Genesis 26

God’s Promise to Isaac

(Genesis 12:1–9)

1Now there wasH1961 another famineH7458 in the landH776, subsequent toH905 theH7458H7223 one thatH834 had occurredH1961 in Abraham’sH85 timeH3117. And IsaacH3327 wentH1980 toH413 AbimelechH40 kingH4428 of the PhilistinesH6430 at GerarH1642.

2The LORDH3068 appearedH7200 toH413 Isaac and saidH559, “Do notH408 go downH3381 to EgyptH4714. SettleH7931 in the landH776 whereH834 I tell youH559H413. 3StayH1481 in thisH2063 land as a foreignerH776, and I will beH1961 withH5973 you and bless youH1288. ForH3588 I will giveH5414 allH3605 theseH411 landsH776 to you and your offspringH2233, and I will confirmH6965 the oathH7621 thatH834 I sworeH7650 to your fatherH1 AbrahamH85. 4I will make your descendantsH2233 as numerousH7235 as the starsH3556 in the skyH8064, and I will giveH5414 them allH3605 theseH411 landsH776, and through your offspringH2233 allH3605 nationsH1471 of the earthH776 will be blessedH1288, 5becauseH6118 AbrahamH85 listenedH8085 to My voiceH6963 and keptH8104 My chargeH4931, My commandmentsH4687, My statutesH2708, and My lawsH8451.”

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

6So IsaacH3327 settledH3427 in GerarH1642. 7But when the menH582 of that placeH4725 askedH7592 about his wifeH802, he saidH559, “SheH1931 is my sisterH269.” ForH3588 he was afraidH3372 to sayH559, “She is my wifeH802,” since he thought to himselfH6435, “The menH582 of this placeH4725 will kill meH2026 on account ofH5921 RebekahH7259, becauseH3588 sheH1931 is so beautifulH2896H4758.”

8

WhenH3588H748 Isaac had been thereH8033 a long timeH3117, AbimelechH40 kingH4428 of the PhilistinesH6430 looked downH8259 fromH1157 the windowH2474 and was surprised to seeH7200H2009 IsaacH3327 caressingH6711H854 his wifeH802 RebekahH7259. 9AbimelechH40 sent forH7121 IsaacH3327 and saidH559, “So sheH1931 is reallyH389H2009 your wifeH802! HowH349 could you sayH559, ‘SheH1931 is my sisterH269’?”

IsaacH3327 repliedH559H413, “BecauseH3588 I thoughtH559 I mightH6435 dieH4191 on account of herH5921.”

10“WhatH4100 is thisH2063 you have doneH6213 to us?” askedH559 AbimelechH40. “OneH259 of the peopleH5971 could easilyH4592 have slept withH7901 your wifeH802, and you would have broughtH935 guiltH817 upon usH5921.” 11So AbimelechH40 warnedH6680 allH3605 the peopleH5971, sayingH559, “Whoever harmsH5060 thisH2088 manH376 or his wifeH802 will surely be put to deathH4191.”

Isaac’s Prosperity

12Now IsaacH3327 sowed seedH2232 in theH1931 landH776, and that veryH1931 yearH8141 he reapedH4672 a hundredfoldH3967H8180. And the LORDH3068 blessed himH1288, 13andH376 he became richer and richerH1431, untilH5704H3588H1431 he was exceedinglyH3966 wealthyH1432. 14He owned so manyH1961 flocksH4735H6629 and herdsH4735H1241 andH7227 servantsH5657 that the PhilistinesH6430 envied himH7065. 15So the PhilistinesH6430 tookH4390 dirtH6083 and stopped upH5640 allH3605 the wellsH875 thatH834 his father’sH1 servantsH5650 had dugH2658 in the daysH3117 of his fatherH1 AbrahamH85.

16Then AbimelechH40 saidH559 toH413 IsaacH3327, “Depart fromH1980 usH5973, forH3588 you are muchH3966 too powerfulH6105 for usH4480.”

