Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Genesis » Chapter 26

Genesis 26:1-35 King James Version (KJV)

1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.

24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.

27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.

30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.

33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.

34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.


Genesis 26:1-35 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And there was a famine H7458 in the land, H776 beside H905 the first H7223 famine H7458 that was in the days H3117 of Abraham. H85 And Isaac H3327 went H3212 unto Abimelech H40 king H4428 of the Philistines H6430 unto Gerar. H1642

2 And the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him, and said, H559 Go not down H3381 into Egypt; H4714 dwell H7931 in the land H776 which I shall tell H559 thee of:

3 Sojourn H1481 in this land, H776 and I will be with thee, and will bless H1288 thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, H2233 I will give H5414 all these H411 countries, H776 and I will perform H6965 the oath H7621 which I sware H7650 unto Abraham H85 thy father; H1

4 And I will make H7235 thy seed H2233 to multiply H7235 as the stars H3556 of heaven, H8064 and will give H5414 unto thy seed H2233 all these H411 countries; H776 and in thy seed H2233 shall all the nations H1471 of the earth H776 be blessed; H1288

5 Because H6118 that Abraham H85 obeyed H8085 my voice, H6963 and kept H8104 my charge, H4931 my commandments, H4687 my statutes, H2708 and my laws. H8451

6 And Isaac H3327 dwelt H3427 in Gerar: H1642

7 And the men H582 of the place H4725 asked H7592 him of his wife; H802 and he said, H559 She is my sister: H269 for he feared H3372 to say, H559 She is my wife; H802 lest, said he, the men H582 of the place H4725 should kill H2026 me for Rebekah; H7259 because she was fair H2896 to look upon. H4758

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long H748 time, H3117 that Abimelech H40 king H4428 of the Philistines H6430 looked out H8259 at H1157 a window, H2474 and saw, H7200 and, behold, Isaac H3327 was sporting H6711 with Rebekah H7259 his wife. H802

9 And Abimelech H40 called H7121 Isaac, H3327 and said, H559 Behold, of a surety H389 she is thy wife: H802 and how saidst H559 thou, She is my sister? H269 And Isaac H3327 said H559 unto him, Because I said, H559 Lest I die H4191 for her.

10 And Abimelech H40 said, H559 What is this thou hast done H6213 unto us? one H259 of the people H5971 might lightly H4592 have lien H7901 with thy wife, H802 and thou shouldest have brought H935 guiltiness H817 upon us.

11 And Abimelech H40 charged H6680 all his people, H5971 saying, H559 He that toucheth H5060 this man H376 or his wife H802 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191

12 Then Isaac H3327 sowed H2232 in that land, H776 and received H4672 in the same year H8141 an hundredfold: H3967 H8180 and the LORD H3068 blessed H1288 him.

13 And the man H376 waxed great, H1431 and went H3212 forward, H1980 and grew H1432 until he became H1431 very H3966 great: H1431

14 For he had possession H4735 of flocks, H6629 and possession H4735 of herds, H1241 and great store H7227 of servants: H5657 and the Philistines H6430 envied H7065 him.

15 For all the wells H875 which his father's H1 servants H5650 had digged H2658 in the days H3117 of Abraham H85 his father, H1 the Philistines H6430 had stopped H5640 them, and filled H4390 them with earth. H6083

16 And Abimelech H40 said H559 unto Isaac, H3327 Go H3212 from us; for thou art much H3966 mightier H6105 than we.

17 And Isaac H3327 departed H3212 thence, and pitched his tent H2583 in the valley H5158 of Gerar, H1642 and dwelt H3427 there. H8033

18 And Isaac H3327 digged H2658 again H7725 the wells H875 of water, H4325 which they had digged H2658 in the days H3117 of Abraham H85 his father; H1 for the Philistines H6430 had stopped H5640 them after H310 the death H4194 of Abraham: H85 and he called H7121 their names H8034 after the names H8034 by which H834 his father H1 had called H7121 them.

19 And Isaac's H3327 servants H5650 digged H2658 in the valley, H5158 and found H4672 there a well H875 of springing H2416 water. H4325

20 And the herdmen H7462 of Gerar H1642 did strive H7378 with Isaac's H3327 herdmen, H7462 saying, H559 The water H4325 is ours: and he called H7121 the name H8034 of the well H875 Esek; H6230 because they strove H6229 with him.

