Genesis 21:26

26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”

Genesis 21:26 in Other Translations

KJV
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
ESV
26 Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today."
NLT
26 “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Abimelech answered. “I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before.”
MSG
26 Abimelech said, "I have no idea who did this; you never told me about it; this is the first I've heard of it."
CSB
26 Abimelech replied, "I don't know who did this thing. You didn't report anything to me, so I hadn't heard about it until today."

Genesis 21:26 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 21:26

And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing
He pleads ignorance; he knew nothing of it before, nor now which of his servants had done it; intimating, that if he could know who it was, he should severely reprimand him for it: neither didst thou tell me:
signifying that he was to blame he did not complain of it sooner; and at least he had no reason to blame him, since he had never informed him before of it, and therefore could not expect to be redressed: neither yet heard [of it] but today:
he had not heard of it from others, as the Targum of Jonathan rightly adds, by way of explanation, but that very day, and very probably not till the moment he had it from Abraham himself.

Genesis 21:26 In-Context

24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.
26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”
27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.
28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock,
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