Phicol
Encyclopedia
Phicol, also spelled Phichol (KJV
) or Phikol, was a Philistine military leader.
Phicol was the chief captain of the army of Abimelech
, the Philistine king of Gerar
. He entered into an alliance with Abraham
with reference to a certain well which, from this circumstance, was called Beersheba
, "the well of the oath" (Genesis 21:22,32; 26:26).
The Phicol mentioned in Genesis 26:26 is in relation to an agreement between Isaac
and Abimelech, whereas the Phicol mentioned in Genesis 21:22, 32 is in relation to an agreement between Abraham and Abimelech. Therefore, the name Phicol may be a namesake handed down through a generation or possibly even the name of a title (both are referred to as "commander of the army"), such as Abimelech
.
King James Version of the Bible
The Authorized Version, commonly known as the King James Version, King James Bible or KJV, is an English translation of the Christian Bible by the Church of England begun in 1604 and completed in 1611...
) or Phikol, was a Philistine military leader.
Phicol was the chief captain of the army of Abimelech
Abimelech
Abimelech was a common name of the Philistine kings.Abimelech was most prominently the name of a king of Gerar who is mentioned in two of the three wife-sister narratives in Genesis...
, the Philistine king of Gerar
Gerar
Gerar - meaning "lodging-place" - was a Philistine town and district in what is today south central Israel. Archaeological evidence points to the town having come into existence with the arrival of the Philistines at around 1200 BC and having been little more than a village until 800-700...
. He entered into an alliance with Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
with reference to a certain well which, from this circumstance, was called Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, "the well of the oath" (Genesis 21:22,32; 26:26).
The Phicol mentioned in Genesis 26:26 is in relation to an agreement between Isaac
Isaac
Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...
and Abimelech, whereas the Phicol mentioned in Genesis 21:22, 32 is in relation to an agreement between Abraham and Abimelech. Therefore, the name Phicol may be a namesake handed down through a generation or possibly even the name of a title (both are referred to as "commander of the army"), such as Abimelech
Abimelech
Abimelech was a common name of the Philistine kings.Abimelech was most prominently the name of a king of Gerar who is mentioned in two of the three wife-sister narratives in Genesis...
.