בראשית, פרק כ״ו, פסוק ל״ג

The sealing of a peace treaty requires a lasting monument. When Isaac and Abimelech finalize their covenant, the agreement is given physical and geographic permanence through the naming of a newly discovered well and its adjacent city. This act serves as a historical marker, linking the generations and cementing the memory of their peace for the future.

The primary approach among commentators is that the name given to the well is rooted in the concept of an oath, serving as a permanent reminder of the treaty sworn between the two parties. Another perspective connects the name to the number seven, noting that this was the seventh well excavated by the Patriarchs in that region, following three dug by Abraham and three previous ones dug by Isaac [ספורנו, העמק דבר]. On a deeper conceptual level, the number seven represents God's revelation entering the material, earthly systems of life, which are symbolized by the number six. Experiencing this divine presence within the physical world marked a profound peak in Isaac's life [רש״ר הירש].

A significant historical question arises from this event, as the location had already been named following a similar treaty between Abraham and Abimelech. If the name already existed, the reason for Isaac naming it again requires explanation. Some scholars resolve this by suggesting that these were entirely different cities [רשב״ם, אבן עזרא]. However, many agree that it was indeed the same location, but the original name had either failed to take root or had been deliberately erased. After breaking their initial treaty with Abraham, Abimelech and his men may have changed the city's name to obscure their betrayal and erase the memory of their oath. With the treaty now renewed and the seventh well discovered, the original name was rightfully restored and established for all generations [העמק דבר].

Others suggest that the sheer coincidence of both a father and a son swearing similar oaths in the exact same location is what ultimately cemented the name in the public consciousness, transforming it into a permanent title [רד״ק, ביאור ישר, שטיינזלץ]. A different approach highlights the distinction between a general area, a specific well, and a settled city. While Abraham named the broader region from a distance, Isaac applied the name directly to the specific well or the newly established city beside it [רש״ר הירש, מחוקקי יהודה, בכור שור, ביאור ישר].

The distinction between the two eras can also be heard in the pronunciation. During Abraham's time, the name was pronounced with vowels that strictly denoted an oath. Under Isaac, the pronunciation shifted slightly to encompass a dual meaning, hinting at both the sworn oath and its status as the seventh well [ספורנו]. Finally, another interpretation reverses the relationship between the well and the city. In this view, Isaac did not rename the city at all. Instead, he named his newly dug well after the city, which had retained its name from the days of Abraham [חזקוני, פענח רזא, אם למקרא]. By tying the renewed oath to the ancient location, the city's legacy was guaranteed to endure throughout history.