Genesis 21:23

Amharic Dawro DFBE (ጌሻ ማጻፋ) No Year

ኔን ታ ቦላ ዎይ ታ ናና ቦላ ዎይ ታ ዘረ ቦላ ገነባ ኦና ማላ፥ ሀእ ሀዋን፥ ጾሳ ስንን ታዉ ጫቃ፤ ታን ነዉ ኬኬዳዋዳን፥ ኔንካ ታዉነ ኔን እማተን ደእያ ሀ ቢታዉ ሎአ” ያጌዳ።

What Does This Mean?

In this verse, Abimelech asks Abraham to promise, in God's name, that he will be honest and kind to Abimelech, his son, and his grandson. This is a formal agreement based on the kindness Abimelech has shown to Abraham.

Explained for Children

Imagine you're playing a game with your friend. Your friend has been really nice to you, and now he wants you to promise that you'll be just as nice to him and his family. That's what Abimelech is asking Abraham to do here.

Historical Background

The Book of Genesis was written by Moses around 1446-1406 BC. This particular verse records a conversation between Abimelech, the king of Gerar, and Abraham, a key figure in the early history of Israel. The setting is the ancient Near East, where such formal agreements were common.

Living It Out Today

In a modern context, this verse reminds us to keep our promises and be kind, especially when others have been kind to us first. For example, if a colleague helps you with a big project, you might promise to return the favor in the future.

Topics

• promise
• kindness
• honesty
• agreement
• reciprocity
• faithfulness

Related Verses

• Genesis 26:28
• Exodus 23:4
• Joshua 9:15
• Romans 12:17
• 1 Peter 3:16

Recommended Reading

Commentary Genesis Commentaries → Get This Bible Amharic Dawro DFBE (ጌሻ ማጻፋ) No Year Study Bible →

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Abimelech ask Abraham to swear by God?

Abimelech asks Abraham to swear by God to ensure the seriousness and sacredness of their agreement, as breaking a promise to God was considered a grave offense.

What does this verse teach us about kindness?

This verse teaches us to reciprocate kindness and to remember to be good to those who have been good to us, reflecting the principle of mutual respect and generosity.

How does this verse connect to the theme of faithfulness?

It highlights the importance of keeping one's word and being faithful to promises, especially those made in the name of God, which is a foundational aspect of faith.

What can we learn about agreements from this verse?

We can learn that formal agreements should be made with integrity and that we should consider the well-being of future generations when making deals, just as Abimelech does here.