English Standard Version
Genesis 26:8
8When 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah.
Context of Genesis 26:8
6So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," for he feared to say, "My wife," thinking, "lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah," because she was attractive in appearance. 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. 9So Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac said to him, "Because I thought, 'Lest I die because of her.'" 10Abimelech 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 upon us."
Read all of Genesis 26Genesis 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 5:28"Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?'
- Proverbs 7:6For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice,
- Proverbs 5:18Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
- Ecclesiastes 9:9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
- Isaiah 62:5For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries