But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
Parallel translations
- WEB Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
- KJV And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
- NKJV Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized.
- NASB But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized.
- NLT Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had taken by force from Abraham’s servants.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abraham complains to Abimelech about a well his servants had seized. He raises a legitimate grievance before sealing the covenant.
Overview
Before finalizing the treaty, Abraham honestly addresses a dispute over a vital water source, essential for survival in that land. His willingness to raise the matter openly reflects the integrity the covenant requires. The episode shows that genuine peace is built on truthful resolution of grievances rather than on suppressed resentment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Gen 26:15–22So the Philistines took dirt and stopped up all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham.
- Gen 29:8But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
- Gen 13:7And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land.
- Judg 1:15“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
- Prov 25:9Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,
- Exod 2:15–17When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.
- Prov 27:5Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
- Prov 17:10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
- Matt 18:15If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 21:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.