1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
8 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.
9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
10 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.
11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.
16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.
24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.
26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?
28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.
30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.
33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
1 And there was a famine H7458 in the land, H776 beside H905 the first H7223 famine H7458 that was in the days H3117 of Abraham. H85 And Isaac H3327 went H3212 unto Abimelech H40 king H4428 of the Philistines H6430 unto Gerar. H1642
2 And the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him, and said, H559 Go not down H3381 into Egypt; H4714 dwell H7931 in the land H776 which I shall tell H559 thee of:
3 Sojourn H1481 in this land, H776 and I will be with thee, and will bless H1288 thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, H2233 I will give H5414 all these H411 countries, H776 and I will perform H6965 the oath H7621 which I sware H7650 unto Abraham H85 thy father; H1
4 And I will make H7235 thy seed H2233 to multiply H7235 as the stars H3556 of heaven, H8064 and will give H5414 unto thy seed H2233 all these H411 countries; H776 and in thy seed H2233 shall all the nations H1471 of the earth H776 be blessed; H1288
5 Because H6118 that Abraham H85 obeyed H8085 my voice, H6963 and kept H8104 my charge, H4931 my commandments, H4687 my statutes, H2708 and my laws. H8451
6 And Isaac H3327 dwelt H3427 in Gerar: H1642
7 And the men H582 of the place H4725 asked H7592 him of his wife; H802 and he said, H559 She is my sister: H269 for he feared H3372 to say, H559 She is my wife; H802 lest, said he, the men H582 of the place H4725 should kill H2026 me for Rebekah; H7259 because she was fair H2896 to look upon. H4758
8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long H748 time, H3117 that Abimelech H40 king H4428 of the Philistines H6430 looked out H8259 at H1157 a window, H2474 and saw, H7200 and, behold, Isaac H3327 was sporting H6711 with Rebekah H7259 his wife. H802
9 And Abimelech H40 called H7121 Isaac, H3327 and said, H559 Behold, of a surety H389 she is thy wife: H802 and how saidst H559 thou, She is my sister? H269 And Isaac H3327 said H559 unto him, Because I said, H559 Lest I die H4191 for her.
10 And Abimelech H40 said, H559 What is this thou hast done H6213 unto us? one H259 of the people H5971 might lightly H4592 have lien H7901 with thy wife, H802 and thou shouldest have brought H935 guiltiness H817 upon us.
11 And Abimelech H40 charged H6680 all his people, H5971 saying, H559 He that toucheth H5060 this man H376 or his wife H802 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
12 Then Isaac H3327 sowed H2232 in that land, H776 and received H4672 in the same year H8141 an hundredfold: H3967 H8180 and the LORD H3068 blessed H1288 him.
13 And the man H376 waxed great, H1431 and went H3212 forward, H1980 and grew H1432 until he became H1431 very H3966 great: H1431
14 For he had possession H4735 of flocks, H6629 and possession H4735 of herds, H1241 and great store H7227 of servants: H5657 and the Philistines H6430 envied H7065 him.
15 For all the wells H875 which his father's H1 servants H5650 had digged H2658 in the days H3117 of Abraham H85 his father, H1 the Philistines H6430 had stopped H5640 them, and filled H4390 them with earth. H6083
16 And Abimelech H40 said H559 unto Isaac, H3327 Go H3212 from us; for thou art much H3966 mightier H6105 than we.
17 And Isaac H3327 departed H3212 thence, and pitched his tent H2583 in the valley H5158 of Gerar, H1642 and dwelt H3427 there. H8033
18 And Isaac H3327 digged H2658 again H7725 the wells H875 of water, H4325 which they had digged H2658 in the days H3117 of Abraham H85 his father; H1 for the Philistines H6430 had stopped H5640 them after H310 the death H4194 of Abraham: H85 and he called H7121 their names H8034 after the names H8034 by which H834 his father H1 had called H7121 them.
19 And Isaac's H3327 servants H5650 digged H2658 in the valley, H5158 and found H4672 there a well H875 of springing H2416 water. H4325
20 And the herdmen H7462 of Gerar H1642 did strive H7378 with Isaac's H3327 herdmen, H7462 saying, H559 The water H4325 is ours: and he called H7121 the name H8034 of the well H875 Esek; H6230 because they strove H6229 with him.
21 And they digged H2658 another H312 well, H875 and strove H7378 for that also: and he called H7121 the name of it H8034 Sitnah. H7856
22 And he removed H6275 from thence, and digged H2658 another H312 well; H875 and for that they strove H7378 not: and he called H7121 the name of it H8034 Rehoboth; H7344 and he said, H559 For now H6258 the LORD H3068 hath made room H7337 for us, and we shall be fruitful H6509 in the land. H776
23 And he went up H5927 from thence to Beersheba. H884
24 And the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him the same night, H3915 and said, H559 I am the God H430 of Abraham H85 thy father: H1 fear H3372 not, for I am with H854 thee, and will bless H1288 thee, and multiply H7235 thy seed H2233 for my servant H5650 Abraham's H85 sake.
25 And he builded H1129 an altar H4196 there, and called H7121 upon the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 and pitched H5186 his tent H168 there: and there Isaac's H3327 servants H5650 digged H3738 a well. H875
26 Then Abimelech H40 went H1980 to him from Gerar, H1642 and Ahuzzath H276 one of his friends, H4828 and Phichol H6369 the chief captain H8269 of his army. H6635
27 And Isaac H3327 said H559 unto them, Wherefore H4069 come H935 ye to me, seeing ye hate H8130 me, and have sent me away H7971 from you?
28 And they said, H559 We saw H7200 certainly H7200 that the LORD H3068 was with thee: and we said, H559 Let there be now an oath H423 betwixt H996 us, even betwixt H996 us and thee, and let us make H3772 a covenant H1285 with thee;
29 That thou wilt do H6213 us no hurt, H7451 as we have not touched H5060 thee, and as we have done H6213 unto thee nothing but H7535 good, H2896 and have sent thee away H7971 in peace: H7965 thou art now H6258 the blessed H1288 of the LORD. H3068
30 And he made H6213 them a feast, H4960 and they did eat H398 and drink. H8354
31 And they rose up betimes H7925 in the morning, H1242 and sware H7650 one H376 to another: H251 and Isaac H3327 sent them away, H7971 and they departed H3212 from him in peace. H7965
32 And it came to pass the same day, H3117 that Isaac's H3327 servants H5650 came, H935 and told H5046 him concerning H182 the well H875 which they had digged, H2658 and said H559 unto him, We have found H4672 water. H4325
33 And he called H7121 it Shebah: H7656 therefore the name H8034 of the city H5892 is Beersheba H884 unto this day. H3117
34 And Esau H6215 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he took H3947 to wife H802 Judith H3067 the daughter H1323 of Beeri H882 the Hittite, H2850 and Bashemath H1315 the daughter H1323 of Elon H356 the Hittite: H2850
35 Which were a grief H4786 of mind H7307 unto Isaac H3327 and to Rebekah. H7259
1 And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.
2 And Jehovah appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of.
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee. For unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father.
4 And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife. And he said, She is my sister. For he feared to say, My wife. Lest, `said he', the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah. Because she was fair to look upon.
8 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.
9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife. And how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die because of her.
10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? One of the people might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
11 And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
12 And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold. And Jehovah blessed him.
13 And the man waxed great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
14 And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great household. And the Philistines envied him.
15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.
16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us. For thou art much mightier than we.
17 And Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
21 And they digged another well, and they strove for that also. And he called the name of it Sitnah.
22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well. And for that they strove not. And he called the name of it Rehoboth. And he said, For now Jehovah hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.
24 And Jehovah appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants digged a well.
26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his host.
27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore are ye come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?
28 And they said, We saw plainly that Jehovah was with thee. And we said, Let there now be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,
29 that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace. Thou art now the blessed of Jehovah.
30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another. And Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.
33 And he called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day.
34 And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35 And they were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
1 And there is a famine in the land, besides the first famine which was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac goeth unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2 And Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith, `Go not down towards Egypt, tabernacle in the land concerning which I speak unto thee,
3 sojourn in this land, and I am with thee, and bless thee, for to thee and to thy seed I give all these lands, and I have established the oath which I have sworn to Abraham thy father;
4 and I have multiplied thy seed as stars of the heavens, and I have given to thy seed all these lands; and blessed themselves in thy seed have all nations of the earth;
5 because that Abraham hath hearkened to My voice, and keepeth My charge, My commands, My statutes, and My laws.'
6 And Isaac dwelleth in Gerar;
7 and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he saith, `She `is' my sister:' for he hath been afraid to say, `My wife -- lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she `is' of good appearance.'
8 And it cometh to pass, when the days have been prolonged to him there, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looketh through the window, and seeth, and lo, Isaac is playing with Rebekah his wife.
9 And Abimelech calleth for Isaac, and saith, `Lo, she `is' surely thy wife; and how hast thou said, She `is' my sister?' and Isaac saith unto him, `Because I said, Lest I die for her.'
10 And Abimelech saith, `What `is' this thou hast done to us? as a little thing one of the people had lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us guilt;'
11 and Abimelech commandeth all the people, saying, `He who cometh against this man or against his wife, dying doth die.'
12 And Isaac soweth in that land, and findeth in that year a hundredfold, and Jehovah blesseth him;
13 and the man is great, and goeth on, going on and becoming great, till that he hath been very great,
14 and he hath possession of a flock, and possession of a herd, and an abundant service; and the Philistines envy him,
15 and all the wells which his father's servants digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines have stopped them, and fill them with dust.
16 And Abimelech saith unto Isaac, `Go from us; for thou hast become much mightier than we;'
17 and Isaac goeth from thence, and encampeth in the valley of Gerar, and dwelleth there;
18 and Isaac turneth back, and diggeth the wells of water which they digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines do stop after the death of Abraham, and he calleth to them names according to the names which his father called them.
19 And Isaac's servants dig in the valley, and find there a well of living water,
20 and shepherds of Gerar strive with shepherds of Isaac, saying, `The water `is' ours;' and he calleth the name of the well `Strife,' because they have striven habitually with him;
21 and they dig another well, and they strive also for it, and he calleth its name `Hatred.'
