And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days. Even many years, days being sometimes put for years; having entered into covenant with Abimelech, the king of the country, and settled a good correspondence with him, and having his friendship and good will, which commanded respect from his subjects, Abraham sojourned very quietly and comfortably for many years, chiefly at Beersheba; the Jewish writers say (a) he sojourned here twenty six years.

(a) Jarchi & Bereshit Rabba, sect. 54. fol. 48. 4.

Abraham sojourned a long time there in the Philistines' land. There Isaac was probably born, and grew up to be a young man (Genesis 22:6), capable of carrying the wood for a sacrifice; cf. Genesis 22:19. The expression "in the land of the Philistines" appears to be at variance with Genesis 21:32, where Abimelech and Phicol are said to have returned to the land of the Philistines. But the discrepancy is easily reconciled, on the supposition that at that time the land of the Philistines had no fixed boundary, at all events, towards the desert. Beersheba did not belong to Gerar, the kingdom of Abimelech in the stricter sense; but the Philistines extended their wanderings so far, and claimed the district as their own, as is evident from the fact that Abimelech's people had taken the well from Abraham. On the other hand, Abraham with his numerous flocks would not confine himself to the Wady es Seba, but must have sought for pasture-ground in the whole surrounding country; and as Abimelech had given him full permission to dwell in his land (Genesis 20:15), he would still, as heretofore, frequently come as far as Gerar, so that his dwelling at Beersheba (Genesis 22:19) might be correctly described as sojourning (nomadizing) in the land of the Philistines.

And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

34. Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land-a picture of pastoral and an emblem of Christian life.

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 ready to do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. Abraham, being now in a good neighbourhood, stayed a great while there. There he made, not only a constant practice, but an open profession of his religion. There he called on the name of the Lord, as the everlasting God; probably in the grove he planted, which was his place of prayer. Abraham kept up public worship, in which his neighbours might join. Good men should do all they can to make others so. Wherever we sojourn, we must neither neglect nor be ashamed of the worship of Jehovah.