Abimelech's Treaty and the Price of the Seven Ewe-Lambs

"And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech said" (Genesis 21:22). "When the LORD is pleased with a man's ways" (Proverbs 16:7) refers to Abraham; "even his enemies are at peace with him." "Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host": Rabbi Yehuda says Phicol was his name; Rabbi Nechemiah says it means "the mouth that all his hosts kiss [noshkin] upon his command [piv]." "God is with you in all that you do" (Genesis 21:22). The nations of the world used to say: if he were righteous he would have begotten children. Once he begot a child, they said to him, "God is with you in all that you do." If he were righteous he would not have listened to his wife's voice to drive out his son; but once God said, "In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice," they said, "God is with you in all that you do." If he were righteous he would not have driven out his firstborn son; once they saw his deeds, they said, "God is with you." "Since God is with you, swear to me that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson" (Genesis 21:23): up to here the mercy of a father reaches for a son; up to here for partner brothers. It is written, "My enemies are vigorous and strong" (Psalms 38:20): what was given to Abraham for seven generations was given to Abimelech for three. Why? "God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines" (Exodus 13:17), because his grandson was still alive. "According to the kindness I have done you" (Genesis 21:23): what kindness did he do him? "Behold, my land is before you" (Genesis 20:15), yet Abraham did not accept it. "And Abraham reproved Abimelech" (Genesis 21:25): any love without reproof is not love; reproof brings peace, and any peace without reproof is not peace. "Concerning the well of water which they had seized": who is a robber? One who robs in public, as it says, "And they robbed all who passed by them on the road"; just as a road is public, so robbery is in public. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai brings it from here: "You bring what is stolen, and the lame, and the sick" (Malachi 1:13); just as lame and sick are blemishes in the open, so robbery is in the open. Resh Lakish said: before ten witnesses it is robbery. Rabbi Tanchum said: he is not truly a robber until he seizes it from the victim's own hand, as it says, "And he seized the spear from the Egyptian's hand." "And Abimelech said: I do not know who did this thing; you did not tell me, and I also did not hear of it" (Genesis 21:26): you did not tell me by your own word, and I also did not hear of it by means of an angel. "For these seven ewe-lambs you shall take from my hand" (Genesis 21:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You gave him seven ewe-lambs; by your life, I will delay the joy of your descendants for seven generations. You gave him seven ewe-lambs; correspondingly, seven righteous ones of your descendants will be slain: Samson, Hophni, Phinehas, Saul and his three sons. You gave him seven ewe-lambs; by your life, correspondingly seven sanctuaries of your descendants will be destroyed: the Tent of Meeting, Nob, Gilgal, Gibeon, Shiloh, and the two eternal Houses. You gave him seven ewe-lambs; correspondingly My ark will dwell in the field of the Philistines seven months. The rabbis say: the shepherds of Abimelech were disputing with the shepherds of Abraham. These said the well is ours, and those said the well is ours. The shepherds of Abraham said: whoever's flock the waters rise to greet, the well is his. When the waters saw Abraham's flock, they immediately rose. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: you are a sign for your children. Just as for you, when the waters saw your flock they immediately rose, so for your children, when the well sees them it will immediately rise of itself, as it is written, "Then Israel sang... spring up, O well" (Numbers 21:17). Rabbi Yitzchak said: it does not say "because it was for me," but "that it may be a witness for me."