22 And he removeth from thence, and diggeth another well, and they have not striven for it, and he calleth its name Enlargements, and saith, `For -- now hath Jehovah given enlargement to us, and we have been fruitful in the land.'
23 And he goeth up from thence `to' Beer-Sheba,
24 and Jehovah appeareth unto him during that night, and saith, `I `am' the God of Abraham thy father, fear not, for I `am' with thee, and have blessed thee, and have multiplied thy seed, because of Abraham My servant;'
25 and he buildeth there an altar, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah, and stretcheth out there his tent, and there Isaac's servants dig a well.
26 And Abimelech hath gone unto him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol head of his host;
27 and Isaac saith unto them, `Wherefore have ye come unto me, and ye have hated me, and ye send me away from you?'
28 And they say, `We have certainly seen that Jehovah hath been with thee, and we say, `Let there be, we pray thee, an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
29 do not evil with us, as we have not touched thee, and as we have only done good with thee, and send thee away in peace; thou `art' now blessed of Jehovah.'
30 And he maketh for them a banquet, and they eat and drink,
31 and rise early in the morning, and swear one to another, and Isaac sendeth them away, and they go from him in peace.
32 And it cometh to pass during that day that Isaac's servants come and declare to him concerning the circumstances of the well which they have digged, and say to him, `We have found water;'
33 and he calleth it Shebah, `oath,' therefore the name of the city `is' Beer-Sheba, `well of the oath,' unto this day.
34 And Esau is a son of forty years, and he taketh a wife, Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite,
35 and they are a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.
1 And there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine which had been in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2 And Jehovah appeared to him and said, Go not down to Egypt: dwell in the land that I shall tell thee of.
3 Sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee and bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries; and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father.
4 And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and unto thy seed will I give all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves --
5 because that Abraham hearkened to my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
6 And Isaac dwelt at Gerar.
7 And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister; for he feared to say, my wife, [saying to himself,] Lest the men of the place slay me on account of Rebecca -- because she was fair in countenance.
8 And it came to pass when he had been there some time, that Abimelech the king of the Philistines looked out of the window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was dallying with Rebecca his wife.
9 Then Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, she is certainly thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? and Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I die on account of her.
10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done to us? But a little and one of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought a trespass on us.
11 And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, He that touches this man or his wife shall certainly be put to death.
12 And Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold; and Jehovah blessed him.
13 And the man became great, and he became continually greater, until he was very great.
14 And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great number of servants; and the Philistines envied him.
15 And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped them and filled them with earth.
16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, Go from us; for thou art become much mightier than we.
17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his camp in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and that the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19 And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 But the shepherds of Gerar strove with Isaac's shepherds, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they had quarrelled with him.
21 And they dug another well, and they strove for that also; and he called the name of it Sitnah.
22 And he removed thence and dug another well; and they did not strive for that. And he called the name of it Rehoboth, and said, For now Jehovah has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
23 And he went up thence to Beer-sheba.
24 And Jehovah appeared to him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
25 And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah. And he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug a well.
26 And Abimelech, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol the captain of his host, went to him from Gerar.
27 And Isaac said to them, Why are ye come to me, seeing ye hate me, and have driven me away from you?
28 And they said, We saw certainly that Jehovah is with thee; and we said, Let there be then an oath between us -- between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,
29 that thou wilt do us no wrong, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done to thee nothing but good, and have let thee go in peace; thou art now blessed of Jehovah.
30 And he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
31 And they rose early in the morning, and swore one to another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well that they had dug, and said to him, We have found water.
33 And he called it Shebah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba to this day.
34 And Esau was forty years old, when he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35 And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and to Rebecca.
1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, "Don't go down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I will tell you of.
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
4 I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and will give to your seed all these lands. In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed,
5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."
6 Isaac lived in Gerar.
7 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife," lest, he thought, the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she was beautiful to look on.
8 It happened, 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 caressing Rebekah, his wife.
9 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her.'"
10 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 on us!"
11 Abimelech charged all the people, saying, "He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death."
12 Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.
13 The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
14 He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.
15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.
16 Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go from us, for you are much mightier than we."
17 Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.
18 Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19 Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, "The water is ours." He called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
21 They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. He called the name of it Sitnah.
22 He left that place, and dug another well. They didn't argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, "For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."
23 He went up from there to Beersheba.
24 Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Don't be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham's sake."
25 He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac's servants dug a well.
26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his host.
27 Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?"
28 They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you,
29 that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.' You are now the blessed of Yahweh."
30 He made them a feast, and they ate and drink.
31 They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 It happened the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, "We have found water."
33 He called it Shibah.{Shibah means "oath" or "seven."} Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba{Beersheba means "well of the oath" or "well of the seven"} to this day.
34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35 They grieved Isaac and Rebekah's spirits.
1 Then came a time of great need in the land, like that which had been before in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.
