New Living Translation
Genesis 26:10
10“How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”
Genesis 26:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 upon us."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.”
Context of Genesis 26:10
8But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah. 9Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” “Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied. “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.” 11Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!” 12When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him.
Read all of Genesis 26Genesis 26:10 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- this thou hast doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- unto us? oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- might lightlyמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- have lienשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
- with thy wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and thou shouldest have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- guiltinessאָשָׁם'âshâm · guilt (offering)H817
Cross-references for Genesis 26:10
- Genesis 12:18So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply. “What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
- Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done!
Commentaries on Genesis 26:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us - It is likely that Abimelech might have had some knowledge of God's intentions concerning the family of Abraham, and that it must be kept free from all impure and alien mixtures; and that consequently, had he or any of his people taken Rebekah, the Divine judgment might have fallen upon the land. Abimelech was a good and holy man; and he appears to have considered adultery as a grievous and destructive crime.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. 10-11Isaac, like his father, was rebuked by Abimelech (see study note on 20:1–18). This legal wording would remind Israel of how important it was to preserve marital purity. Abimelech recognized the danger to his own people. Though his decree preserved his own society, it was also a word from God that preserved the sanctity of Isaac’s and Israel’s marriages. If Isaac’s marriage had ended here, there would have been no Israelite society.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 26:10
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
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