Genesis 21 · Verse 23

Genesis 21:23

Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.

Genesis 21:23, King James Version

Genesis 21:23 in other translations

BSB	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.”
WEB	Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
ASV	now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
YLT	and now, swear to me by God here: thou dost not lie to me, or to my continuator, or to my successor; according to the kindness which I have done with thee thou dost with me, and with the land in which thou hast sojourned.'
DARBY	And now swear to me here by God that thou wilt not deal deceitfully with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson. According to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land in which thou sojournest.
BBE	Now, then, give me your oath, in the name of God, that you will not be false to me or to my sons after me, but that as I have been good to you, so you will be to me and to this land where you have been living.
Webster	Now therefore swear to me here by God, that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land in which thou hast sojourned.

What does Genesis 21:23 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 23 Now therefore swear unto me - The oath on such occasions probably meant no more than the mutual promise of both the parties, when they slew an animal, poured out the blood as a sacrifice to God, and then passed between the pieces. See this ceremony, Gen 15:18 (note), and on Genesis 15 (note). According to the kindness that I have done - The simple claims of justice were alone set up among virtuous people in those ancient times, which constitute the basis of the famous lex talionis, or law of like for like, kind office for kind office, and breach for breach.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 21:22-34

Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. It is wise to connect ourselves with those who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to those who have been kind to us. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. Abraham took care to have his title to the well allowed, to prevent disputes in future. No more can be expected from an honest man than that he be…

Read the full comment on Genesis 21:22-34 →

Genesis 21:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַתָּ֗הve.'a.Tahand thereforeH6258

הִשָּׁ֨בְעָהhi.Sha.ve.'ahswear !H7650

לִּ֤יlito <the> me

בֵֽאלֹהִים֙ve.lo.Himby GodH430

הֵ֔נָּהHe.nahhereH2008

אִם\־'im-ifH518

תִּשְׁקֹ֣רtish.Koryou will deal falselyH8266

לִ֔יLito me

וּלְנִינִ֖יu.le.ni.Niand to posterity myH5209

וּלְנֶכְדִּ֑יu.le.nekh.Diand to progeny myH5220

כַּחֶ֜סֶדka.Che.sedaccording to the loyaltyH2617

אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834

עָשִׂ֤יתִי'a.Si.tiI have doneH6213

עִמְּךָ֙'i.me.Khawith youH5973

תַּעֲשֶׂ֣הta.'a.Sehyou will doH6213

עִמָּדִ֔י'i.ma.Diwith meH5978

וְעִם\־ve.'im-and withH5973

הָאָ֖רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776

אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834

גַּ֥רְתָּהGar.tahyou have sojournedH1481

בָּֽהּ\׃Bahin <the> it

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 21:23

Joshua 2:12
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
Genesis 20:14
And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
Genesis 14:22-23
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
Genesis 26:28
And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
Genesis 31:44
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
2 Corinthians 1:23
Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
1 Samuel 20:17
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Hebrews 6:16
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Jeremiah 4:2
And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
1 Samuel 20:13
The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
1 Samuel 24:21-22
Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
Deuteronomy 6:13
Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

swear.
14:22,23; 24:3; 26:28; 31:44,53; De 6:13; Jos 2:12; 1Sa 20:13,17,42
1Sa 24:21,22; 30:15; Jer 4:2; 2Co 1:23; Heb 6:16
that thou wilt not deal falsely with me. Heb. if thou shaltlie unto me. I have.
20:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Genesis 21:22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
Genesis 21:23
Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
Genesis 21:24
And Abraham said, I will swear.

Read all of Genesis 21

Genesis 21:23 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Ahora pues, júrame aquí por Dios, que no faltarás á mí, ni á mi hijo, ni á mi nieto; sino que conforme á la bondad que yo hice contigo, harás tú conmigo, y con la tierra donde has peregrinado.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et maintenant, jure-moi ici, par Dieu, que tu n’agiras faussement ni envers moi, ni envers mes enfants, ni envers mes petits-enfants: selon la bonté dont j’ai usé envers toi, tu agiras envers moi et envers le pays dans lequel tu as séjourné.
German Elberfelder 1871	So schwöre mir nun hier bei Gott, daß du weder an mir noch an meinem Sohne noch an meinem Enkel trüglich handeln wirst! Nach der Güte, die ich dir erwiesen habe, sollst du an mir tun und an dem Lande, in welchem du dich aufhältst.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Jura ergo per Deum, ne noceas mihi, et posteris meis, stirpique meæ: sed juxta misericordiam, quam feci tibi, facies mihi, et terræ in qua versatus es advena.