· Translation: KJV

Genesis 21:22It happened at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do.

The setting

Beersheba, southern Israel, ~1900 BC. King Abimelech approaches Abraham with his military commander, acknowledging what everyone can see...

The emotion here: reverent fear mixed with political calculation

The original word

Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) — the mighty God, used by pagans who recognize divine power

Why it matters

Phicol was likely a title meaning 'mouth of all' rather than a personal name

Read with care

What most readers miss in Genesis 21:22

This wasn't small talk — Abimelech was afraid of Abraham's God and wanted protection

Common misconceptionPeople think this was a casual compliment about Abraham's success, but Abimelech was actually intimidated by the supernatural favor he witnessed and wanted to secure peace.

Bible Genome reading

Genesis 21:22 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraPatriarchal
Primary emotionworship
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power50%
Quotability55%
Memorability55%
Crisis relevance40%
Standalone50%
Themes:recognitionblessingwitnesssuccessdiplomacy

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Genesis 21

Genesis 21:22 comes from the book of Genesis, written during the Patriarchal period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include recognition, blessing, witness, success, diplomacy. Notable phrases: God is with you; all that you do; Abimelech.

Your reflection

What does Genesis 21:22 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "worship"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.