עֵדָהedah meaning in Biblical Hebrew
witness (a tangible object or animal that testifies) · noun, feminine
Also spelled in English: eda
Abraham needs a witness who won't forget, so he hands Avimelech seven lambs and lets them do the remembering.
וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֶת־שֶׁבַע כְּבָשֹׂת תִּקַּח מִיָּדִי בַּעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה־לִּי לְעֵדָה כִּי חָפַרְתִּי אֶת־הַבְּאֵר הַזֹּאת׃
“And he said: these seven ewe lambs you shall take from my hand, so that they will be a witness for me that I dug this well. (Genesis 21:30)”
When עֵדָה refers to an object or animal rather than a gathering, think of the feminine witness that cannot lie or die.