Bible Verses About Patriarchal Government: Forming treaties and alliances

Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by treaty to Abram.

At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.

Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness that I have shown to you.”

And Abraham replied, “I swear it.”

But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,

Abimelech replied, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, so I have not heard about it until today.”

So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.

Abraham separated seven ewe lambs from the flock,

and Abimelech asked him, “Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?”

He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand as my witness that I dug this well.”

So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.

After they had made the covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army got up and returned to the land of the Philistines.

“We can plainly see that the LORD has been with you,” they replied. “We recommend that there should now be an oath between us and you. Let us make a covenant with you

that you will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you but have done only good to you, sending you on your way in peace. And now you are blessed by the LORD.”

So Isaac prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank.

And they got up early the next morning and swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace.

On that same day, Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We have found water!” they told him.

So he called it Shibah, and to this day the name of the city is Beersheba.