The Meaning of Genesis 21:23 Explained

Genesis 21:23

KJV: 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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 21:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 21:22-34 - Abraham And Abimelech Covenant
Abimelech was impressed with Abraham's growing prosperity. He felt that it could not be explained on merely natural grounds. "God is with thee in all that thou doest." He sought, therefore, to secure the well-being of himself and his kingdom by forming an amicable treaty. Abraham immediately indicated that, while willing to meet him, they must first have a clear understanding about a certain injustice which he had suffered. As our Lord taught afterward, he showed Abimelech his fault as between them alone, Matthew 18:15. The matter was easily adjusted by the king's frank disavowal of his servants' action. In lieu of written documents the seven lambs would be a perpetual sign and token of Abraham's claim to the well, henceforth known as "the well of the oath." The tamarisk was the second of these natural title-deeds. Wherever the religious man dwells he should pray, and leave behind him trees and wells. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 21

1  Isaac is born, and circumcised
6  Sarah's joy
8  Isaac is weaned
9  Hagar and Ishmael sent away
15  Hagar in distress
17  The angel relieves and comforts her
23  Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beersheba

What do the individual words in Genesis 21:23 mean?

Now therefore swear to me before God here that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity but that according to the kindness that I have done to you you will do to me and to the land you have sojourned in
וְעַתָּ֗ה הִשָּׁ֨בְעָה לִּ֤י בֵֽאלֹהִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה אִם־ תִּשְׁקֹ֣ר לִ֔י וּלְנִינִ֖י וּלְנֶכְדִּ֑י כַּחֶ֜סֶד אֲשֶׁר־ עָשִׂ֤יתִי עִמְּךָ֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה עִמָּדִ֔י וְעִם־ הָאָ֖רֶץ גַּ֥רְתָּה בָּֽהּ

וְעַתָּ֗ה  Now  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הִשָּׁ֨בְעָה  swear 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לִּ֤י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
בֵֽאלֹהִים֙  before  God 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הֵ֔נָּה  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: הֵנָּה  
Sense: here, there, now, hither.
אִם־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
תִּשְׁקֹ֣ר  you  will  not  deal  falsely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁקַר  
Sense: to do or deal falsely, be false, trick, cheat.
לִ֔י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
וּלְנִינִ֖י  or  with  my  offspring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נִין  
Sense: offspring, posterity.
וּלְנֶכְדִּ֑י  or  with  my  posterity 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶכֶד  
Sense: progeny, posterity.
כַּחֶ֜סֶד  but  that  according  to  the  kindness 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשִׂ֤יתִי  I  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עִמְּךָ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה  you  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עִמָּדִ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִמָּד  
Sense: with.
וְעִם־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
גַּ֥רְתָּה  you  have  sojourned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.