2 And the Lord came to him in a vision and said, Do not go down to Egypt; keep in the land of which I will give you knowledge:
3 Keep in this land, and I will be with you and give you my blessing; for to you and to your seed will I give all these lands, giving effect to the oath which I made to your father Abraham;
4 I will make your seed like the stars of heaven in number, and will give them all these lands, and your seed will be a blessing to all the nations of the earth;
5 Because Abraham gave ear to my voice and kept my words, my rules, my orders, and my laws.
6 So Isaac went on living in Gerar;
7 And when he was questioned by the men of the place about his wife, he said, She is my sister; fearing to say, She is my wife; for, he said, the men of the place may put me to death on account of Rebekah; because she is very beautiful.
8 And when he had been there for some time, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looking through a window, saw Isaac playing with Rebekah his wife.
9 And he said to Isaac, It is clear that she is your wife: why then did you say, She is my sister? And Isaac said, For fear that I might be put to death because of her.
10 Then Abimelech said, What have you done to us? one of the people might well have had connection with your wife, and the sin would have been ours.
11 And Abimelech gave orders to his people that anyone touching Isaac or his wife was to be put to death.
12 Now Isaac, planting seed in that land, got in the same year fruit a hundred times as much, for the blessing of the Lord was on him.
13 And his wealth became very great, increasing more and more;
14 For he had great wealth of flocks and herds and great numbers of servants; so that the Philistines were full of envy.
15 Now all the water-holes, which his father's servants had made in the days of Abraham, had been stopped up with earth by the Philistines.
16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, Go away from us, for you are stronger than we are.
17 So Isaac went away from there, and put up his tents in the valley of Gerar, making his living-place there.
18 And he made again the water-holes which had been made in the days of Abraham his father, and which had been stopped up by the Philistines; and he gave them the names which his father had given them.
19 Now Isaac's servants made holes in the valley, and came to a spring of flowing water.
20 But the herdmen of Gerar had a fight with Isaac's herdmen, for they said, The spring is ours: so he gave the spring the name of Esek, because there was a fight about it.
21 Then they made another water-hole, and there was a fight about that, so he gave it the name of Sitnah.
22 Then he went away from there, and made another water-hole, about which there was no fighting: so he gave it the name of Rehoboth, for he said, Now the Lord has made room for us, and we will have fruit in this land.
23 And from there he went on to Beer-sheba.
24 That night the Lord came to him in a vision, and said, I am the God of your father Abraham: have no fear for I am with you, blessing you, and your seed will be increased because of my servant Abraham.
25 Then he made an altar there, and gave worship to the name of the Lord, and he put up his tents there, and there his servants made a water-hole.
26 And Abimelech had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his friend and Phicol, the captain of his army.
27 And Isaac said to them, Why have you come to me, seeing that in your hate for me you sent me away from you?
28 And they said, We saw clearly that the Lord was with you: so we said, Let there be an oath between us and you, and let us make an agreement with you;
29 That you will do us no damage, even as we put no hand on you, and did you nothing but good, and sent you away in peace: and now the blessing of the Lord is on you.
30 Then he made a feast for them, and they all had food and drink.
31 And early in the morning they took an oath one to the other: then Isaac sent them away and they went on their way in peace.
32 And that day Isaac's servants came to him and gave him word of the water-hole which they had made, and said to him, We have come to water.
33 And he gave it the name of Shibah: so the name of that town is Beer-sheba to this day.
34 And when Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
35 And Isaac and Rebekah had grief of mind because of them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Genesis 26
Commentary on Genesis 26 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 26
This chapter treats of Isaac's removal to Gerar, occasioned by a famine, Genesis 26:1; of the Lord's appearance to him there, advising him to sojourn in that place, and not go down to Egypt; renewing the covenant he had made with Abraham, concerning giving that country to him and his seed, Genesis 26:2; of what happened unto him at Gerar on account of his wife, Genesis 26:7; of Isaac's great prosperity and success, which drew the envy of the Philistines upon him, Genesis 26:12; of his departure from hence to the valley of Gerar, at the instance of Abimelech; and of the contentions between his herdsmen, and those of Gerar, about wells of water, which caused him to remove to Beersheba, Genesis 26:16; of the Lord's appearance to him there, renewing the above promise to him, where he built an altar, pitched his tent, and his servants dug a well, Genesis 26:24; of Abimelech's coming to him thither, and making a covenant with him, Genesis 26:26; which place had its name from the oath then made, and the well there dug, Genesis 26:32; and lastly, of the marriage of Esau, which was a great grief to Isaac and Rebekah, Genesis 26:34.
And there was a famine in the land,.... In the land of Canaan, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it:
besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham; of which see Genesis 12:10; which was an hundred years before this:
and Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar; where his father Abraham had sojourned before he was born; and therefore the present king of this place can scarce be thought to be the same Abimelech that was king of it in Abraham's time; but it is highly probable that this Abimelech was the son of the former king, and that this was a common name to the kings of Gerar or the Philistines, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt. Isaac came to this place from Lahairoi, where he had dwelt many years, see Genesis 24:62; which was at or near Beersheba, and was about eight miles from GerarF1Bunting's Travels, p. 70. .
