Reference: Beersheba
Easton
well of the oath, or well of seven, a well dug by Abraham, and so named because he and Abimelech here entered into a compact (Ge 21:31). On re-opening it, Isaac gave it the same name (Ge 26:31-33). It was a favourite place of abode of both of these patriarchs (Ge 21:33-22:1; 22:19; 26:33; 28:10). It is mentioned among the "cities" given to the tribe of Simeon (Jos 19:2; 1Ch 4:28). From Dan to Beersheba, a distance of about 144 miles (Jg 20:1; 1Ch 21:2; 2Sa 24:2), became the usual way of designating the whole Promised Land, and passed into a proverb. After the return from the Captivity the phrase is narrowed into "from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom" (Ne 11:30). The kingdom of the ten tribes extended from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim (2Ch 19:4). The name is not found in the New Testament. It is still called by the Arabs Bir es-Seba, i.e., "well of the seven", where there are to the present day two principal wells and five smaller ones. It is nearly midway between the southern end of the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.
Illustration: Beersheba Well
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For this he called that place, The well of the oath, for there they two aware.
And Abraham will turn back to his boys, and they will rise up, and go together to the well of the oath; and Abraham will dwell at the well of the oath.
And they will rise early in the morning, and they will swear, a man to his brother, and Isaak will send them away and they will go from him in peace. And it shall be in that day, and Isaak's servants will come and announce to him concerning the well which they digged, and they will say to him, We found water. read more. And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And Jacob will go from the well of the oath, and will come to Haran.
And there will be to them in their inheritance the Well of the Oath, and the oath, and Moladah,
And all the sons of Israel will go forth, and the assembly will be gathered together as one man, from Dan even to the Well of the Oath, and the land of Gilead to Jehovah to Mizpeh.
And Jehoshaphat will dwell in Jerusalem: and he will turn back and go forth among the people from the Well of the Oath, even to mount Ephraim; and he will turn them back to Jehovah the God of their fathers.
Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its buildings. And they will dwell from the well of the oath even to the valley of Hinnom.
Fausets
Beersheba means "well of the oath". The southern limit of the Holy Land, as Dan in the N.: "from Dan to Beersheba" (compare in David's census, 1Ch 21:2; 2Sa 24:2-7) comprehends the whole. Called so from the oath of peace between Abraham and Abimelech, king of the Philistines (Ge 21:31), else from the seven (sheba' ) ewe lambs slain there: indeed sheba', an oath, is from the custom of binding one's self by seven things, as Abraham made the seven ewe lambs a pledge of his covenant with Abimelech. Again, from the like oath between Abimelech (with Phichol, his captain) and Isaac, it being not uncommon for an event to be recorded as occurring apparently for the first time, which has been recorded as occurring earlier before: so Bethel (Ge 26:31-33).
The well dug by Abraham and secured to him by oath had been covered and lost. It is found by Isaac's servants just after the covenant made between him and Abimelech. The series of events recalls to Isaac's mind the original name and that which gave rise to the name; so he restores both the well itself and the name. Seven (sheba' which also may explain the name) wells are at the place, so that a different one may have been named by Isaac from that named by Abraham. They all pour their streams into the wady es Seba, and are called Bir es seba, the largest 12 ft. diameter, and masonry round reaching 28 ft. down, and 44 from bottom to surface of the water. The second, at a hundred yards distance, 5 in diameter, 42 in depth. The other five further off. The stones around the mouth are worn into grooves by the action of ropes for so many ages. Around the large are nine stone troughs; around the smaller, five.
The water is excellent, and grass with crocuses and lilies abounds. Abraham planted here a" grove" ('eshel) (distinct from the idol grove, Asheerah, or Astarte Baal), or tree, the tamarisk, long living, of hard wood, with long, clustering, evergreen leaves, as a type of the ever enduring grace of the faithful, covenant keeping God (Ge 21:33), "and called on the name (the self manifested character and person) of Jehovah, the everlasting God." (See BAAL.) Here it was that Isaac lived when Jacob stole from his father the blessing already forfeited by Esau's profane sale of his birthright (Ge 26:33,27; 28:10). Long afterward, on Jacob's descent to Egypt, he halted there, sacrificed unto the God of Isaac, and had a vision of God encouraging him to go down. The dispensation of the promise, which began with Abraham's call from Ur to Canaan, ended on the last night of the sojourn of his grandson Israel in Canaan.