21 And they digged H2658 another H312 well, H875 and strove H7378 for that also: and he called H7121 the name of it H8034 Sitnah. H7856

22 And he removed H6275 from thence, and digged H2658 another H312 well; H875 and for that they strove H7378 not: and he called H7121 the name of it H8034 Rehoboth; H7344 and he said, H559 For now H6258 the LORD H3068 hath made room H7337 for us, and we shall be fruitful H6509 in the land. H776

23 And he went up H5927 from thence to Beersheba. H884

24 And the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him the same night, H3915 and said, H559 I am the God H430 of Abraham H85 thy father: H1 fear H3372 not, for I am with H854 thee, and will bless H1288 thee, and multiply H7235 thy seed H2233 for my servant H5650 Abraham's H85 sake.

25 And he builded H1129 an altar H4196 there, and called H7121 upon the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 and pitched H5186 his tent H168 there: and there Isaac's H3327 servants H5650 digged H3738 a well. H875

26 Then Abimelech H40 went H1980 to him from Gerar, H1642 and Ahuzzath H276 one of his friends, H4828 and Phichol H6369 the chief captain H8269 of his army. H6635

27 And Isaac H3327 said H559 unto them, Wherefore H4069 come H935 ye to me, seeing ye hate H8130 me, and have sent me away H7971 from you?

28 And they said, H559 We saw H7200 certainly H7200 that the LORD H3068 was with thee: and we said, H559 Let there be now an oath H423 betwixt H996 us, even betwixt H996 us and thee, and let us make H3772 a covenant H1285 with thee;

29 That thou wilt do H6213 us no hurt, H7451 as we have not touched H5060 thee, and as we have done H6213 unto thee nothing but H7535 good, H2896 and have sent thee away H7971 in peace: H7965 thou art now H6258 the blessed H1288 of the LORD. H3068

30 And he made H6213 them a feast, H4960 and they did eat H398 and drink. H8354

31 And they rose up betimes H7925 in the morning, H1242 and sware H7650 one H376 to another: H251 and Isaac H3327 sent them away, H7971 and they departed H3212 from him in peace. H7965

32 And it came to pass the same day, H3117 that Isaac's H3327 servants H5650 came, H935 and told H5046 him concerning H182 the well H875 which they had digged, H2658 and said H559 unto him, We have found H4672 water. H4325

33 And he called H7121 it Shebah: H7656 therefore the name H8034 of the city H5892 is Beersheba H884 unto this day. H3117

34 And Esau H6215 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he took H3947 to wife H802 Judith H3067 the daughter H1323 of Beeri H882 the Hittite, H2850 and Bashemath H1315 the daughter H1323 of Elon H356 the Hittite: H2850

35 Which were a grief H4786 of mind H7307 unto Isaac H3327 and to Rebekah. H7259


Genesis 26:1-35 American Standard (ASV)

1 And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.

2 And Jehovah appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of.

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee. For unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father.

4 And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar.

7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife. And he said, She is my sister. For he feared to say, My wife. Lest, `said he', the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah. Because she was fair to look upon.

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife. And how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die because of her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? One of the people might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold. And Jehovah blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and grew more and more until he became very great.

14 And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great household. And the Philistines envied him.

15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us. For thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.

21 And they digged another well, and they strove for that also. And he called the name of it Sitnah.

22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well. And for that they strove not. And he called the name of it Rehoboth. And he said, For now Jehovah hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.

24 And Jehovah appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants digged a well.

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his host.

27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore are ye come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

28 And they said, We saw plainly that Jehovah was with thee. And we said, Let there now be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,

29 that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace. Thou art now the blessed of Jehovah.

30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another. And Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.

33 And he called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day.

34 And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

35 And they were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.


Genesis 26:1-35 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And there is a famine in the land, besides the first famine which was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac goeth unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

2 And Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith, `Go not down towards Egypt, tabernacle in the land concerning which I speak unto thee,

3 sojourn in this land, and I am with thee, and bless thee, for to thee and to thy seed I give all these lands, and I have established the oath which I have sworn to Abraham thy father;

4 and I have multiplied thy seed as stars of the heavens, and I have given to thy seed all these lands; and blessed themselves in thy seed have all nations of the earth;

5 because that Abraham hath hearkened to My voice, and keepeth My charge, My commands, My statutes, and My laws.'

6 And Isaac dwelleth in Gerar;

7 and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he saith, `She `is' my sister:' for he hath been afraid to say, `My wife -- lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she `is' of good appearance.'

