Treaty



Genesis 21:22-34
22At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
23Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.”
24And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
26Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.”
27So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.
28Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.
29And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”
30He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.”
31Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
32So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.
33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
34And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Abraham is now trying to live at peace with the people who already inhabited the land that God had promised would be his. Abimelech has complete respect for Abraham’s God (and so also Abraham), having had a personal encounter with Him when Abraham arrived in Canaan. Later, the Philistines would become Israel’s bitter enemies. But for now, they live peacefully together and deal honorably with one another.

Living at peace with others comes by an act of the will. Both Abimelech and Abraham knew that the other had power. Abraham respected the size and strength of Abimelech’s army. Abimelech respected the power of Abraham’s God. They did not actually occupy the same space, as that would be unwise. But they agreed not to attack one another. Sometimes, that’s the best of all possible worlds. We just agree not to attack one another. Abraham and Abimelech are a prime example of what it looks like to live side by side without destroying one another. It’s possible, but you have to decide to live that way. It’s rather mundane, but these two guys serve as a great example of getting along despite your differences.

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