And the Lord appeared unto him,.... In a vision or dream, when he was at Gerar:
and said, go not down into Egypt; as his father had done in the like case, and where Isaac thought to have gone, and the rather, as that was a fruitful country; and so the Targum of Jonathan,"and it was in the heart of Isaac to go down into Egypt, and the Lord appeared unto him, &c.'and charged him not to go thither; partly to try his faith in him, and dependence on his providence for support in this time of famine, and partly lest he should think of continuing there, and be unmindful of the promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham's seed:
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of; even the land of Canaan, which he was now about to give him on account of the promise of it to Abraham and his seed, and to renew it to him and to his seed.
Sojourn in this land,.... The land of Canaan, where he now was; either in Gerar, which though in the land of the Philistines was a part of Canaan, the place of his present residence; or in any other part of it he should be directed to: however, by this it appears it was the pleasure of God that he should not go out of that land, and which Abraham his father was careful of, that he should not while he lived; see Genesis 24:6,
and I will be with thee, and I will bless thee; with his presence; with protection from all enemies; with a supply of all the necessaries of life; and with all spiritual blessings, and with eternal life and happiness:
for unto thee, and to thy seed, will I give these countries; inhabited at that time by the Philistines, Canaanites, and the several tribes of them:
and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; concerning the promise of the Messiah from him and his seed, the gift of the land of Canaan to them, and the multiplication of them, Genesis 22:16.
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven,.... Meaning in the line of Jacob especially, if not only; from whom sprung twelve patriarchs, the heads of so many tribes, which in process of time became very numerous, even as the stars of heaven:
and I will give unto thy seed all these countries; which is repeated from Genesis 26:3 for the greater confirmation of it:
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; meaning in the Messiah that should spring from him, see Genesis 22:18.
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice,.... In all things, and particularly in offering up his son at his command:
and kept my charge; whatever was given him in charge to observe; this, as Aben Ezra thinks, is the general, of which the particulars follow:
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws; whether moral, ceremonial, or civil and judicial; all and everyone which God enjoined him, he was careful to observe. Here seems to be something wanting, for the words are not to be joined with the preceding, as if Abraham's obedience was the cause of the above promises made to Isaac, or to himself: but this is mentioned rather as an example to Isaac, and to stir him up to do the like, as if it was said, because or seeing that Abraham thy father did so and so, do thou likewise.
And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. Continued there; in this he was obedient to the command and will of God.
And the men of the place asked him of his wife,.... The inhabitants of Gerar inquired of Isaac who she was, whether she was his wife or not, or in what relation she stood in to him; this was not a mere civil inquiry, but what arose from the prevalence of lust in them towards her; and yet it was under some restraint, they being not so abandoned to their lusts as to exercise them upon any; not upon a man's wife, the sin of adultery being detestable to them, though that of fornication was made no account of by them:
and he said, she is my sister; herein imitating his father Abraham in his infirmity and unbelief, who in the same place had made such an answer to a like question concerning Sarah, Genesis 20:1; and which if Isaac knew of, as probably he did, one would wonder that he should fall into the same evil, and especially when he had not so much to say to support his assertion as Abraham had; for Rebekah was not so near akin to him as Sarah was to Abraham; and though cousins might be called sisters, yet this was mere dissimulation to call his wife sister, and was done with an intention to deceive, and therefore not justifiable:
for he feared to say, she is my wife; which was the real truth; but the fear of men, which brings a snare, led him to this, and from which good men are not always free:
lest, said he, that is, within himself, in his own mind; and so the Targum of Jonathan, he thought in his heart:
the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; that they might marry her, one or other of them; for, it seems, they had not so great a sense of the sin of murder, as of adultery:
because she was fair to look upon; which he feared would be a temptation to them, and stir up their impure desires after her, in order to gratify which he was afraid they would kill him; Rebekah retaining her beauty still, though she had been married in all probability forty years or more, see Genesis 24:16.
And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time,.... Perhaps some years: for though it is in the original, "when days were prolonged to him there"F2כי ארכו לו שם הימים "cum prolongati essent ei ibi dies", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt. ; yet days are sometimes put for years:
that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window; in his own palace, near to which, in all likelihood, were the apartments that Isaac and Rebekah dwelt in; and this he did accidentally, and not out of curiosity, or with any intention to observe or pry into the behaviour and conduct of these two persons one towards the other:
and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife; laughing and joking with her, which by his motions and gestures, and the airs and freedoms he took, Abimelech could perceive were such as were not usual between brothers and sisters, though honest and lawful between man and wife; such as embracing her in his arms, and frequently kissing her, and the like.
And Abimelech called Isaac,.... Sent a messenger to desire him to come to him:
and said, behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and then perhaps told him of what he had observed that passed between them; which was a clear proof that they must be man and wife, or he would never have took such liberties with her:
and how saidst thou, she is my sister? what reason hadst thou for it? what could induce thee to say so?
and Isaac said unto him; not alleging, as Abraham did, any relation that was between them before marriage:
because I said; that is, within himself, for, he did not speak it out to others:
lest I die for her; for her sake, that another might have and enjoy her; it was fear of losing his life that led him to take such a step, and give out that she was his sister.
