was the highest form of guarantee. It established peace and security between Abraham, the sojourner, and Abimelech, the local ruler.
Notice how the text emphasizes, 'because there both of them swore an oath.' This mutual commitment was the bedrock of their agreement, ensuring protection for Abraham and his descendants in that land.
This well wasn't just a source of water; it became a place where God's faithfulness was underscored and Abraham's relationship with Him was strengthened.
While the immediate event is the oath between Abraham and Abimelech, the significance of Beersheba extends to Abraham's relationship with God.
Following the covenant and oath, Abraham didn't just walk away. He 'planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God' (Genesis 21:33). This act shows that the covenant with Abimelech was not the end, but a new beginning for Abraham's worship and trust in God in this location.
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This suggests that while human covenants are important for earthly peace, they can also be springboards for deepening our connection with God. Abraham could confidently worship the 'Everlasting God' at Beersheba, knowing that his earthly agreements were made secure, and God's promises to him were unfolding.
Understand the original words
Be'er Sheva · Hebrew Noun
A place name meaning 'well of the oath' or 'well of seven,' marking a site of divine encounter and human agreement. It serves as a significant geographic location in the patriarchal narratives.
shaba' · Hebrew Verb
A solemn, binding promise or invocation of divine witness to the truthfulness of a statement or the commitment to an action. It often invokes God as the guarantor of the agreement.
The naming of Beersheba directly stems from a covenant agreement, highlighting the importance of sworn oaths in securing peace and relationships in a challenging land where water rights were fiercely contested.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham sojourns in Gerar
Abraham and his household are living in the land of the Philistines near Gerar, a period marked by tension over wells and resources.
c. 2000 BC
Hagar and Ishmael sent away
Following Sarah's insistence, Abraham reluctantly sends Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. They face extreme hardship until God intervenes and provides for them.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Abraham and Abimelech's covenant
Abraham and Abimelech, king of the Philistines, establish a covenant of peace and mutual respect, partly prompted by a dispute over a well Abraham dug.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham plants a tamarisk tree
After the covenant is sealed, Abraham establishes a sacred space at Beersheba, planting a tree and calling on the name of the LORD, symbolizing a settled faith.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham's continued sojourn
Abraham resides in the Philistine territory for an extended period after the covenant, though always with the awareness of his pilgrim status.
This passage shows that the name 'Beersheba' continued to be significant, as Isaac also made a covenant and swore an oath there, reinforcing the established meaning of the place as a site of sworn agreements.
Joshua 15:28This verse lists Beersheba as a city in Judah, demonstrating its importance as a settled location that grew from the covenant made in Genesis, linking the ancient oath to later Israelite territory.
Amos 5:5The prophet Amos mentions Beersheba in the context of religious pilgrimage and judgment, highlighting how the place became a center for worship and also for divine reckoning, echoing the solemnity of the original oath.
Nehemiah 9:7This prayer recalls God's covenant with Abraham and specifically mentions the oath made at 'the land of our father's', strongly alluding to the events at Beersheba and God's faithfulness to His promises.
gillGenesis 21:31: "Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them."
Wherefore he called that place Beersheba,.... Either Abraham or Abimelech, or both, called it so; or it may be read impersonally, "therefore the place was called Beersheba" (t), for two reasons, one implied, the other expressed; one was, because of the seven lambs before mentioned; so the Targum of Jonathan,"and therefore he called the well the well of seven lambs;''"Beer" signifying a well, and "s…
calvinGenesis 21:1-34: "And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken."
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Et dixit Deus ad Abraham, Ne displiceat in oculis tuis super puero, et super ancilla tua: in omnibus quae dixerit tibi Sarah, audi vocem ejus: quia in Ishac vocabitur…
While the name "Beersheba" literally means "well of seven," the immediate context here emphasizes its meaning as the "well of an oath." This highlights that the covenant and the promise sealed by their oaths were the most significant events, even more so than the number of lambs or the physical well itself.
Following the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham finds himself negotiating a peace and land-use treaty with Abimelech, the king of the Philistines. This agreement, sealed with sacrifices and the specific presentation of seven ewe lambs, solidifies Abraham's right to the well he dug, and secures peaceful coexistence between them. The verse marks the formal naming of this significant location, Beersheba, as a lasting testament to the sworn covenant made there.
Following the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham finds himself negotiating a peace and land-use treaty with Abimelech, the king of the Philistines. This agreement, sealed with sacrifices and the specific presentation of seven ewe lambs, solidifies Abraham's right to the well he dug, and secures peaceful coexistence between them. The verse marks the formal naming of this significant location, Beersheba, as a lasting testament to the sworn covenant made there.
"Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath." — While the name "Beersheba" literally means "well of seven," the immediate context here emphasizes its meaning as the "well of an oath." This highlights that the covenant and the promise sealed by…
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Last reviewed October 2026