“It was at that time, Avimelekh and Pikhol…said” – Rabbi Yehuda said: Pikhol was his real name. Rabbi Neḥemya said: [It was an acronym:] The mouth [peh] of him whom all [shekol] his armies kiss on his mouth.8He was beloved by all his subordinates. “God is with you” – because the nations of the world had been saying: ‘Were he righteous, would he not have begotten a child?’ That was a rhetorical question.
Once he begot a child, they said to him: “God is with you.” [They also used to say:] ‘Were he righteous, he would not have heeded his wife’s voice.’9To banish Ishmael. Once it was said to him: “Everything that Sarah says to you, heed her voice” (Genesis 21:12), they said to him: “God is with you.” [They also used to say:] ‘Were he righteous, would he have spurned his firstborn son?’ Once they saw his [Ishmael’s] behavior, they said: “God is with you in everything that you do.”
“Now take an oath to me here, by God, that you will not deceive me, or my son, or my son’s son; like the kindness that I have performed with you, perform with me, and with the land in which you resided” (Genesis 21:23). Another interpretation, [they were impressed] because the sites of Sodom were destroyed, and passersby ceased [from traveling the road], yet his food storehouse lacked nothing,10Even though there were no longer any passing caravans from which to purchase food. that is why [they said:] “God is with you in everything that you do.”
Now, since God is with you, “now take an oath to me here, by God.” “That you will not deceive me, or my son, or my son’s son” – it is until this point that the compassion of a father extends to his descendants. Rabbi Abba said: It is until this point that brothers remain partners [in their inherited property]. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: It is written: “My enemies are mighty with life” (Psalms 38:20).
What was granted to Abraham after seven generations was granted to Avimelekh after three. Why? “God did not guide them via the land of the Philistines” (Exodus 13:17), because his [Avimelekh’s] grandson was still alive [at that time].11Moses was the seventh generation from Abraham, and he was not allowed to conquer the lands of the Philistines because Avimelekh’s third-generation descendant was still alive then.
This shows the extraordinary longevity of Avimelekh’s line. “Like the kindness that I have performed with you, perform with me.” What kindness did he perform with him? It is that he said to him: “Behold, my land is before you, [dwell wherever is good in your eyes]” (Genesis 20:15). Nevertheless, he did not accept [that offer].