17So IsaacH3327 leftH1980 that placeH8033 and encampedH2583 in the ValleyH5158 of GerarH1642 and settledH3427 thereH8033. 18IsaacH3327 reopenedH7725H2658 the wellsH875H4325 thatH834 had been dugH2658 in the daysH3117 of his fatherH1 AbrahamH85, which the PhilistinesH6430 had stopped upH5640 afterH310 AbrahamH85 diedH4194. And he gaveH7121 these wells the same namesH8034 his fatherH1 had givenH7121 them.

19Then Isaac’sH3327 servantsH5650 dugH2658 in the valleyH5158 and foundH4672 a wellH875 of freshH2416 waterH43251 thereH8033. 20But the herdsmenH7462 of GerarH1642 quarreledH7378 withH5973 Isaac’sH3327 herdsmenH7462 and saidH559, “The water is oursH4325!” So he namedH7121H8034 the wellH875 EsekH6230,2 becauseH3588 they contendedH6229 with himH5973.

21Then they dugH2658 anotherH312 wellH875 and quarreledH7378 overH5921 that one alsoH1571; so he namedH7121 itH8034 SitnahH7856.3

22He moved onH6275 from thereH8033 and dugH2658H875 anotherH312 well, and they did notH3808 quarrelH7378 over itH5921. He namedH7121 itH8034 RehobothH73444 and saidH559, “At lastH3588H6258 the LORDH3068 has made roomH7337 for us, and we will be fruitfulH6509 in the landH776.”

23From thereH8033 Isaac went upH5927 to BeershebaH884, 24and thatH1931 nightH3915 the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 to himH413 and saidH559, “IH595 am the GodH430 of your fatherH1 AbrahamH85. Do notH408 be afraidH3372, forH3588 IH595 am with youH854. I will blessH1288 you and multiplyH7235 your descendantsH2233 for the sakeH5668 of My servantH5650 AbrahamH85.”

25So Isaac builtH1129 an altarH4196 thereH8033 and calledH7121 on the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068, and he pitchedH5186 his tentH168 thereH8033. His servantsH5650 also dugH3738 a wellH875 thereH8033.

Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

26Later, AbimelechH40 cameH1980 toH413 Isaac from GerarH1642, with AhuzzathH276 his adviserH4828 and PhicolH6369 the commanderH8269 of his armyH6635.

27“WhyH4069 have you comeH935 to meH413?” IsaacH3327 askedH559 themH413. “YouH859 hatedH8130 meH853 and sent me awayH7971H854.”

28“We can plainly seeH7200 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 has beenH1961 with youH5973,” they repliedH559. “We recommend thatH559 there should now beH1961H4994 an oathH423 betweenH996 usH996 and youH996. Let us makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with youH5973 29that you will notH518 harmH7451 usH5973, just asH834 we have notH3808 harmed youH5060 butH834 have doneH6213 onlyH7535 goodH2896 to youH5973, sending you on your wayH7971 in peaceH7965. And nowH6258 youH859 are blessedH1288 by the LORDH3068.”

30So Isaac preparedH6213 a feastH4960 for them, and they ateH398 and drankH8354. 31And they got up earlyH7925 the next morningH1242 and swore an oathH7650 to eachH376 otherH251. Then IsaacH3327 sent them on their wayH7971, and they left himH1980H854 in peaceH7965.

32

On that sameH1931 dayH3117, Isaac’sH3327 servantsH5650 cameH935 and toldH5046 him aboutH5921H182 the wellH875 they had dugH2658. “We have foundH4672 waterH4325!” they toldH559 him. 33So he calledH7121 itH853 ShibahH7656,5 andH5921 toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117 the nameH8034 of the cityH5892 is BeershebaH884.6

Esau’s Wives

34When EsauH6215 wasH1961 fortyH705 years oldH1121H8141, he tookH3947 as his wivesH802 JudithH3067 daughterH1323 of BeeriH882 the HittiteH2850 and BasemathH1315 daughterH1323 of ElonH356 the HittiteH2850. 35AndH1961 they broughtH7307 griefH4786 to IsaacH3327 and RebekahH7259.