Genesis 26:33 kjv
And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
Genesis 26:33 nkjv
So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
Genesis 26:33 niv
He called it Shibah, and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.
Genesis 26:33 esv
He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
Genesis 26:33 nlt
So Isaac named the well Shibah (which means "oath"). And to this day the town that grew up there is called Beersheba (which means "well of the oath").
Genesis 26 verses
MeaningGenesis 26:33 records Isaac's naming of a newly dug well "Shibah," meaning "oath" or "seven," because of the solemn covenant sworn between him and Abimelech and his associates. This event reinforces and re-establishes the existing name of the locality, Beer-sheba, which means "Well of the Oath" or "Well of Seven," linking it explicitly to the renewed covenant of peace made on that day and confirming its significance "unto this day" as a place of sworn agreement and divine provision.
Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:27-32 | Abraham set seven ewe lambs... and said... "Therefore he called that place Beer-sheba... | Abraham's original covenant and naming of Beer-sheba. |
| Gen 26:17-22 | Isaac dug wells again... but the Philistines contended... | Isaac's struggles for water and peace before this event. |
| Gen 26:26-30 | Abimelech... came to him from Gerar... Isaac said... "Why do you come?"... | The context of Abimelech's visit and desire for covenant. |
| Gen 26:31 | And they rose up early in the morning, and sware one to another... | The immediate precursor: the swearing of the oath. |
| Gen 26:24 | And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, saying, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not... | God's reassurance and promise to Isaac, preceding the oath. |
| Gen 22:16 | By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD... | God swearing by Himself, establishing oaths' sacredness. |
| Num 14:28-30 | Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken... | God's faithfulness to His sworn word. |
| Deut 6:13 | Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. | Importance of swearing by God's name. |
| Josh 14:14 | Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb... because he wholly followed the LORD. | Land inheritance through faithfulness to God's oath. |
| 1 Sam 8:2 | His sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre... Beersheba. | Beer-sheba as a known southern point of Israel. |
| 2 Sam 24:7 | They came to Beer-sheba, and Joab went through all the land of Israel. | Beer-sheba defining Israel's southern border. |
| 1 Kgs 19:3 | He arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah. | Beer-sheba as a landmark for flight or journey. |
| Gen 35:20 | Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. | Use of "unto this day" confirming enduring significance. |
| Gen 32:32 | The children of Israel eat not of the sinew... unto this day. | "Unto this day" referencing lasting custom from an event. |
| Judg 6:10 | I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians... and gave you this land. | God's covenantal delivery of the promised land. |
| Jer 33:20-21 | Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night... | God's immutable covenant promises. |
| Heb 6:13-18 | For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself. | God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises confirmed by oath. |
| Eph 2:14 | For he is our peace, who hath made both one... | Christ as our true peace, fulfilling the desire for accord. |
| Rom 5:1 | Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God... | Spiritual peace through God's new covenant. |
| Jn 4:14 | But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. | Symbolism of spiritual living water. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | If we walk in the light... we have fellowship one with another... | Fellowship and covenant based on walking in truth and light. |
| Col 3:15 | Let the peace of God rule in your hearts... | The peace that results from walking in God's ways. |
ContextGenesis chapter 26 chronicles Isaac's sojourn in the land of the Philistines, marked by his attempts to re-dig his father Abraham's wells, which the Philistines had stopped up. After enduring conflict over these wells (Esek and Sitnah), Isaac moved on, finally finding a well without contention, which he called Rehoboth ("room"). Following this period of peace and prosperity, the Philistine king Abimelech, along with his military commander Ahuzzath and advisor Phicol, came to Isaac from Gerar. Despite Isaac's initial questioning of their motives, citing their prior expulsion of him, Abimelech acknowledged God's blessing on Isaac and sought to establish a lasting covenant of peace, much like Abraham had done with an earlier Abimelech. After feasting, the oath was sworn, and on that very day, Isaac's servants discovered water in a newly dug well, which led Isaac to name it "Shibah," directly reinforcing the existing name Beer-sheba for the area, signifying the "well of the oath." This verse thus concludes a cycle of conflict and resolution, reiterating the significance of the place established by his father, and marking it as a location of renewed divine favor and human peace.
