Genesis 26:1

Genesis 26:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

Context of Genesis 26:1

Now there was a famine in the land [of Canaan], besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I will tell you. 3Live temporarily [as a resident] in this land and I will be with you and will bless and favor you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will establish and carry out the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

Genesis 26:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִלְּבַד֙ הָרָעָ֣ב הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל־אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And there was a famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• besideבַּדbad · alone: besidesH905
• the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• that was in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• And Isaacיִצְחָקyitschâq · IsaacH3327
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• unto Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• unto Gerarגְּרָרgerâr · GerarH1642

Cross-references for Genesis 26:1

• Genesis 12:10Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive and severe.
• Genesis 25:11Now after the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac lived at Beer-lahai-roi.
• Genesis 20:2Abraham said [again] of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah [into his harem].
• Genesis 21:22Now at that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do;

Commentaries on Genesis 26:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1There was a famine - When this happened we cannot tell; it appears to have been after the death of Abraham. Concerning the first famine, see Genesis 12:10. Abimelech - As we know not the time when the famine happened, so we cannot tell whether this was the same Abimelech, Phichol, etc., which are mentioned Genesis 20:1, Genesis 20:2, etc., or the sons or other descendants of these persons.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-35Verses 1-35 - The Events of Isaac‘s Life 5. משׁמרת mı̂shmeret “charge, ordinance.” מציה mı̂tsvâh “command,” special order. חק choq “decree, statute,” engraven on stone or metal. תירה tôrâh “law,” doctrine, system of moral truth. 10. עשׂק ‛êśeq Eseq, “strife.” 21. שׂטנה śı̂ṭnâh Sitnah, “opposition.” 22. רחבית rechobôt Rechoboth, “room.” 26. אחזת 'ǎchuzat Achuzzath, “possession.” 33. שׁבעה shı̂b‛âh Shib‘ah, “seven; oath.” 34. יהוּדית yehûdı̂yt…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Isaac, because of famine, goes to Gerar. (1-5) He denies his wife and is reproved by Abimelech. (6-11) Isaac grows rich, The Philistines' envy. (12-17) Isaac digs wells God blesses him. (18-25) Abimelech makes a covenant with Isaac. (26-33) Esau's wives. (34-35) Verses 1-5 Isaac had been trained up in a believing dependence upon the Divine grant of the land of Canaan to him and his heirs; and now that there is a famine in the land, Isaac still cleaves to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1This Abimelech is probably not the same person from chapter 20 because these events could be 90 years apart. Abimelech might have been the name of a dynasty or a title. First Samuel 21:10 mentions a later King Achish, who was also called Abimelech (Psalm 34:title).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-351. And there was a famine in the land ... And Isaac went unto ... Gerar--The pressure of famine in Canaan forced Isaac with his family and flocks to migrate into the land of the Philistines, where he was exposed to personal danger, as his father had been on account of his wife's beauty; but through the seasonable interposition of Providence, he was preserved (Psa 105:14, 15).Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 26:1

• Abraham
• Canaan
• Famine
• Gerar

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Abraham
• Gerar
• Isaac
• Philistines
• Abraham, Abram
• Besides
• Famine
• Gedor
• Grief

Commentaries on Genesis 26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings