And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
Parallel translations
- WEB Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.”
- BSB Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.”
- NKJV And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.”
- NASB And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today.”
- NLT “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Abimelech answered. “I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before.”
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
Abimelech disclaims any knowledge of the well's seizure. He pleads ignorance of his servants' wrongdoing.
Overview
Abimelech responds with apparent honesty, denying personal awareness of the offense and noting Abraham had not told him sooner. His reply clears the air and allows the dispute to be settled fairly. The exchange models the kind of open communication and good faith that undergirds lasting peace between parties.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- 2 Kgs 5:20–24But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
- Gen 13:7And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 21:26 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.