So God's promise was repeated for the last time (Ge 46:1-5). Possibly the 430 years (Ga 3:17) dates from this, the end, not from the beginning, of the dispensation of the promise. Beersheba was given to Simeon, in the extreme S. of Judah (Jos 15:28; 19:1-2; 1Ch 4:28). Samuel's sons, Joel and Abiah, were judges there (1Sa 8:2), its distance preventing his going in circuit to it, as he did to others yearly (1Sa 7:16-17). Here Elijah left his confidential servant (narow) on his way to Horeb (1Ki 19:3-4).
From Geba to Beersheba or "from Beersheba to mount Ephraim" was the formula comprehending the southern kingdom of Judah after the severance of Israel's ten tribes (2Ki 23:8; 2Ch 19:4), and on the return from Babylon still narrower, "from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom" (Ne 11:30). Ahaziah's wife, Zibiah, mother of Joash, was of Beersheba (2Ki 12:1.) It became seat of an idolatry akin to that of Bethel or Gilgal, so that it was a formula of superstition, "the manner (cultus, or religion, as in Ac 9:2 the new religion of Christ is designated "this way") of Beersheba liveth" (Am 5:5; 8:14). In Christian times, it became an episcopal city under the Bishop of Jerusalem.
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For this he called that place, The well of the oath, for there they two aware.
For this he called that place, The well of the oath, for there they two aware.
And be will plant the tamarisk by the well of the oath, and will call there upon the name of Jehovah, the eternal God.
And be will plant the tamarisk by the well of the oath, and will call there upon the name of Jehovah, the eternal God.
And Isaak will say to them, Wherefore came ye to me, and ye hated me, and will send me away from you?
And Isaak will say to them, Wherefore came ye to me, and ye hated me, and will send me away from you?
And they will rise early in the morning, and they will swear, a man to his brother, and Isaak will send them away and they will go from him in peace.
And they will rise early in the morning, and they will swear, a man to his brother, and Isaak will send them away and they will go from him in peace. And it shall be in that day, and Isaak's servants will come and announce to him concerning the well which they digged, and they will say to him, We found water.
And it shall be in that day, and Isaak's servants will come and announce to him concerning the well which they digged, and they will say to him, We found water. And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And Jacob will go from the well of the oath, and will come to Haran.
And Jacob will go from the well of the oath, and will come to Haran.
And Israel will remove and all which is to him, and he will come to the well of the oath, and he will sacrifice sacrifices to the God of his father Isaak.
And Israel will remove and all which is to him, and he will come to the well of the oath, and he will sacrifice sacrifices to the God of his father Isaak. And God will speak to Israel in a vision of the night, and he will say, Jacob! Jacob! and he will say, Behold me.
And God will speak to Israel in a vision of the night, and he will say, Jacob! Jacob! and he will say, Behold me. And he will say, I am God, the God of thy father: thou shalt not fear going down to Egypt; for I will there make thee into a great nation.
And he will say, I am God, the God of thy father: thou shalt not fear going down to Egypt; for I will there make thee into a great nation. I will go down with thee to Egypt, and I will raise thee up; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes
I will go down with thee to Egypt, and I will raise thee up; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes And Jacob will rise up from the well of the oath: and the sons of Israel will take up Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh sent to take him.
And Jacob will rise up from the well of the oath: and the sons of Israel will take up Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh sent to take him.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon, according to their families: and their inheritance will be in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon, according to their families: and their inheritance will be in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. And there will be to them in their inheritance the Well of the Oath, and the oath, and Moladah,
And there will be to them in their inheritance the Well of the Oath, and the oath, and Moladah,
And he went as often as from year to year, and be turned about the House of God, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and he judged Israel in all these places.
And he went as often as from year to year, and be turned about the House of God, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and he judged Israel in all these places. And his turning back to Ramah; for there his house; and there he judged Israel; and he will build an altar there to Jehovah.
And his turning back to Ramah; for there his house; and there he judged Israel; and he will build an altar there to Jehovah.
And the name of his son the firstborn will be Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: judges at the Well of the Oath.
And the name of his son the firstborn will be Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: judges at the Well of the Oath.
And he will see and arise, and go for his soul, and he will come to the Well of the Oath which was to Judah, and he will leave his boy there.
And he will see and arise, and go for his soul, and he will come to the Well of the Oath which was to Judah, and he will leave his boy there. And he went into the desert the way of a day, and he will come and sit under one broom-tree: and he will ask for his soul to die: and he will say, Much now, O Jehovah, Take my soul, for I am not good above my fathers.
And he went into the desert the way of a day, and he will come and sit under one broom-tree: and he will ask for his soul to die: and he will say, Much now, O Jehovah, Take my soul, for I am not good above my fathers.
In the seventh year to Jehu, Jehoash reigned; and forty years he reigned in Jerusalem And his mother's name Zibiah, from the Well of the Oath.
