New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Genesis

21

:

27

Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Abraham "exalted father," the father of the Jewish nation Noun H85 אַבְרָהָם֙ av·ra·ham
Analysis:
Read more about: Abraham
took to take Verb H3947 וַיִּקַּ֤ח vai·yik·kach
sheep small cattle, sheep and goats, flock Noun H6629 צֹ֣אן tzon
and oxen cattle, herd, an ox Noun H1241 וּבָקָ֔ר u·va·kar,
and gave to give, put, set Verb H5414 וַיִּתֵּ֖ן vai·yit·ten
them to Abimelech, "father is king," a Philistine name, also an Isr. name Noun H40 לַאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ la·'a·vi·me·lech;
and the two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם she·nei·hem
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

of them made to cut off, cut down Verb H3772 וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ vai·yich·re·tu
a covenant. a covenant Noun H1285 בְּרִֽית׃ be·rit.

People

Abraham

 The father of the Jewish nation. His original name was Abraham    Abraham  father of a multitude, son of Terah, named ( Genesis 11:27 ) before his older brothers Nahor and Haran, because he was the heir of the promises. Till the age of seventy, Abram sojourned among his kindred in his native country of Chaldea. He then, with his father and his family and household, quitted the city of Ur, in which he had hitherto... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.
King James Bible And Abraham took sheep and oxen oxen, and gave them to Abimelech, unto Abimelech; and the two both of them made a covenant.
Hebrew Greek English Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.