Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 41
21:13-33
G enesis
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whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. But I will also make a nation of the descendants of
Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.”
So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent
her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of
Beersheba.
When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then
she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t
want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears.
But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar
from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the
boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a
great nation from his descendants.”
Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She
quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.
And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became
a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother
arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.
About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to
visit Abraham. “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you
do,” Abimelech said. “Swear to me in God’s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you,
so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you
are living as a foreigner.”
Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!” Then Abraham complained to
Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had taken by force from
Abraham’s servants.
“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.”
Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech,
and they made a treaty. But Abraham also took seven additional female
lambs and set them off by themselves. Abimelech asked, “Why have you
set these seven apart from the others?”
Abraham replied, “Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well.” Then he named the place Beersheba (which
means “well of the oath”), because that was where they had sworn the
oath.
After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol,
the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the
Philistines. Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there