In the seventh year to Jehu, Jehoash reigned; and forty years he reigned in Jerusalem And his mother's name Zibiah, from the Well of the Oath.
And he will bring all the priests out of the cities of Judah and defile the heights where the priests burnt incense there from the hill even to the Well of the Oath, and he brake down the heights of the gates which were at the door of the gate of Joshua chief of the city which were at the left of a man in the gate of the city.
And he will bring all the priests out of the cities of Judah and defile the heights where the priests burnt incense there from the hill even to the Well of the Oath, and he brake down the heights of the gates which were at the door of the gate of Joshua chief of the city which were at the left of a man in the gate of the city.
And David will say to Joab and to the chiefs of the people, Go number Israel from the well of the oath even to judgment, and bring to me and I shall know their number.
And David will say to Joab and to the chiefs of the people, Go number Israel from the well of the oath even to judgment, and bring to me and I shall know their number.
Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its buildings. And they will dwell from the well of the oath even to the valley of Hinnom.
Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its buildings. And they will dwell from the well of the oath even to the valley of Hinnom.
And ye shall not seek the house of God, and to Gilgal ye shall not go: and to the well of the oath ye shall not pass over: for Gilgal being taken captive shall be carried away captive, and the house of God shall be for nothing.
And ye shall not seek the house of God, and to Gilgal ye shall not go: and to the well of the oath ye shall not pass over: for Gilgal being taken captive shall be carried away captive, and the house of God shall be for nothing.
They swearing by the trespass of Shomeron, and they said, Thy God lives, O Dan, and the way of the well of the oath lives, and they fell, and they shall rise no more.
They swearing by the trespass of Shomeron, and they said, Thy God lives, O Dan, and the way of the well of the oath lives, and they fell, and they shall rise no more.
He asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he find certain men being of the way, and also women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
He asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he find certain men being of the way, and also women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
And I say this, the covenant confirmed before by God in Christ, the law, having been after four hundred and thirty years, does not annul, to neglect the promise.
And I say this, the covenant confirmed before by God in Christ, the law, having been after four hundred and thirty years, does not annul, to neglect the promise.
Hastings
A halting-place of Abraham (Ge 21:31), where Hagar was sent away (Ge 21:14), and where he made a covenant with Abimelech, from which the place is alleged to take its name ('well of the covenant,' according to one interpretation). Isaac after his disputes with the Philistines settled here (Ge 26:23), and discovered the well Shibah, another etymological speculation (Ge 26:33). Hence Jacob was sent away (Ge 28:10), and returned and sacrificed on his way to Egypt (Ge 46:1). It was assigned to the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:28), but set apart for the Simeonites (Jos 19:2). Here Samuel's sons were judges (1Sa 8:2), and hither Elijah fled before Jezebel (1Ki 19:3). Zibiah, the mother of Joash, belonged to Beersheba (2Ki 12:1). It was an important holy place: here Abraham planted a sacred tree (Ge 21:33), and theophanies were vouchsafed to Hagar (Ge 21:17), to Isaac (Ge 26:24), to Jacob (Ge 46:2), and to Elijah (1Ki 19:5). Amos couples it with the shrines of Bethel and Gilgal (Am 5:6), and oaths by its numen are denounced (Am 8:14). It is recognized as the southern boundary of Palestine in the frequent phrase 'from Dan unto Beersheba' (Jg 20:1 etc.). Seven ancient wells exist here, and it has been suggested that these gave its name to the locality; the suffixed numeral being perhaps due to the influence of the syntax of some pre-Semitic language, as in Kiriath-arba ('Tetrapolis'). The modern name is Bir es-Seba', where are extensive remains of a Byzantine city; the ancient city is probably at Tell es-Seba', about 2 miles to the east. Till recently the site was deserted by all but Bedouin; now a modern town has sprung up, built from the ruins of the ancient structures, and has been made the seat of a sub-governor.
R. A. S. Macalister.
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And Abraham will rise early in the morning, and take food, and a leathern bottle of water, and give to Hagar (putting upon her shoulder), and the child, and will send her away: and she will go forth and wander in the desert to the well of the oath.
And God will hear the voice of the child: and the messenger of God will call to Hagar from the heavens, and will say to her, What to thee Hagar? thou. shalt not fear, for God heard the voice of the child, from where he is.
For this he called that place, The well of the oath, for there they two aware.
And be will plant the tamarisk by the well of the oath, and will call there upon the name of Jehovah, the eternal God.