8 And it cometh to pass, when the days have been prolonged to him there, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looketh through the window, and seeth, and lo, Isaac is playing with Rebekah his wife.

9 And Abimelech calleth for Isaac, and saith, `Lo, she `is' surely thy wife; and how hast thou said, She `is' my sister?' and Isaac saith unto him, `Because I said, Lest I die for her.'

10 And Abimelech saith, `What `is' this thou hast done to us? as a little thing one of the people had lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us guilt;'

11 and Abimelech commandeth all the people, saying, `He who cometh against this man or against his wife, dying doth die.'

12 And Isaac soweth in that land, and findeth in that year a hundredfold, and Jehovah blesseth him;

13 and the man is great, and goeth on, going on and becoming great, till that he hath been very great,

14 and he hath possession of a flock, and possession of a herd, and an abundant service; and the Philistines envy him,

15 and all the wells which his father's servants digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines have stopped them, and fill them with dust.

16 And Abimelech saith unto Isaac, `Go from us; for thou hast become much mightier than we;'

17 and Isaac goeth from thence, and encampeth in the valley of Gerar, and dwelleth there;

18 and Isaac turneth back, and diggeth the wells of water which they digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines do stop after the death of Abraham, and he calleth to them names according to the names which his father called them.

19 And Isaac's servants dig in the valley, and find there a well of living water,

20 and shepherds of Gerar strive with shepherds of Isaac, saying, `The water `is' ours;' and he calleth the name of the well `Strife,' because they have striven habitually with him;

21 and they dig another well, and they strive also for it, and he calleth its name `Hatred.'

22 And he removeth from thence, and diggeth another well, and they have not striven for it, and he calleth its name Enlargements, and saith, `For -- now hath Jehovah given enlargement to us, and we have been fruitful in the land.'

23 And he goeth up from thence `to' Beer-Sheba,

24 and Jehovah appeareth unto him during that night, and saith, `I `am' the God of Abraham thy father, fear not, for I `am' with thee, and have blessed thee, and have multiplied thy seed, because of Abraham My servant;'

25 and he buildeth there an altar, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah, and stretcheth out there his tent, and there Isaac's servants dig a well.

26 And Abimelech hath gone unto him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol head of his host;

27 and Isaac saith unto them, `Wherefore have ye come unto me, and ye have hated me, and ye send me away from you?'

28 And they say, `We have certainly seen that Jehovah hath been with thee, and we say, `Let there be, we pray thee, an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

29 do not evil with us, as we have not touched thee, and as we have only done good with thee, and send thee away in peace; thou `art' now blessed of Jehovah.'

30 And he maketh for them a banquet, and they eat and drink,

31 and rise early in the morning, and swear one to another, and Isaac sendeth them away, and they go from him in peace.

32 And it cometh to pass during that day that Isaac's servants come and declare to him concerning the circumstances of the well which they have digged, and say to him, `We have found water;'

33 and he calleth it Shebah, `oath,' therefore the name of the city `is' Beer-Sheba, `well of the oath,' unto this day.

34 And Esau is a son of forty years, and he taketh a wife, Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite,

35 and they are a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.


Genesis 26:1-35 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine which had been in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

2 And Jehovah appeared to him and said, Go not down to Egypt: dwell in the land that I shall tell thee of.

3 Sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee and bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries; and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father.

4 And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and unto thy seed will I give all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves --

5 because that Abraham hearkened to my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6 And Isaac dwelt at Gerar.

7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister; for he feared to say, my wife, [saying to himself,] Lest the men of the place slay me on account of Rebecca -- because she was fair in countenance.

8 And it came to pass when he had been there some time, that Abimelech the king of the Philistines looked out of the window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was dallying with Rebecca his wife.

9 Then Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, she is certainly thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? and Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I die on account of her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done to us? But a little and one of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought a trespass on us.

11 And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, He that touches this man or his wife shall certainly be put to death.

12 And Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold; and Jehovah blessed him.

13 And the man became great, and he became continually greater, until he was very great.

14 And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great number of servants; and the Philistines envied him.

15 And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped them and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, Go from us; for thou art become much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his camp in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and that the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 But the shepherds of Gerar strove with Isaac's shepherds, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they had quarrelled with him.

21 And they dug another well, and they strove for that also; and he called the name of it Sitnah.

22 And he removed thence and dug another well; and they did not strive for that. And he called the name of it Rehoboth, and said, For now Jehovah has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

23 And he went up thence to Beer-sheba.

24 And Jehovah appeared to him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

25 And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah. And he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug a well.

