At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
22. And it came to pass at that time . Moses relates, that this covenant was entered into between Abraham and Abimelech, for the purpose of showing, that after various agitations, some repose was, at length, granted to the holy man. He had been constrained, as a wanderer, and without a fixed abode, to move his tent from place to place, during sixty years.
We have here an account of the treaty between Abimelech and Abraham, in which appears the accomplishment of that promise (Gen 12:2) that God would make his name great. His friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites. I. The league is proposed by Abimelech, and Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army. 1.
Commenting on Genesis 21:22-32
Now therefore swear unto me here by God,.... By the true and living God, by whom only an oath is to be taken, who was Abraham's God, and whom Abimelech seems to have known and to have been a worshipper of; and therefore moves for an oath to be taken by him, which he knew would be sacred and binding to Abraham, could he prevail...