signifying Father of the King, the name of the Philistine king of Gerar, in the time of Abraham; but from its recurrence among that people it was perhaps rather a titular distinction than a proper name, like Pharaoh among the Egyptians. After the destruction of "the cities of the plain," Abraham removed into his territory; and fearing that the beauty of Sarah might bring him into difficulties, he declared her to be his sister: whereupon Abimelech, in virtue of the royal prerogative to appropriate any unmarried female that pleased him, placed Sarah in his harem. But, in obedience to a divine warning, he forthwith restored her to her husband, with a strong and merited reproof for the deceit he had practised. Abimelech, however, made a league of peace and amity with Abraham, the first recorded in the Scriptures, and confirmed by a mutual oath. (Gen. xx.)

another king of Gerar, probably the son of the former, in the time of Isaac. During a famine Isaac sought refuge in this king's territories; and Rebekah's beauty induced her husband to employ the same subterfuge as his father had done in the case of Sarah; which deceit met with a similar rebuke from the king.

In that country, wells were of such vast importance, that the digging of them conferred a proprietary right to the soil not previously appropriated. During his sojourn there Abraham had dug wells, which were again cleared out by Isaac, who proceeded to cultivate the ground to which they gave him a right. This gave rise to disputes between the heirsmen of Isaac and Abimelech, which ended in the removal of the patriarch to Beersheba, where he concluded a treaty of amity with the king. (Gen. xxvi.)

the natural son of Gideon, by his concubine. His violent acts and death (A.M. 2769) are recorded in Judges, chap. ix.