26 And Abimelech, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol the captain of his host, went to him from Gerar.

27 And Isaac said to them, Why are ye come to me, seeing ye hate me, and have driven me away from you?

28 And they said, We saw certainly that Jehovah is with thee; and we said, Let there be then an oath between us -- between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,

29 that thou wilt do us no wrong, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done to thee nothing but good, and have let thee go in peace; thou art now blessed of Jehovah.

30 And he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.

31 And they rose early in the morning, and swore one to another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well that they had dug, and said to him, We have found water.

33 And he called it Shebah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba to this day.

34 And Esau was forty years old, when he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

35 And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and to Rebecca.


Genesis 26:1-35 World English Bible (WEB)

1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

2 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, "Don't go down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I will tell you of.

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

4 I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and will give to your seed all these lands. In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed,

5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."

6 Isaac lived in Gerar.

7 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife," lest, he thought, the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she was beautiful to look on.

8 It happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.

9 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her.'"

10 Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!"

11 Abimelech charged all the people, saying, "He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death."

12 Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.

13 The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.

14 He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.

15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.

16 Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go from us, for you are much mightier than we."

17 Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

18 Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, "The water is ours." He called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.

21 They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. He called the name of it Sitnah.

22 He left that place, and dug another well. They didn't argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, "For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."

23 He went up from there to Beersheba.

24 Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Don't be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham's sake."

25 He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac's servants dug a well.

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his host.

27 Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?"

28 They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you,

29 that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.' You are now the blessed of Yahweh."

30 He made them a feast, and they ate and drink.

31 They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 It happened the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, "We have found water."

33 He called it Shibah.{Shibah means "oath" or "seven."} Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba{Beersheba means "well of the oath" or "well of the seven"} to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

35 They grieved Isaac and Rebekah's spirits.


Genesis 26:1-35 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Then came a time of great need in the land, like that which had been before in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.

2 And the Lord came to him in a vision and said, Do not go down to Egypt; keep in the land of which I will give you knowledge:

3 Keep in this land, and I will be with you and give you my blessing; for to you and to your seed will I give all these lands, giving effect to the oath which I made to your father Abraham;

4 I will make your seed like the stars of heaven in number, and will give them all these lands, and your seed will be a blessing to all the nations of the earth;

5 Because Abraham gave ear to my voice and kept my words, my rules, my orders, and my laws.

6 So Isaac went on living in Gerar;

7 And when he was questioned by the men of the place about his wife, he said, She is my sister; fearing to say, She is my wife; for, he said, the men of the place may put me to death on account of Rebekah; because she is very beautiful.

8 And when he had been there for some time, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looking through a window, saw Isaac playing with Rebekah his wife.

9 And he said to Isaac, It is clear that she is your wife: why then did you say, She is my sister? And Isaac said, For fear that I might be put to death because of her.

10 Then Abimelech said, What have you done to us? one of the people might well have had connection with your wife, and the sin would have been ours.

11 And Abimelech gave orders to his people that anyone touching Isaac or his wife was to be put to death.

12 Now Isaac, planting seed in that land, got in the same year fruit a hundred times as much, for the blessing of the Lord was on him.

13 And his wealth became very great, increasing more and more;

14 For he had great wealth of flocks and herds and great numbers of servants; so that the Philistines were full of envy.

15 Now all the water-holes, which his father's servants had made in the days of Abraham, had been stopped up with earth by the Philistines.

16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, Go away from us, for you are stronger than we are.

17 So Isaac went away from there, and put up his tents in the valley of Gerar, making his living-place there.

18 And he made again the water-holes which had been made in the days of Abraham his father, and which had been stopped up by the Philistines; and he gave them the names which his father had given them.

19 Now Isaac's servants made holes in the valley, and came to a spring of flowing water.

20 But the herdmen of Gerar had a fight with Isaac's herdmen, for they said, The spring is ours: so he gave the spring the name of Esek, because there was a fight about it.

21 Then they made another water-hole, and there was a fight about that, so he gave it the name of Sitnah.

22 Then he went away from there, and made another water-hole, about which there was no fighting: so he gave it the name of Rehoboth, for he said, Now the Lord has made room for us, and we will have fruit in this land.

23 And from there he went on to Beer-sheba.

24 That night the Lord came to him in a vision, and said, I am the God of your father Abraham: have no fear for I am with you, blessing you, and your seed will be increased because of my servant Abraham.