Word analysis
- And he called it: Isaac, as the patriarchal head, exercises authority and establishes meaning through naming. This act parallels Abraham's previous naming of the same place (Gen 21:31), underscoring Isaac's continuity in the Abrahamic covenant. It signifies not just an arbitrary designation but an acknowledgment of a significant event and its spiritual meaning.
- Shibah (שִׁבְעָה): This Hebrew word carries a dual meaning critical to the verse's depth: "oath" and "seven." In the context of the freshly sworn covenant between Isaac and Abimelech, it directly refers to the solemn vow taken. It also subtly connects to Abraham's initial covenant with Abimelech (Gen 21:28-30), which involved "seven ewe lambs" as a witness to the agreement over the well. The dual meaning enriches the significance of the well as both a place of sworn agreement and potentially one associated with completeness or a number sacred to God (such as the seven days of creation, or the number often associated with divine completeness and perfection).
- therefore: This adverb establishes a causal link, explaining that the current event, the oath sworn by Isaac, directly substantiates and re-validates the existing name of the place. It's a reaffirmation.
- the name of the city: Beer-sheba, even at this time, was understood as more than just a well; it was a recognized locality or emerging settlement. The permanence implied by "city" (though perhaps a small settlement or encampment at this early stage) gives weight to the covenant made there.
- is Beer-sheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע): This place name itself, "Beer-sheba," translates directly as "Well of the Oath" or "Well of Seven." Isaac's naming of his newly dug well "Shibah" serves as an etiological explanation and reinforcement for the existing, perhaps already forgotten or disputed, name of the wider locality. It solidifies the identity of this strategic water source and its associated territory with the concept of a sworn agreement, both from Abraham's time and now Isaac's. The location would become a prominent southern border city of Israel.
- unto this day: This common biblical phrase (often used in Genesis, e.g., Gen 32:32; Gen 35:20) serves as a narrative anchor, affirming the historical veracity and enduring recognition of the event and the name through generations up to the time the Genesis account was compiled. It lends credibility and continuity to the story, assuring the reader that the established name and its origin remained known and acknowledged.
CommentaryGenesis 26:33 marks a significant moment for Isaac, mirroring and validating Abraham's prior establishment of Beer-sheba. It underscores several key biblical themes: God's covenant faithfulness, the importance of peace, and the continuation of patriarchal blessings. Isaac's quiet obedience and perseverance in the face of Philistine antagonism lead not to conflict but to the re-establishment of a sacred boundary through covenant. The very act of swearing an oath ("Shibah") reinforces the identity of Beer-sheba ("Well of the Oath"), confirming God's presence and provision in Isaac's life, just as He was with Abraham. This peaceful resolution at Beer-sheba exemplifies how God's blessing on Isaac led even former adversaries to seek his favor and peace, solidifying the patriarchs' right to the land through divine rather than violent means. The name and location would forever testify to a divine seal upon human agreements made in reliance upon God.
Bonus sectionThe repeated naming and confirmation of Beer-sheba in both Abraham's and Isaac's narratives emphasizes the legal and communal significance of well-ownership and water rights in the arid ancient Near East. Water was life, and control over wells meant control over land and destiny. The fact that the name "Well of the Oath" persists points to the deeply ingrained cultural importance of sworn covenants as the highest form of agreement, recognized even by opposing parties like Abimelech and his people. This episode reinforces the biblical idea that true peace and security, particularly for God's chosen, come not through might but through God's blessing and adherence to covenant. Furthermore, Beer-sheba would continue to be a significant site in Israelite history, often marking the southern extent of the territory (e.g., "from Dan to Beer-sheba"), reinforcing its foundational importance derived from these patriarchal oaths and divine provisions.