Abraham: The Covenant

Avraham became very distressed over this matter of his son.

But God said to Avraham, "Don't be distressed because of the boy and your slave-girl. Listen to everything Sarah says to you, because it is your descendants through Yitz'chak who will be counted.

But I will also make a nation from the son of the slave-girl, since he is descended from you."

Avraham got up early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child; then he sent her away. After leaving, she wandered in the desert around Be'er-Sheva.

When the water in the skin was gone, she left the child under a bush,

and went and sat down, looking the other way, about a bow-shot's distance from him; because she said, "I can't bear to watch my child die." So she sat there, looking the other way, crying out and weeping.

God heard the boy's voice, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What's wrong with you, Hagar? Don't be afraid, because God has heard the voice of the boy in his present situation.

Get up, lift the boy up, and hold him tightly in your hand, because I am going to make him a great nation."

Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went, filled the skin with water and gave the boy water to drink.

God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the desert and became an archer.

He lived in the Pa'ran Desert, and his mother chose a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

At that time Avimelekh and Pikhol the commander of his army spoke to Avraham. They said, "God is with you in everything you do.

Therefore, swear to me here by God that you will never deal falsely with me or with my son or grandson; but according to the kindness with which I have treated you, you will treat me and the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.

Avraham said, "I swear it."

Now Avraham had complained to Avimelekh about a well which Avimelekh's servants had seized.

Avimelekh answered, "I don't know who has done this. You didn't tell me, and I heard about it only today."

Avraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Avimelekh, and the two of them made a covenant.

Avraham put seven female lambs from the flock by themselves.

Avimelekh asked Avraham, "What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have put by themselves?"

He answered, "You are to accept these seven female lambs from me as witness that I dug this well."

This is why that place was called Be'er-Sheva [well of seven, well of an oath] - because they both swore an oath there.

When they made the covenant at Be'er-Sheva, Avimelekh departed with Pikhol the commander of his army and returned to the land of the P'lishtim.

Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be'er-Sheva, and there he called on the name of ADONAI, the everlasting God.

Avraham lived for a long time as a foreigner in the land of the P'lishtim.

After these things, God tested Avraham. He said to him, "Avraham!" and he answered, "Here I am."