25 Then he made an altar there, and gave worship to the name of the Lord, and he put up his tents there, and there his servants made a water-hole.

26 And Abimelech had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his friend and Phicol, the captain of his army.

27 And Isaac said to them, Why have you come to me, seeing that in your hate for me you sent me away from you?

28 And they said, We saw clearly that the Lord was with you: so we said, Let there be an oath between us and you, and let us make an agreement with you;

29 That you will do us no damage, even as we put no hand on you, and did you nothing but good, and sent you away in peace: and now the blessing of the Lord is on you.

30 Then he made a feast for them, and they all had food and drink.

31 And early in the morning they took an oath one to the other: then Isaac sent them away and they went on their way in peace.

32 And that day Isaac's servants came to him and gave him word of the water-hole which they had made, and said to him, We have come to water.

33 And he gave it the name of Shibah: so the name of that town is Beer-sheba to this day.

34 And when Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

35 And Isaac and Rebekah had grief of mind because of them.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 26

Commentary on Genesis 26 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 26

In this chapter we have,

  • I. Isaac in adversity, by reason of a famine in the land, which,
    • 1. Obliges him to change his quarters (v. 1). But,
    • 2. God visits him with direction and comfort (v. 2-5).
    • 3. He foolishly denies his wife, being in distress and is reproved for it by Abimelech (v. 6-11).
  • II. Isaac in prosperity, by the blessing of God upon him (v. 12-14). And,
    • 1. The Philistines were envious at him (v. 14-17).
    • 2. He continued industrious in his business (v. 18-23).
    • 3. God appeared to him, and encouraged him, and he devoutly acknowledged God (v. 24, 25).
    • 4. The Philistines, at length, made court to him, and made a covenant with him (v. 26-33).
    • 5. The disagreeable marriage of his son Esau was an alloy to the comfort of his prosperity (v. 34, 35).

Gen 26:1-5

Here,

  • I. God tried Isaac by his providence. Isaac had been trained up in a believing dependence upon the divine grant of the land of Canaan to him and his heirs; yet now there is a famine in the land, v. 1. What shall he think of the promise when the promised land will not find him bread? Is such a grant worth accepting, upon such terms, and after so long a time? Yes, Isaac will still cleave to the covenant; and the less valuable Canaan in itself seems to be the better he is taught to value it,
    • 1. As a token of God's everlasting kindness to him; and,
    • 2. As a type of heaven's everlasting blessedness. Note, The intrinsic worth of God's promises cannot be lessened in a believer's eye by any cross providences.
  • II. He directed him under this trial by his word. Isaac finds himself straitened by the scarcity of provisions. Somewhere he must go for supply; it should seem, he set out for Egypt, whither his father went in the like strait, but he takes Gerar in his way, full of thoughts, no doubt, which way he had best steer his course, till God graciously appeared to him, and determined him, abundantly to his satisfaction.
    • 1. God bade him stay where he was, and not go down into Egypt: Sojourn in this land, v. 2, 3. There was a famine in Jacob's days, and God bade him go down into Egypt (ch. 46:3, 4), a famine in Isaac's days, and God bade him not to go down, a famine in Abraham's days, and God left him to his liberty, directing him neither way. This variety in the divine procedure (considering that Egypt was always a place of trial and exercise to God's people) some ground upon the different characters of these three patriarchs. Abraham was a man of very high attainments, and intimate communion with God; and to him all places and conditions were alike. Isaac was a very good man, but not cut out for hardship; therefore he is forbidden to go to Egypt. Jacob was inured to difficulties, strong and patient; and therefore he must go down into Egypt, that the trial of his faith might be to praise, and honour, and glory. Thus God proportions his people's trials to their strength.
    • 2. He promised to be with him, and bless him, v. 3. As we may go any where with comfort when God's blessing goes with us, so we may stay any where contentedly if that blessing rest upon us.
    • 3. He renewed the covenant with him, which had so often been made with Abraham, repeating and ratifying the promises of the land of Canaan, a numerous issue, and the Messiah, v. 3, 4. Note, Those that must live by faith have need often to review, and repeat to themselves, the promises they are to live upon, especially when they are called to any instance of suffering or self-denial.
    • 4. He recommended to him the good example of his father's obedience, as that which had preserved the entail of the covenant in his family (v. 5): "Abraham obeyed my voice; do thou do so too, and the promise shall be sure to thee.' Abraham's obedience is here celebrated, to his honour; for by it he obtained a good report both with God and men. A great variety of words is here used to express the divine will, to which Abraham was obedient (my voice, my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws), which may intimate that Abraham's obedience was universal; he obeyed the original laws of nature, the revealed laws of divine worship, particularly that of circumcision, and all the extraordinary precepts God gave him, as that of quitting his country, and that (which some think is more especially referred to) of the offering up of his son, which Isaac himself had reason enough to remember. Note, Those only shall have the benefit and comfort of God's covenant with their godly parents that tread in the steps of their obedience.

