Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/217

 The Well of

199

Covenant

the

V. 30. Among the ancient Semites a covenant was frequently solemnized by the contracting parties partaking together of a meal. So Isaac now prepares the covenant meal for himself and Abimelech. For a most illuminating account of the Cf. also XXXI, 46 and 54. nature and effect of such a food-covenant cf. Thomson. The Land

and the Book, II. V. 2)Z. "Unto

41f. this

day",

i.

e.,

of

course,

until

the

time of

the

writer of this narrative.

name Beer-sheba cited They said this was the same well which, so XXI. 25 tells, Abraham had According to their tradition Abraham had had to dig in three

In addition to the two explanations of the in

the lesson, the rabbis suggested a third

that

dug.

explanation.

And

different places before he located this well.

according to

XXVI

was the fourth well which Isaac had dug; hence the name BeerThey also said that this sheba, "The well of the seven diggings". well accompanied the patriarchs upon all their wanderings, and is also to supply Jerusalem with water when the Messiah shall come (Cf. Ginsburg, Legends of the and establish his kingdom there. this

Jews, torical It

I,

324).

Of course

this

tradition

and philological grounds, and

is

is

altogether

without his-

purely fanciful.

has been frequently suggested that there were originally seven received its name, Beer-

wells at this spot, and therefore the place

sheba,

are a

i.

e.

not the

However, while it is true that there some three or four, at this place, there is

"the seven wells".

number of slightest

wells,

evidence that there were ever as many as seven. "the seven wells", but at the most, only

Nor does Beer-sheba mean "the well of seven".

Abraham's Well. Beersheba