Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
Parallel translations
- KJV And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
- BSB And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
- NKJV Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
- NASB Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
- NLT Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God.
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 plants a tamarisk tree and calls on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God. He worships God in the place of covenant peace.
Overview
Abraham marks Beersheba with a tamarisk tree and an act of worship, invoking God as El Olam, the Everlasting God. This title celebrates God's eternal, unchanging faithfulness, the ground of His enduring promises. Abraham's public worship testifies to the nations that his blessing flows from the everlasting God who keeps covenant forever, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 1 Tim 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Isa 40:28Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
- Ps 90:2Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
- Gen 4:26A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on Yahweh’s name.
- Jer 10:10But Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to withstand his indignation.
- Gen 12:8He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on Yahweh’s name.
- Rom 16:26—
- Deut 33:27The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’
- Gen 26:33He called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
- Gen 26:23He went up from there to Beersheba.
- Gen 26:25He built an altar there, and called on Yahweh’s name, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.
- Deut 16:21You shall not plant for yourselves an Asherah of any kind of tree beside Yahweh your God’s altar, which you shall make for yourselves.
- Judg 3:7The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
- Rom 1:20For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.
- Isa 57:15For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Amos 8:14Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, ‘As your god, Dan, lives;’ and, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives;’ they will fall, and never rise up again.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 21:33 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.