Gen 26:6-11

Isaac had now laid aside all thoughts of going to Egypt, and, in obedience to the heavenly vision, sets up his staff in Gerar, the country in which he was born (v. 6), yet there he enters into temptation, the same temptation that his good father had been once and again surprised and overcome by, namely, to deny his wife, and to give out that she was his sister. Observe,

  • I. How he sinned, v. 7. Because his wife was handsome, he fancied the Philistines would find some way or other to take him off, that some of them might marry her; and therefore she must pass for his sister. It is an unaccountable thing that both these great and good men should be guilty of so strange a piece of dissimulation, by which they so much exposed both their own and their wives' reputation. But we see,
    • 1. That very good men have sometimes been guilty of very great faults and follies. Let those therefore that stand take heed lest they fall, and those that have fallen not despair of being helped up again.
    • 2. That there is an aptness in us to imitate even the weaknesses and infirmities of those we have a value for. We have need therefore to keep our foot, lest, while we aim to tread in the steps of good men, we sometimes tread in their by-steps.
  • II. How he was detected, and the cheat discovered, by the king himself. Abimelech (not the same that was in Abraham's days, ch. 20, for this was nearly 100 years after that, but this was the common name of the Philistine kings, as Caesar of the Roman emperors) saw Isaac more familiar and pleasant with Rebekah than he knew he would be with his sister (v. 8): he saw him sporting with her, or laughing; it is the same word with that from which Isaac has his name. He was rejoicing with the wife of his youth, Prov. 5:18. It becomes those in that relation to be pleasant with one another, as those that are pleased with one another. Nowhere may a man more allow himself to be innocently merry than with his own wife and children. Abimelech charged him with the fraud (v. 9), showed him how frivolous his excuse was and what might have been the bad consequences of it (v. 10), and then, to convince him how groundless and unjust his jealousy of them was, took him and his family under his particular protection, forbidding any injury to be done to him or his wife upon pain of death, v. 11. Note,
    • 1. A lying tongue is but for a moment. Truth is the daughter of time; and, in time, it will out.
    • 2. One sin is often the inlet to many, and therefore the beginnings of sin ought to be avoided.
    • 3. The sins of professors shame them before those that are without.
    • 4. God can make those that are incensed against his people, though there may be some colour of cause for it, to know that it is at their peril if they do them any hurt. See Ps. 105:14, 15.

