Genesis 21:25

25. Abraham reproved] Disputes about wells are some of the most common causes of strife among the Bedouin tribes. Abraham’s complaint is that his servants had dug wells; that Abimelech’s servants had taken violent possession of them; that there had been no redress. The occasion of the treaty favoured a settlement of the dispute.

The verbs in Gen_21:25-26 are best rendered as frequentatives = “as often as Abraham complained to Abimelech, Abimelech used to reply he was entirely ignorant.” Gesen. Hebr. Gr. § 112 rr.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.

Ver. 25. And Abraham reproved Abimelech.] Inferiors may reprove their superiors, so they do it wisely and modestly.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21:25 The motif of the well appears again (cp. 16:14; 21:19). God provided water (a symbol of blessing) in the barren wilderness and later even brought water out of a rock for Israel (Exod 15:22-27; 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well--Wells were of great importance to a pastoral chief and on the successful operation of sinking a new one, the owner was solemnly informed in person. If, however, they were allowed to get out of repair, the restorer acquired a right to them. In unoccupied lands the possession of wells gave a right of property in the land, and dread of this had caused the offense for which Abraham reproved Abimelech. Some describe four, others five, wells in Beer-sheba.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 25. Abraham reproved Abimelech] Wells were of great consequence in those hot countries, and especially where the flocks were numerous, because the water was scarce, and digging to find it was accompanied with much expense of time and labour.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

25. And Abraham reproved Abimelech. This complaint seems to be unjust; for, if he had been injured, why did he not resort to the ordinary remedy? He knew the king to be humane, to have some seed of piety, and to have treated himself courteously and honorably; why then does he doubt that he will prove the equitable defender of his right? If, indeed, he had chosen rather to smother the injury received, than to be troublesome to the king, why does he now impute the fault to him, as if he had been guilty? Possibly, however, Abraham might know that the injury had been done, through the excessive forbearance of the king. We may assuredly infer, both from his manners and his disposition, that he did not expostulate without cause; and hence the moderation of the holy man is evident; because, when deprived of the use of water, found by his own industry and labor, he does not contend, as the greatness of the injury would have justified him in doing; for this was just as if the inhabitants of the place had made an attempt upon his life. But though he patiently bore so severe an injury, yet when beyond expectation, the occasion of taking security is offered, he guards himself from fixture aggression. We also see how severely the Lord exercised Abraham, as soon as he appeared to be somewhat more at ease, and had obtained a little alleviation. Certainly, it was not a light trial, to be compelled to contend for water; and not for water which was public property but for that of a well, which he himself had digged.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech,.... In gratitude for former favours he had received from him, in token of the friendship that subsisted between them, and for the confirmation of it; and to show that he was fully satisfied with Abimelech's answer to his complaint, as well as willing to enter into covenant by sacrifice, when such creatures were divided, and the covenanters passed between the pieces, for so it follows:

and both of them made a covenant; or, "cut or struck a covenant" (s); cut the sacrifice in pieces and passed between them, in token of the compact and agreement they entered into with each other; signifying that whoever broke it deserved to be cut in pieces as those creatures were.

(s) "foedus percusserunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "secuerunt", Cocceius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That the foundation of true friendship might be firmly laid, and the peace inviolably observed, he removes an impediment to it, an occasion of quarrel and just exception on Abraham’s part.

A well of water in those hot and dry countries was of great esteem and necessity. Compare Gen 26:19-21; Jdg 1:15. Besides, a well may be put for wells, as the Greeks render it, and as may seem probable by comparing this with Gen 26:15,18; it being an ordinary thing to use the singular number for the plural, as hath been showed. See Gen 3:2; 4:20.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

25. Reproved — The same word used in Gen_20:16, where it is said that Sarah was reproved by Abimelech. There was an outstanding difficulty which must be settled before Abraham will swear.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Abraham reproved (literally, reasoned with, and proved to the satisfaction of) Abimelech (who was, until informed, entirely unacquainted with the action of his servants) because of a well of water, which Abimelech"s servants had violently taken away. The greatest possible injury of a material kind that could be done to a nomads chief was the all faction of his water supplies. Hence "the ownership of wells m Palestine was as jealously guarded as the possession of a mine in our own" (Inglis). Contests for wells are now very common all over the country, but more especially in the southern deserts" (Thomson, "Land and Book," p. 559).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Abraham also complained to Abimelech

Possible meanings are 1) Abraham was complaining about what happened or 2) "Abraham also rebuked Abimelech"

concerning a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized from him

"because Abimelech's servants had taken one of Abraham's wells"

seized from him

"taken from Abraham" or "had taken control of"

I have not heard of it until today

"This is the first time I have heard about it"

Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech

This is a sign of friendship and that Abraham agrees to make covenant with Abimelech. (See: Symbolic Action)

translationWords

Abraham

Abimelech

cistern

servant

seize

ewe

cow

covenant

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

והוכח AND [ABRAHAM] REPROVED — it means he argued with him about it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

והוכיח אברהם, seeing that they had both agreed to a pact and had confirmed it by a mutual oath, Avraham now complained about the servants of Avimelech having stolen his wells, especially the well he had dug in Beer Sheva. Beer Sheva was on the border between the land of Canaan and the land of the Philistines, and Avimelech’s servants had argued that Avraham had dug the well on land belonging to the Philistines. In response to Avraham’s complaint both Avimelech and Avraham went from Gerar to Beer Sheva to inspect the area and find out who had been wronged. Seeing that they saw that Avraham’s shepherds were grazing their cattle in that region it was natural that they had dug for water there in order to provide water for their livestock. Even though the Torah did not spell out precisely what occurred, it is reasonable to accept the scenario which I have described.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.