King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I [of it], but to day.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Avimelekh answered, "I don't know who has done this. You didn't tell me, and I heard about it only today."
Berean Standard Bible:
Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.”
American Standard Version:
And Abimelech said, I know not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to-day.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Abimelech{H40} said{H559}, I wot{H3045} not who hath done{H6213} this thing{H1697}: neither{H3808} didst thou tell{H5046} me, neither{H3808} yet heard{H8085} I of it, but{H1115} to day{H3117}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 13:7
- And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
2 Kings 5:20
- ¶ But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, [as] the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
2 Kings 5:24
- And when he came to the tower, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 21:26
**Themes:**
- Integrity and trustworthiness in relationships, particularly between different peoples or nations.
- The importance of communication and honesty to maintain peace and mutual respect.
- The potential for conflict over resources, in this case, water.
**Historical Context:**
Genesis 21:26 is part of the narrative involving Abraham, his son Isaac, and Abimelech, who is identified as the king of Gerar. The verse occurs within the context of a dispute over water rights. Abraham had dug wells, but the herdsmen of Gerar had seized them, claiming the water for themselves. Abraham then made a covenant with Abimelech, which included the giving of seven ewe lambs as a witness to the fact that Abraham had dug the well. This act was meant to affirm Abraham's claim to the well and to resolve the conflict.
In the verse, Abimelech responds to Abraham's complaint about the well by asserting his own ignorance of the matter. He emphasizes that he has neither been informed of the conflict nor heard about it until that day. This suggests that the king was not directly involved in the seizure of the wells and that the conflict may have arisen from actions taken by his subjects without his knowledge.
The broader historical context reflects the nomadic lifestyle of the Patriarchs and their interactions with the settled populations of Canaan. Water was a precious resource, essential for the survival of flocks and herds, and thus disputes over wells were serious matters that could lead to significant conflict. The narrative also illustrates the practice of making covenants to resolve such disputes, a common custom in the ancient Near East for settling disagreements and establishing peaceful relations.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H40
There are 1102 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: ʼĂbîymelek
Pronunciation: ab-ee-mel'-ek
Description: from אָב and מֶלֶךְ; father of (the) king; Abimelek, the name of two Philistine kings and of two Israelites; Abimelech. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H3045
There are 873 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָדַע
Transliteration: yâdaʻ
Pronunciation: yaw-dah'
Description: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.); acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H1697
There are 1290 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּבָר
Transliteration: dâbâr
Pronunciation: daw-baw'
Description: from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work. - Strong's Number: H3808
There are 73 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לֹא
Transliteration: lôʼ
Pronunciation: lo
Description: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles; [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. - Strong's Number: H5046
There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָגַד
Transliteration: nâgad
Pronunciation: naw-gad'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise; bewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H1115
There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בִּלְתִּי
Transliteration: biltîy
Pronunciation: bil-tee'
Description: constructive feminine of בָּלָה (equivalent to בְּלִי); properly, a failure of, i.e. (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until, etc.; because un(satiable), beside, but, [phrase] continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without. - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.