Genesis 26:8

Genesis 26:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife.

Context of Genesis 26:8

6So Isaac stayed in Gerar. 7The men of Gerar asked Isaac about his wife. He told them, ‘She is my sister.’ He was afraid to say, ‘She is my wife.’ He thought that the men of Gerar might kill him because Rebekah was very beautiful. Isaac stayed in Gerar for a long time. One day Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, looked down from his window. He saw that Isaac was kissing Rebekah. 9Abimelech called Isaac to come to him. He said, ‘Rebekah is your wife! Why did you say, “She is my sister”?’ Isaac replied, ‘I thought that someone might kill me because of her.’ 10Abimelech said, ‘You have done a bad thing against us! One of my men might have had sex with your wife. Then we would have been guilty of a bad sin.’

Genesis 26:8 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when he had been there a longאָרַךְ'ârak · to prolongH748
• timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• that Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• looked outשָׁקַףshâqaph · to lookH8259
• atבַּ֫עַדbe‛ad · about/through/forH1157
• a windowחַלּוֹןchallôn · windowH2474
• and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and, behold, Isaacיִצְחָקyitschâq · IsaacH3327
• sportingצָחַקtsâchaq · to laughH6711
• with Rebekahרִבְקָהribqâh · RebekahH7259
• his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Genesis 26:8

• Judges 5:28Sisera's mother looked out from the window of her house. She waited for Sisera to return. She said, “His chariot has taken a long time to come! Why do I not yet hear the sound of his horse's feet?”
• Proverbs 7:6Once I was looking out through the window of my house.
• Proverbs 5:18Enjoy sex with your own wife. May the wife that you married when you were young continue to give you joy.
• Ecclesiastes 9:9Love your wife and enjoy your life together with her. God has given you your life. It is a short life and it is difficult to understand everything that happens. God wants you to enjoy these things as you do hard work during your life on the earth.
• Isaiah 62:5As a young man marries a pure young woman, so your sons will marry you, Jerusalem. Your God will be very happy that you belong to him, as a bridegroom is happy with his new wife.

Commentaries on Genesis 26:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife - Whatever may be the precise meaning of the word, it evidently implies that there were liberties taken and freedom used on the occasion, which were not lawful but between man and wife.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. 6-11Verses 6-11 There is nothing in Isaac's denial of his wife to be imitated, nor even excused. The temptation of Isaac is the same as that which overcame his father, and that in two instances. This rendered his conduct the greater sin. The falls of those who are gone before us are so many rocks on which others have split; and the recording of them is like placing buoys to save future mariners. This Abimelech was not the same that lived in Abraham's days…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Abimelech … looked down … to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah: The Hebrew word for "caressing" is the same as the word used for Ishmael "mocking" Isaac (21:9). This Hebrew word is also related to the name Isaac (Hebrew yitskhaq). It is as if Isaac’s lack of faith made Abimelech look foolish and brought shame on Rebekah and on the great promise connected to Isaac’s name.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 26:8

• Cowardice
• Falsehood
• Isaac
• Rebekah (Rebecca)
• Rulers
• Window

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Isaac
• Philistines
• Rebekah
• Besides
• Famine
• Grief
• Kindred
• Mind
• Seeing

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