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. 7When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.” But 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. 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 26:8 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“From the window Sisera’s mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’
• Proverbs 7:6While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain,
• Proverbs 5:18Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
• Ecclesiastes 9:9Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.
• Isaiah 62:5Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem, just as a young man commits himself to his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

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