KJV ORIGINAL
Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
That's why he named that place Beersheba, because both of them made a sworn agreement there.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse explains how the place Beersheba got its name - it means 'well of the oath' because Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant there.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Abraham had a dispute with Abimelech, the king of Gerar, over a well that Abraham had dug and claimed as his own. They resolved the conflict by making a covenant and swearing an oath to each other, which led to the naming of the place Beersheba, meaning "well of the oath." This event reflects the ancient Near Eastern custom of using oaths to establish peace and secure agreements between parties.
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