Beer-Sheba

Abraham and Abimelech settle a quarrel over a well, swear an oath, and name the place Beersheba. Then Abraham “planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God” (Genesis 21:33). Later it appears in Judah’s and Simeon’s lists of towns. Amos warns the people not to “pass not to Beersheba,” treating its worship as empty. And when Elijah collapses under a juniper tree further south, an angel touches him and says, “Arise and eat.” Genesis 21:22-34 tells how the place got its name.

10 verses

Genesis

Genesis 21:31

Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.

Genesis 21:32

Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 21:33

And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

Joshua

Joshua 15:20

This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.

Joshua 15:28

And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah,

Joshua 19:2

And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,

Joshua 19:9

Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.

1 Kings

1 Kings 19:5

And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

1 Kings 19:7

And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

Amos

Amos 5:5

But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Well of the oath, or well of seven, a well dug by Abraham, and so named because he and Abimelech here entered into a compact (Gen. 21:31). On re-opening it, Isaac gave it the same name (Gen. 26:31-33). It was a favourite place of abode of both of these patriarchs (21:33-22:1, 19; 26:33; 28:10). It is mentioned among the “cities” given to the tribe of Simeon (Josh. 19:2; 1 Chr. 4:28). From Dan to Beersheba, a distance of about 144 miles (Judg. 20:1; 1 Chr. 21:2; 2 Sam. 24:2), became the usual way of designating the whole Promised Land, and passed into a proverb. After the return from the Captivity the phrase is narrowed into “from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom” (Neh. 11:30). The kingdom of the ten tribes extended from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim (2 Chr. 19:4). The name is not found in the New Testament. It is still called by the Arabs Bir es-Seba, i.e., “well of the seven”, where there are to the present day two principal wells and five smaller ones. It is nearly midway between the southern end of the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(well of the oath), the name of one of the old places in Palestine which formed the southern limit of the country. There are two accounts of the origin of the name. According to the first, the well was dug by Abraham, and the name given to Judah, (Joshua 15:28) and then to Simeon, (Joshua 19:2; 1 Chronicles 4:28) In the often-quoted "from Dan even unto Beersheba," (Judges 20:1) it represents the southern boundary of Canaan, as Dan the northern. In the time of Jerome it was still a considerable place, and still retains its ancient name --Bir es-Seba . There are at present on the spot two principal wells and five smaller ones. The two principal wells are on or close to the northern bank of the Wady es-Seba . The larger of the two, which lies to the east, is, according to Dr. Robinson, 12 1/2 feet in diameter, and at the time of his visit (April 12) was 44 1/2 feet to the surface of the water. The masonry which encloses the well extends downward 28 1/2 feet. The other well is 5 feet in diameter, and was 42 feet to the water. The curb-stones around the mouth of both wells are worn into deep grooves by the action of the ropes of so many centures. These wells are in constant use today. The five lesser wells are in a group in the bed of the wady. On some low hills north of the large wells are scattered the foundations and ruins of a town of moderate size.