And Abimelech said, what is this thou hast done unto us?.... By entertaining suspicions and jealousies of us as bad men, and by exposing us to the temptation of committing iniquity; why hast thou dealt thus with us, and what have we done, or is in our character, that thou shouldest act after this manner?
one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife; it is much one or other had not before this time, not looking upon it criminal to have to do with a single woman, when they would not have meddled with another man's wife, Jarchi interprets this of Abimelech himself; and so the Targum of Jonathan, who perhaps had been thinking of taking her to his bed; and was "within a little"F3כמעט "parum abfuit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt. , as the word for "lightly" may be rendered, of accomplishing his design:
and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us: been the occasion of their committing the sin of adultery, which was heinous in the eyes of Heathens, and of bringing on them the punishment due thereunto.
And Abimelech charged all his people,.... All his subjects throughout his kingdom, and particularly the inhabitants of Gerar, and more especially his courtiers and servants about him:
saying, he that toucheth this man or his wife; that does any injury to one either by words or deeds, or behaves immodestly to the other, or attempts to ravish her; this being sometimes used as a modest expression carnal knowledge of a woman; or that does either of them any harm or hurt in any respect whatever:
shall surely be put to death; this severe edict he published, in order to deter his subjects from using them ill, to which they might be provoked by Isaac's dissimulation, and by his evil suspicions of them.
Then, Isaac sowed in that land,.... In the land of Gerar; after matters were settled between him and Abimelech, and he had ordered his servants to do him no hurt, he sowed wheat or barley, or some such grain:
and received in the same year an hundred fold; in which he sowed it, and which many take to be a year of famine; and so it was the more extraordinary, that there should be such a plentiful crop produced on Isaac's ground, when there was such barrenness elsewhere: but it does not seem likely that it should be the same year of famine in which Isaac came to Gerar, since he is said to have been them a "long time", Genesis 26:8; before this sowing and plenty upon it were. This increase is far from being incredible; for PlinyF4Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 10. , besides instances he gives of an hundred fold, says, that in a field at Byzacium in Africa one bushel produced one hundred and fifty bushels; and from the same place, the deputy of Augustus there sent him from one grain very few less than four hundred, and to Nero three hundred stalks from, one grain. HerodotusF5Clio sive, l. 1. c. 193. speaks of a country, near to the place where the Euphrates runs into the Tigris, on which the city Ninus was, which nowhere failed of producing two hundred fold, and the better sort of it even three hundred; see Matthew 13:23,
and the Lord blessed him; and prospered and succeeded all his endeavours; and this was the true reason of the fertility of the land he manured and sowed.
And the man waxed great,.... In substance, as well as in honour and glory, among men:
and went forward; in the world, and in the increase of worldly things:
and grew until he became very great: as he must needs be, since Abraham his father left him all that he had, who was very rich in cattle, in gold and silver, and had been increasing ever since; and especially since he came to Gerar, where he was gradually increasing, until he became to be exceeding great indeed, even the greatest man in all the country, yea, greater than King Abimelech himself, as it seems, from Genesis 26:16.
For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds,.... Many flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle, of oxen, asses and camels, in which the riches of men in those times and countries chiefly lay:
and great store of servants; to look after his flocks and herds, and fields; or "much husbandry"F6עבדה רבה "cultura multa", Drusius; "proventus multus", Pagninus; "servitium multum", Schmidt; γεωργια πολλα, Sept. ; Jarchi interprets it much tillage; as, much land, many farms, fields, and vineyards, and the like; to cultivate which required many servants:
and the Philistines envied him; for his prosperity and success, that his land should bring forth so plentifully, and that he should have such an increase of flocks, and herds, and servants, which made him so very significant great, and honourable.
For all the wells which his father's servants had digged, in the days of Abraham his father,.... For the watering of his flocks and herds, see Genesis 21:25,
the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth; that they might be of no use; and this they did through envy to him, and is mentioned as a proof of it.
And Abimelech said unto Isaac, go from us,.... Which was either said by way of advice, consulting Isaac's good, and the peace of his own kingdom; or else by way of command, enjoining him to depart, having a secret envy to him himself, or at least was jealous of his growing power and wealth:
for thou art much mightier than we; in riches or goods, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; or in number; his family being greatly increased, his servants numerous, many being born of them in his house; Abraham had three hundred and eighteen trained servants in his house, Genesis 14:14; how many Isaac had is not certain; they must be a large number for Abimelech to fear anything from them. Some choose to interpret the words, thou hast increased, or thou hast got much from us, and by us; and therefore it is high time for thee to be gone from us.
And Isaac departed thence,.... At once, peaceably and quietly, though to his loss and disadvantage, without taking himself either to argument or arms, in favour of himself; he departed immediately, as soon as he perceived his abode was disagreeable to the king and his people; which gives us a very agree, able idea of the calm and peaceable disposition of Isaac:
and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there; at some distance from the city of Gerar, as Jarchi observes. JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 1. c. 18. sect. 2. says it was not far from it; but how far is not certain; very probably it was not out of the country, though on the borders of it. Some render it, "the brook of Gerar"F8בנחל גרר "ad torrentem Gerarae", V. L. , and interpret it, that he pitched his tent, and dwelt by it; and the word used does signify a brook as well as a valley; and there was a brook of Gerar, which SozomenF9Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 32. makes mention of.
