Blessed are the peacemakers: Abraham Abimelech and the well

Abimelech had noticed that God was with Abraham,  and asks him “Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.” Abraham agrees to swear,  but  then rebukes Abimelech because his servants had seized a well he had dug. Abimelech denies any knowledge of it,  and Abraham gives him sheep and oxen and set seven ewe lambs aside. Abimelech asks the meaning, Abraham says they are a witness that he had “dug this well.” They make a covenant there and Abraham calls the place Beersheba (Genesis 21:22-31).  

Wells were very valuable and important in the “dry and thirsty land“ in which this story takes place. Wells take a lot of work to dig, and were a source of endless tension  (see Genesis 26:15-22). Abimelech's kindness involved his repaying Abraham's deception with sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and a thousand pieces of silver.  It was generosity, but also fear, for God had threatened to kill him,  if he did not return Sarah to Abraham (20:1-16). And now Abimelech was wanting to make a covenant with Abraham,  with Abraham swearing he would not harm him or his descendants. It was again perhaps largely out of fear,  but peacemakers are blessed no matter what the motive (Matthew 5:9).

Abraham is a peacemaker too.  But in order to live in peace, he needs water, not only for himself but for his household and his animals.  And in order for him to dwell there many days (verse 34), the issues needed to be dealt with.  It's not clear if he believes Abimelech's denial,  and He could of course have demanded his rights, capitalized on Abimelech's fear and threatened him if he was not allowed to keep the well he had dug.  But Abraham goes the second mile (Matthew 5:41), gives him seep and oxen,  and sets seven ewe lambs aside. Puzzled Abimelech asks what the seven ewe lambs  mean. Abraham answers “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well” (verse 30). They swear an oath,  and Abraham calls the place Beersheba. Today Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel.

Barn's notes suggest that this is about the importance of the well to  Abraham, and that he therefore lays more stress on a public witness that he has dug, and is therefore the owner of this well, than on all the rest of the treaty. The Hebrew word  Beersheba means either oath or seven, the place is therefore called the place of the oath or the place of the seven, and giving it this name cements the covenant in history.

Lord, I am reminded that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and also that in order for there to be peace, the victim often has to be the better person. This is wisdom too,  for “a person's wisdom yields patience; and it is to one's glory to overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11). It also needs grace, grace to forgive, and grace to overlook the wrong (Hebrews 12:15).  But it's part of being a peacemaker, and it's part of our witness for You. So give us this grace this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen