Abraham said, “I will swear.”
Parallel Translations
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Abraham said, “I will swear.”
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And Abraham said, I will swear.
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And Abraham said: 'I will swear.'
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Genesis 21:24 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 14:13 One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. At that time, he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. They were allies of Abram.
- Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.
- Hebrews 6:16 For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (7 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 24. And Abraham said, I will swear. Although he…
24. And Abraham said, I will swear. Although he had the stronger claim of right, he yet refuses nothing which belonged to the duty of a good and moderate man. And truly, since it is becoming in the sons of God to be freely ready for every duty; nothing is more absurd, than for them to appear reluctant and morose, when what is just is required of them. He did not refuse to swear, because he knew it to be lawful, that covenants should be ratified between men, in the sacred name of God. In short, we see Abraham willingly submitting himself to the laws of his vocation.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain So that it is a lawful thing to take…
So that it is a lawful thing to take an oath in matters of importance, for to justify the truth, and to assure others of our sincerity.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
Gen 21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
Ver. 24. I will swear.] Abraham quickly consents to so reasonable a request, from so honourable a person. The wisdom from above is "easy to be entreated". {Jas 3:17} The churl Nabal holds it a goodly thing to hold off. It is but manners to reciprocate: very publicans can find in their hearts to do good to those that have been good to them. {Mat 5:46-47}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Quest. How could Abraham lawfully swear this, when Canaan…
Quest. How could Abraham lawfully swear this, when Canaan was given by God to him and his seed for ever?
Answ. Neither Abraham nor his seed had any present and actual right to the possession of the land, but only the promise of a right in it, and possession of it after some hundreds of years, and therefore he gave away none of his right by this oath. For this oath did only oblige Abraham, and not his posterity; and Abimelech extended that obligation no further than to his son’s son.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done…
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing,.... He pleads ignorance; he knew nothing of it before, nor now which of his servants had done it; intimating, that if he could know who it was, he should severely reprimand him for it:
neither didst thou tell me: signifying that he was to blame he did not complain of it sooner; and at least he had no reason to blame him, since he had never informed him before of it, and therefore could not expect to be redressed:
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neither yet heard of it but today: he had not heard of it from others, as the Targum of Jonathan rightly adds, by way of explanation, but that very day, and very probably not till the moment he had it from Abraham himself.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain I will swear. The matter was of sufficient importance.…
I will swear. The matter was of sufficient importance. Abraham binds himself, but not his posterity, who by God’s order fought against the descendants of this king.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And Abraham said, I will swear. Only before concluding…
And Abraham said, I will swear. Only before concluding the agreement there was a matter of a more personal character that required settlement.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.