And he will go up from thence to the well of the oath. And Jehovah will be seen to him in that night., and will say, I am the God of Abraham thy father: thou shalt not be afraid, for I am with thee, and I praised thee, and I increased thy seed, for sake of Abraham my servant
And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And Jacob will go from the well of the oath, and will come to Haran.
And Israel will remove and all which is to him, and he will come to the well of the oath, and he will sacrifice sacrifices to the God of his father Isaak. And God will speak to Israel in a vision of the night, and he will say, Jacob! Jacob! and he will say, Behold me.
And there will be to them in their inheritance the Well of the Oath, and the oath, and Moladah,
And all the sons of Israel will go forth, and the assembly will be gathered together as one man, from Dan even to the Well of the Oath, and the land of Gilead to Jehovah to Mizpeh.
And the name of his son the firstborn will be Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: judges at the Well of the Oath.
And he will see and arise, and go for his soul, and he will come to the Well of the Oath which was to Judah, and he will leave his boy there.
And he will lie down and sleep udder one broom-tree, and behold, then a messenger touched upon him, and he will say to him, Arise, eat
In the seventh year to Jehu, Jehoash reigned; and forty years he reigned in Jerusalem And his mother's name Zibiah, from the Well of the Oath.
Seek ye Jehovah and live, lest he shall break through the house of Joseph as fire, and devour, and none quenching to the house of God.
They swearing by the trespass of Shomeron, and they said, Thy God lives, O Dan, and the way of the well of the oath lives, and they fell, and they shall rise no more.
Morish
Beer'-sheba
This name, signifying well of the oath, was given to the place where Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant not to molest each other, and confirmed it by an oath. It afterwards became the dwelling place of Abraham and of Isaac, who also digged a well there, and a city is spoken of as bearing the same name. Ge 21:14,31-33; 22:19; 26:23,33; 28:10. It became a part of Simeon's lot, Jos 19:1-2; and after the settlement of the land it is constantly referred to as the most southern part of the land possessed, as Dan is pointed to as the most northern; thus 'from Dan to Beer-sheba' was the common expression for the whole territory even in the days of Solomon. 1 Kings 4:25.
The prophet Amos warns the people not to trust in any places of renown or of former blessing, as Bethel, Gilgal, nor Beersheba; the glory of all had faded: they must seek Jehovah, and they should live. Am 5:5,Am 5:6; 8:14. On the return of the exiles some of them dwelt at Beer-sheba, and from thence northward to the valley of Hinnom. Ne 11:27,30. Beer-sheba is identified with Bir es Seba, 31 15' N, 34 48' E. There are still two principal wells in the district giving excellent water, besides five smaller ones.
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And Abraham will rise early in the morning, and take food, and a leathern bottle of water, and give to Hagar (putting upon her shoulder), and the child, and will send her away: and she will go forth and wander in the desert to the well of the oath.
For this he called that place, The well of the oath, for there they two aware. And they will make a covenant, at the well of the oath, and Abimelech will rise up, and Phicol, the leader of his army, and they will turn back to the land of the Philistines, read more. And be will plant the tamarisk by the well of the oath, and will call there upon the name of Jehovah, the eternal God.
And Abraham will turn back to his boys, and they will rise up, and go together to the well of the oath; and Abraham will dwell at the well of the oath.
And he will call it oath: for this the name of the city the well of the oath till this day.
And Jacob will go from the well of the oath, and will come to Haran.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon, according to their families: and their inheritance will be in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. And there will be to them in their inheritance the Well of the Oath, and the oath, and Moladah,
Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its buildings. And they will dwell from the well of the oath even to the valley of Hinnom.
And ye shall not seek the house of God, and to Gilgal ye shall not go: and to the well of the oath ye shall not pass over: for Gilgal being taken captive shall be carried away captive, and the house of God shall be for nothing. Seek ye Jehovah and live, lest he shall break through the house of Joseph as fire, and devour, and none quenching to the house of God.
They swearing by the trespass of Shomeron, and they said, Thy God lives, O Dan, and the way of the well of the oath lives, and they fell, and they shall rise no more.
Watsons
BEERSHEBA, or the well of the oath; so named from a well which Abraham dug in this place, and the covenant which he here made with Abimelech, king of Gerar, Ge 20:18. Here also he planted a grove, as it would appear, for the purpose of retirement for religious worship. In process of time, a considerable town was built on the same spot, which retained the same name. Beersheba was given by Joshua to the tribe of Judah, and afterward transferred to Simeon, Jos 15:28. It was situated twenty miles south of Hebron, in the extreme south of the land of Israel, as Dan was on the north. The two places are frequently thus mentioned in Scripture, as "from Dan to Beersheba," to denote the whole length of the country.
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For shutting up, Jehovah shut up without every womb to the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.