2723. As regards Beersheba however, 'Beersheba' means the state and the essential nature of the doctrine, that is to say, it is Divine doctrine to which merely human rational ideas have been allied. This becomes clear from the train of thought in verse 22 to the present verse, 2613, 2614, and also from the meaning of the actual expression in the original language as 'the well of the oath' and 'the well of seven'. 'A well' means the doctrine of faith, see 2702, 2720, 'an oath' means a joining together, 2720, as does 'the covenant established with an oath', 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037; and 'seven' means that which is holy and so that which is Divine, 395, 433, 716, 881. From these meanings it may become clear that 'Beersheba' means doctrine which in itself is Divine together with merely human rational ideas or appearances allied to it.

[2] The fact that this is how the name Beersheba was derived is evident from Abraham's words,

Abraham said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand, that they may be a witness for me that I dug this well. Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath. And they made a covenant in Beersheba (verses 30-32).

Similarly from Isaac's words recorded in Chapter 26,

So it was on that day, that Isaac's servants came and pointed out to him the reasons for the well which they had dug, and they said to him, We have found water. And he called it Shibah ('an oath' and 'seven'); therefore the name of the city is Beersheba even to this day. Genesis 26:32-33.

This too has to do with wells, about which there was disagreement with Abimelech, and with a covenant made with him. 'Beersheba' means merely human rational ideas which were again allied to the doctrine of faith, and because they were allied to it again and the doctrine was in that way made such that the human mind could grasp it, it is called 'a city' - 'a city' being doctrine in its entirety, see 402, 2268, 2449, 2451. What is more, the name Beersheba is used with a similar meaning in the internal sense in Genesis 22:19; 26:23; 28:10; 46:1, 5; Joshua 15:28; 19:1-2; 1 Samuel 8:2; 1 Kings 19:3, and in the contrary sense in Amos 5:5; 8:13-14. The whole range of celestial and spiritual things taught by doctrine is meant in the internal sense where the land of Canaan is said to range from 'Dan even to Beersheba'; for the land of Canaan means the Lord's kingdom, also the Church, and therefore means the celestial and spiritual things taught by doctrine, as in the Book of Judges.

All the children of Israel came out, and the congregation assembled as one man from Dan even to Beersheba. Judges 20:1.

In the Book of Samuel,

All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba. 1 Samuel 3:20.

Elsewhere in Samuel,

To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba, 2 Samuel 3:10.

Elsewhere in Samuel,

Hushai said to Absalom, Let all Israel be assembled together, from Dan even to Beersheba. 2 Samuel 17:11.

Elsewhere in Samuel, David told Joab to go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan even to Beersheba. 2 Samuel 24:2, 7.

Elsewhere in Samuel,

There died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 2 Samuel 24:15.

In the Book of Kings,

Judah dwelt under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 1 Kings 4:25.

2720. Verse 22 And so it was at that time, that Abimelech spoke, and Phicol the general of his army, to Abraham, saying, God is with you in all that you are doing.

Verse 23 And now swear to me here by God that you will not lie to me, and to my son, and to my grandson; according to the kindness which I have done to you, may you do to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.

Verse 24 And Abraham said, I will swear.

Verse 25 And Abraham reproached Abimelech on account of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had seized.

Verse 26 And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this thing; and you also did not point it out to me, and I too have not heard about it until today.

Verse 27 And Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech; and the two of them made a covenant.

Verse 28 And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves.

Verse 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, What are these seven ewe-lambs which you have set by themselves?

Verse 30 And he said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand, that they may be a witness for me that I dug this well.

Verse 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath.

Verse 32 And they made a covenant in Beersheba; and Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the general of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.

[2] 'So it was at that time' means the state which the Lord passed through when the Rational was made Divine. 'That Abimelech spoke, and Phicol the general of his army, to Abraham' means the merely human rational ideas based on facts that were to be allied to the doctrine of faith, which in itself is Divine. 'Saying, God is with you in all that you are doing' means that it was Divine in every single detail.

[3] 'And now swear to me here by God' means an affirmation. 'That you will not lie to me' means without any element of doubt. 'And to my son, and to my grandson' means regarding matters of faith. 'According to the kindness which I have done to you' means the rational ideas which the Lord had been taught previously. 'May you do to me and to the land in which you have sojourned' means that which is reciprocal.

[4] 'And Abraham said, I will swear' means a complete affirmation. 'And Abraham reproached Abimelech' means the Lord's displeasure. 'On account of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had seized' means the doctrine of faith, that factual knowledge wished to attribute that doctrine to itself.

[5] 'And Abimelech said' means a reply. 'I do not know who has done this thing' means that the rational dictated something different. 'And you also did not point it out to me' means that it did not come from the Divine. 'And I too have not heard about it until today' means that it was now disclosed for the first time.

[6] 'And Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech' means Divine Goods implanted in the rational ideas belonging to doctrine that were meant by Abimelech. 'And the two of them made a covenant' means joined together thus. 'And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves' means the holiness of innocence.

[7] 'And Abimelech said to Abraham, What are these seven ewe-lambs which you have set by themselves?' means that He was to be taught and would acknowledge. 'And he said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand' means the holiness of innocence received from the Divine. 'That they may be a witness for me' means certainty. 'That I have dug this well' means that the doctrine came from the Divine.

[8] 'Therefore he called that place Beersheba' means the state and the nature of the doctrine. 'Because there the two of them swore an oath' means as a result of the joining together. 'And they made a covenant in Beersheba' means that the merely human rational ideas were allied to the doctrine of faith. 'And Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the general of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines' means that nevertheless they did not form part of that doctrine.