Gen 26:12-25

Here we have,

  • I. The tokens of God's good-will to Isaac. He blessed him, and prospered him, and made all that he had to thrive under his hands.
    • 1. His corn multiplied strangely, v. 12. He had no land of his own, but took land of the Philistines, and sowed it; and (be it observed for the encouragement of poor tenants, that occupy other people's lands, and are honest and industrious) God blessed him with a great increase. He reaped a hundred fold; and there seems to be an emphasis laid upon the time: it was that same year when there was a famine in the land; while others scarcely reaped at all, he reaped thus plentifully. See Isa. 65:13, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry, Ps. 37:19, In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
    • 2. His cattle also increased, v. 14. And then,
    • 3. He had great store of servants, whom he employed and maintained. Note, As goods are increased those are increased that eat them, Eccl. 5:11.
  • II. The tokens of the Philistines' ill-will to him. They envied him, v. 14. It is an instance,
    • 1. Of the vanity of the world that the more men have of it the more they are envied, and exposed to censure and injury. Who can stand before envy? Prov. 27:4. See Eccl. 4:4.
    • 2. Of the corruption of nature; for that is a bad principle indeed which makes men grieve at the good of others, as if it must needs be ill with me because it is well with my neighbor.
      • (1.) They had already shown their ill-will to his family, by stopping up the wells which his father had digged, v. 15. This was spitefully done. Because they had not flocks of their own to water at these wells, they would not leave them for the use of others; so absurd a thing is malice. And it was perfidiously done, contrary to the covenant of friendship they had made with Abraham, ch. 21:31, 32. No bonds will hold ill-nature.
      • (2.) They expelled him out of their country, v. 16, 17. The king of Gerar began to look upon him with a jealous eye. Isaac's house was like a court, and his riches and retinue eclipsed Abimelech's; and therefore he must go further off. They were weary of his neighborhood, because they saw that the Lord blessed him; whereas, for that reason, they should the rather have courted his stay, that they also might be blessed for his sake. Isaac does not insist upon the bargain he had made with them for the lands he held, nor upon his occupying and improving them, nor does he offer to contest with them by force, though he had become very great, but very peaceably departs thence further from the royal city, and perhaps to a part of the country less fruitful. Note, We should deny ourselves both in our rights and in our conveniences, rather than quarrel: a wise and a good man will rather retire into obscurity, like Isaac here into a valley, than sit high to be the butt of envy and ill-will.
  • III. His constancy and continuance in his business still.
    • 1. He kept up his husbandry, and continued industrious to find wells of water, and to fit them for his use, v. 18, etc. Though he had grown very rich, yet he was as solicitous as ever about the state of his flocks, and still looked well to his herds; when men grow great, they must take heed of thinking themselves too big and too high for their business. Though he was driven from the conveniences he had had, and could not follow his husbandry with the same ease and advantage as before, yet he set himself to make the best of the country he had come into, which it is every man's prudence to do. Observe,
      • (1.) He opened the wells that his father had digged (v. 18), and out of respect to his father called them by the same names that he had given them. Note, In our searches after truth, that fountain of living water, it is good to make use of the discoveries of former ages, which have been clouded by the corruptions of later times. Enquire for the old way, the wells which our fathers digged, which the adversaries of truth have stopped up: Ask thy elders, and they shall teach thee.
      • (2.) His servants dug new wells, v. 19. Note, Though we must use the light of former ages, it does not therefore follow that we must rest in it, and make no advances. We must still be building upon their foundation, running to and fro, that knowledge may be increased, Dan. 12:4.
      • (3.) In digging his wells he met with much opposition, v. 20, 21. Those that open the fountains of truth must expect contradiction. The first two wells which they dug were called Esek and Sitnah, contention and hatred. See here,
        • [1.] What is the nature of worldly things; they are make-bates and occasions of strife.
        • [2.] What is often the lot even of the most quiet and peaceable men in this world; those that avoid striving yet cannot avoid being striven with, Ps. 120:7. In this sense, Jeremiah was a man of contention (Jer. 15:10), and Christ himself, though he is the prince of peace.
        • [3.] What a mercy it is to have plenty of water, to have it without striving for it. The more common this mercy is the more reason we have to be thankful for it.
      • (4.) At length he removed to a quiet settlement, cleaving to his peaceable principle, rather to fly than fight, and unwilling to dwell with those that hated peace, Ps. 120:6. He preferred quietness to victory. He dug a well, and for this they strove not, v. 22. Note, Those that follow peace, sooner or later, shall find peace; those that study to be quiet seldom fail of being so. How unlike was Isaac to his brother Ishmael, who, right or wrong, would hold what he had, against all the world! ch. 16:12. And which of these would we be found the followers of? This well they called Rehoboth, enlargements, room enough: in the two former wells we may see what the earth is, straitness and strife; men cannot thrive, for the throng of their neighbours. This well shows us what heaven is; it is enlargement and peace, room enough there, for there are many mansions.
    • 2. He continued firm to his religion, and kept up his communion with God.
      • (1.) God graciously appeared to him, v. 24. When the Philistines expelled him, forced him to remove from place to place, and gave him continual molestation, then God visited him, and gave him fresh assurances of his favour. Note, When men are found false and unkind, we may comfort ourselves that God is faithful and gracious; and his time to show himself so is when we are most disappointed in our expectations from men. When Isaac had come to Beer-sheba (v. 23) it is probable that it troubled him to think of his unsettled condition, and that he could not be suffered to stay long in a place; and, in the multitude of these thoughts within him, that same night that he came weary and uneasy to Beer-sheba God brought him his comforts to delight his soul. Probably he was apprehensive that the Philistines would not let him rest there: Fear not, says God to him, I am with thee, and will bless thee. Those may remove with comfort that are sure of God's presence with them wherever they go.
      • (2.) He was not wanting in his returns of duty to God; for there he built an altar, and called upon the name of the Lord, v. 25. Note,
        • [1.] Wherever we go, we must take our religion along with us. Probably Isaac's altars and his religious worship gave offence to the Philistines, and provoked them to be the more troublesome to him; yet he kept up his duty, whatever ill-will he might be exposed to by it.
        • [2.] The comforts and encouragements God gives us by his word should excite and quicken us to every exercise of devotion by which God may be honoured and our intercourse with heaven maintained.

