Lexical Summary Beer Lachay Roi: "The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me" Original Word: בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Beer-lahai-roi From 'er and chay (with prefix) and ro'eh; well of a living (One) my Seer; Beer-Lachai-Roi, a place in the Desert -- Beer-lahai-roi. see HEBREW 'er see HEBREW chay see HEBREW ro'eh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom beer, chay and roeh Definition "well of the living One that sees me," a place in the desert NASB Translation Beer-lahai-roi (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי proper name, of a location (literally well of the living One that seeth me) **לַחַי perhaps originally I. לְחִי jaw(-bone); on proper name, of a location compared with לחי, γνάφος, see ᵐ5Judg 15:9 WeProl. 344 NesAJSL xiii {1897} 176. Genesis 16:14 (where explanation, from story of Hagar) Genesis 24:62; Genesis 25:11 (all J); perhaps name of ancient shrine or holy place, compare StaZAW ii. 347 & Di Genesis 16:14; west of Kadesh, compare Jerome below Barad, LagOnom. 101, 2nd ed. 135, see Rowlands in WilliamsHoly City, 489 TrumbullKadesh-Barnea 64. Topical Lexicon Overview Beer-lahai-roi is a well in the southern reaches of the land promised to the patriarchs. Scripture records it three times, each reference linking the site with God’s providential care over the seed of Abraham and underscoring His watchful presence over the vulnerable and the chosen alike. Geographical Setting Genesis 16:14 locates the well “between Kadesh and Bered,” placing it in the north-eastern Negev, south of Beersheba and west of the Arabah. The desert setting highlights the contrast between human frailty and divine provision; life-sustaining water appears where survival seems impossible. Later patriarchal movements (Genesis 24:62; Genesis 25:11) confirm that Beer-lahai-roi lay within the orbit of their seasonal grazing routes, making the well both a strategic resource and a spiritual landmark. Biblical Narrative 1. Hagar’s Encounter (Genesis 16:7-14) Driven from Sarai’s household, the pregnant Egyptian slave meets “the Angel of the LORD” by the spring on the way to Shur. After receiving a prophetic promise for her son, she marvels, “Have I really seen here the One who sees me?” The well’s name preserves her testimony. The passage reveals: 2. Isaac’s Residence (Genesis 24:62) “Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.” Isaac’s sojourn near the well occurs immediately before his meeting with Rebekah. By situating the heir of promise at the place where God once comforted an outcast, the narrative unites the destinies of Ishmael and Isaac under one omniscient God. Isaac’s presence also testifies that the well had become a settled, dependable resource for Abraham’s household. 3. Post-Abrahamic Blessing (Genesis 25:11) After Abraham’s death, “God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.” The location brackets the transfer of covenantal blessing, signaling continuity. The living God who saw Hagar now confirms His ongoing commitment to the promised line. Theological Themes • Divine Visibility and Care The name itself celebrates God as the Living One who sees. The motif of sight runs through the narratives: Hagar sees God’s messenger; God sees her distress; Isaac’s life unfolds under the same watchful gaze. Believers learn that no wilderness or familial conflict hides them from the Lord. • Wells as Signs of Covenant Provision Throughout Genesis, wells are stakes in the ground marking God’s faithfulness (compare Beer-sheba and Rehoboth). Beer-lahai-roi anchors that pattern. Water in the desert symbolizes both physical survival and the flow of covenant blessing. • Inclusion of the Outsider The site’s origin account centers on a marginalized servant, yet later serves the covenant heir. The overlap foreshadows Paul’s assertion that Gentiles are “fellow heirs” (Ephesians 3:6), pointing toward God’s redemptive plan for all peoples without erasing His unique promises to Israel. Historical and Archaeological Considerations While no excavation has conclusively identified Beer-lahai-roi, several proposals locate it near modern Ein Qadis, approximately 75 kilometers southwest of Beersheba. The region’s geology includes numerous springs fed by winter runoff, consistent with a desert well that could support semi-nomadic flocks. Absence of firm archaeological confirmation does not diminish the narrative’s credibility; rather, the sparseness of remains accords with the transient pastoral lifestyle described in Genesis. Ministry Significance • Assurance for the Afflicted Hagar’s experience reassures those who feel cast out: the Living God both sees and responds. Pastoral counseling often draws on this passage to comfort believers wrestling with rejection or injustice. • Encouragement for Intercessory Prayer The well stands as a memorial to answered prayer—Hagar’s cries and, by implication, Isaac’s meditations in the field (Genesis 24:63). Churches and individuals may view Beer-lahai-roi as an invitation to persistent, faith-filled petition. • Model for Covenant Transmission Abraham’s faith, Isaac’s dwelling, and God’s blessing converge at the same geographic point, illustrating how physical spaces can serve generational discipleship. Modern ministry can leverage sacred spaces—homes, church buildings, memorial sites—as touchstones for conveying God’s works to the next generation. Legacy in Redemptive History Though Scripture does not mention the well beyond Genesis, its theological echoes appear in later revelations of God’s seeing and providing—Hannah’s song, David’s shepherd psalm, and ultimately the incarnation, where the Living One not only sees but walks among His people. Beer-lahai-roi thus contributes a foundational note to the biblical symphony of divine compassion, covenant faithfulness, and life in the wilderness transformed by the presence of God. Forms and Transliterations רֹאִ֑י רֹאִֽי׃ ראי ראי׃ rō’î rō·’î roILinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 16:14 HEB: בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י הִנֵּ֥ה בֵין־ NAS: was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, INT: was called the well Beer-lahai-roi behold is between Genesis 24:62 Genesis 25:11 |