Gen 26:26-33

We have here the contests that had been between Isaac and the Philistines issuing in a happy peace and reconciliation.

  • I. Abimelech pays a friendly visit to Isaac, in token of the respect he had for him, v. 26. Note, When a man's ways please the Lord he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16:7. King's hearts are in his hands, and when he pleases he can turn them to favour his people.
  • II. Isaac prudently and cautiously questions his sincerity in this visit, v. 27. Note, In settling friendships and correspondences, there is need of the wisdom of the serpent, as well as the innocence of the dove; nor is it any transgression of the law of meekness and love plainly to signify our strong perception of injuries received, and to stand upon our guard in dealing with those that have acted unfairly.
  • III. Abimelech professes his sincerity, in this address to Isaac, and earnestly courts his friendship, v. 28, 29. Some suggest that Abimelech pressed for this league with him because he feared lest Isaac, growing rich, should, some time or other, avenge himself upon them for the injuries he had received. However, he professes to do it rather from a principle of love.
    • 1. He makes the best of their behaviour towards him. Isaac complained they had hated him, and sent him away. No, said Abimelech, we sent thee away in peace. They turned him off from the land he held of them; but they suffered him to take away his stock, and all his effects, with him. Note, The lessening of injuries is necessary to the preserving of friendship; for the aggravating of them exasperates and widens breaches. The unkindness done to us might have been worse.
    • 2. He acknowledges the token of God's favour to him, and makes this the ground of their desire to be in league with him: The Lord is with thee, and thou art the blessed of the Lord. As if he had said, "Be persuaded to overlook and pass by the injuries offered thee; for God had abundantly made up to thee the damage thou receivedst.' Note, Those whom God blesses and favours have reason enough to forgive those who hate them, since the worst enemy they have cannot do them any real hurt. Or, "For this reason we desire thy friendship, because God is with thee.' Note, It is good to be in covenant and communion with those who are in covenant and communion with God, 1 Jn. 1:3; present address to him was the result of mature deliberation: We said, Let there be an oath between us. Whatever some of his peevish envious subjects might mean otherwise, he and his prime-ministers of state, whom he had now brought with him, designed no other than a cordial friendship. Perhaps Abimelech had received, by tradition, the warning God gave to his predecessor not to hurt Abraham (ch. 20:7), and this made him stand in such awe of Isaac, who appeared to be as much the favourite of Heaven as Abraham was.
  • IV. Isaac entertains him and his company, and enters into a league of friendship with him, v. 30, 31. Here see how generous the good man was,
    • 1. In giving: He made them a feast, and bade them welcome.
    • 2. In forgiving. He did not insist upon the unkindnesses they had done him, but freely entered into a covenant of friendship with them, and bound himself never to do them any injury. Note, Religion teaches us to be neighbourly, and, as much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men.
  • V. Providence smiled upon what Isaac did; for the same day that he made this covenant with Abimelech his servants brought him the tidings of a well of water they had found, v. 32, 33. He did not insist upon the restitution of the wells which the Philistines had unjustly taken from him, lest this should break off the treaty, but sat down silent under the injury; and, to recompense him for this, immediately he is enriched with a new well, which, because it suited so well to the occurrence of the day, he called by an old name, Beer-sheba, The well of the oath.

Gen 26:34-35

Here is,

  • 1. Esau's foolish marriage-foolish, some think, in marrying two wives together, for which perhaps he is called a fornicator (Heb. 12:16), or rather in marrying Canaanites, who were strangers to the blessing to Abraham, and subject to the curse of Noah, for which he is called profane; for hereby he intimated that he neither desired the blessing nor dreaded the curse of God.
  • 2. The grief and trouble it created to his tender parents.
    • (1.) It grieved them that he married without asking, or at least without taking, their advice and consent: see whose steps those children tread in who either contemn or contradict their parents in disposing of themselves.
    • (2.) It grieved them that he married the daughters of Hittites, who had no religion among them; for Isaac remembered his father's care concerning him, that he should by no means marry a Canaanite.
    • (3.) It should seem, the wives he married were provoking in their conduct towards Isaac and Rebekah; those children have little reason to expect the blessing of God who do that which is a grief of mind to their good parents.