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father,.... This seems to refer to the same wells made mention of in Genesis 26:15, since it follows:
for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham; these were what Abraham's servants had dug, when he lived at Gerar, and which the Philistines durst not stop during his life; but when he was dead and particularly out of envy to Isaac his son, whom they observed to prosper much, they stopped them up, that he might have no benefit by them; for otherwise they would scarcely have stopped them, if he had not been upon the spot, but would have made use of them themselves. The opening of them again by Isaac seems to be done, as Jarchi observes, before he removed from Gerar to the valley, though it is here related; unless it can be thought that Abraham dwelt in the valley also, and had dug wells there, which the Philistines stopped up after his death, and Isaac opened when he came there; and if so one would think he should have had no occasion to have dug other new wells, as we find he afterwards did; besides, this seems to be out of the jurisdiction of the Philistines, and not in their power to have stopped them here; it seems therefore most probable that these were Abraham's wells at Gerar, and not in the valley. OrigenF11Contr. Cels. l. 4. p. 193. makes mention of wonderful wells being dug in the land of the Philistines by righteous men, meaning Abraham and Isaac; and particularly in Askelon which, according to some, is the same with Gerar; See Gill on Genesis 20:1,
and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them; which he did out of respect to his father, to preserve the memory of his name, as well as to make his title and claim to them the more dear and certain.
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley,.... In the valley of Gerar, as the Septuagint version expresses it:
and found there a well of springing water; or "living water"F12מים חיים "aquarum viventium", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius. , which continually flows, as Aben Ezra rightly interprets it: hence this phrase is used of the perpetual and ever living graces of the Spirit of God, John 4:10.
And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen,.... About the well which was dug in the valley; and this shows it was near Gerar or at least was upon the border of the country, and so it was a disputable point to whom it belonged:
saying, the water is ours; though the well was dug by Isaac's servants, yet they laid claim to the water, pretending it was their ground, being on their borders:
and he called the name of the well Esek: which signifies "contention": the reason of the name follows:
because they strove with him; wrangled, contended, and disputed with him about whose right it was.
And they digged another well,.... That is, Isaac's servants:
and strove for that also; the herdsmen of Gerar disputed their right to that also, and strove to get it from them:
and he called the name of it Sitnah; which signifies "hatred", it being out of hatred and malice to him that they gave him so much trouble; from this word Satan has his name, and these men were of a diabolical spirit, envious, spiteful, and malicious.
And he removed from thence,.... A little further from their border, to cut off all pretence, and put a stop to all dispute and controversy for the future:
and digged another well; in the place he removed to:
and for that they strove not; it being at such a distance from their border, they could not have the face to claim any right to it:
and he called the name of it Rehoboth; which signifies broad and spacious, places, enlargements:
for now hath the Lord made room for us; for himself, his family, his herds, and flocks, and freed them, from those difficulties under which they laboured, and the straits into which they were brought through the contention of the herdsmen of Gerar:
and we shall be fruitful in the land; his flocks and his herds increase, having good pasturage and watering for them, and so he and his family be in prosperous circumstances.
And he went up from thence to Beersheba. From the place he last, removed unto Beersheba; the famine being over, he returns to the place where he and his rather formerly lived, Genesis 21:33.
And the Lord appeared to him in the same night,.... The first night he came to Beersheba, in a dream or vision, in which the Lord was represented as speaking to him:
and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father; though he was dead, he remembered the covenant he made with him, and the promises he made unto him: and besides, though Abraham was dead as to his body, yet alive in his soul; for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Matthew 22:32,
fear not; any future famine, nor want of any good things, nor any enemies, the Philistines his neighbours, who had driven him from their country, and had harassed him from place to place:
for I am with thee, and will bless thee; and if God is with his people, they have nothing to fear from men; and if he blesses them, they are blessed, and no curse can light upon them:
and multiply thy seed, for my servant Abraham's sake; who was a faithful, diligent, servant of his; whose service was, not forgotten by him, but would be rewarded in a way of grace, though not of debt.
And he builded an altar there,.... At Beersheba, where his father Abraham had planted a grove before, and very probably had built an altar also, though it might not be now standing, Genesis 21:33,
and called upon the name of the Lord; and gave him thanks for all his mercies to him; for the care he had taken of him, and provision he had made for him and his during the time of famine; and for the protection and preservation of him in Gerar; and for his deliverance of him out of the hands of envious, malicious, and unreasonable men; as well as prayed unto him for present and future mercies, for providential care of him and his; and for communications of special grace, and for meetness for eternal glory; all which every good man daily prays to God for:
and pitched his tent there: intending to take up his abode and settle there:
and there Isaac's servants digged a well; in order to find water for the family, and for the flocks and herds; and which was necessary to be done, as they perceived their master designed to fix his habitation here; wells of water being of great moment and consequence in those hot and desert countries, as the above contentions about them abundantly show.
Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar,.... After Isaac was settled at Beersheba, and was still increasing in his family and substance, of which Abimelech very probably was informed; and fearing lest he should resent his being sent out of his country by him, and the ill treatment he met with afterwards from the herdmen of Gerar in the valley about the wells, and should employ his riches and power against him, and fall upon him, and take his kingdom from him, he took a journey from Gerar to Beersheba, to pay Isaac a visit, and make a covenant with him: and
Ahuzzath one of his friends; Jarchi and Jonathan take Ahuzzath for an appellative, and interpret it of a collection or company of his friends, which the king took along with him to attend him in his journey: but it seems rather to be the proper name of a man, who was very intimate and familiar with the king, and always kept him company, and so went along with him to Beersheba:
and Phichol the chief captain of his army; his general, as the other was his principal counsellor or prime minister. There was one of this name, and in the same office, in the days of Abraham, and who attended the then present king, who also was called Abimelech on a like account as here, Genesis 21:22; but as the one affair was at the distance of an hundred years or more from the other, it is probable, that as this Abimelech might be the son of that Abimelech that lived in the times of Abraham, so this Phichol might be the son of him that lived then, and who succeeded his father in his office; though some think that Phichol is the name of an office, and signifies "the mouth of all", by whom the addresses of the people were made to the king; but this is not likely, since he is described by his office as general of the army; which is very different from the master of the ceremonies, or anything of that kind, and plainly shows it to be the name of a man.
And Isaac said unto them, wherefore come ye to me,.... What is the meaning of this visit? what has brought you hither? it cannot be from affection and friendship to me:
seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? the latter he mentions as a proof of the former; they envied his prosperity, and hated him on that account, and therefore expelled him their country, or at least would not suffer him to dwell among them; and still more glaring proofs were given of the hatred of the men of Gerar to him, not only by stopping up his father's wells, but by striving and contending with him about those he dug in the valley after he was gone from them; one of which he called "Sitnah", from their hatred of him.
And they said, we saw certainly that the Lord was with thee,.... Not only while he was among them, by the fruitfulness of the land he sowed, by the increase of his family, his flocks and herds, but also since he was gone from them, in the valley of Gerar, and now in Beersheba:
and we said; one to another, assembled in privy council, in which this affair was talked over and debated:
let there now be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee: what was between us and thy father, or between thine ancestors and ours, let it be renewed and confirmed before us; so Onkelos and Jarchi; see Genesis 21:23,
and let us make a covenant with thee; the articles of which follow.
That thou wilt do us no hurt,.... Neither to our persons nor properties, to our kingdom and subjects, by invading our land, and seizing on our kingdom, all which was feared from Isaac's growing wealth and power:
as we have not touched thee; not done the least injury to him, to his person, family, and substance, but suffered him to go away with all he had untouched:
and as we have done unto thee, nothing but good; by royal authority, or by the command and direction of the king and his nobles; for as for the stopping up the wells his father's servants had dug, and the controversy that was about those in the vale, and the trouble Isaac had on that account, these things were not by the order of the king and council, and perhaps without their knowledge:
and have sent thee away in peace; no one being suffered to do any injury to him, or molest him in carrying off everything that belonged unto him:
thou art now blessed of the Lord; so it appeared by the prosperity he was attended with, and by the Lord's protection of him, and the constant and continual favours he was bestowing on him; and this induced Abimelech and his nobles to seek to cultivate friendship, and be on good terms with him. De Dieu gives a different sense of these words, and considers them in the form of an oath or imprecation,"if thou shouldest do us any hurt, seeing we have not touched thee, &c. be thou now accursed of the Lord,'taking the word used in a contrary sense, as in Job 1:5 1 Kings 21:10.
And he made them a feast,.... Made a feast like a king, for the king and his grandees; he treated them in a generous way, according to their dignity, and agreeable to his own disposition and substance:
and they did eat and drink; freely, cheerfully, and in a friendly manner; for both having spoken their minds, they agreed to bury all former things oblivion, and live in peace and friendship; though this feast was not on account of the covenant made between them, as is observed by some interpreters, but as an hospitable act, and a token of good will; for the covenant and the oath confirming it seem to be made next morning, as follows:
And they rose up betimes in the morning,.... Abimelech and his friends, in order to return home, and Isaac to take his leave of them, and both to make the covenant between them in form, and confirm it by an oath, for which the morning was the fitter time; when the mind is quite free and composed, and attentive to what is done, as so solemn a transaction should be performed with the utmost attention and seriousness:
and swore one to another; to live in amity and friendship, and not distress and disturb each other:
and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace; he took his leave of them in a friendly manner, and they departed well pleased with the reception they had met with, and the success they had had, having agreed on and settled articles of peace to mutual satisfaction.
And it came to pass the same day,.... That the above things were transacted:
that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged; they had dug it before Abimelech came to Isaac, but they had not had an opportunity of acquainting him with it until he was gone, and then they came to give him an account of it, what sort of a well it was, and how it answered their expectations and wishes; and which in those countries was a very great blessing, and served very much to recommend a place to dwell in:
and said unto him, we have found water; not only had dug a well, but they had found plenty of water, and that which was good; or otherwise it would not have been worth while to have troubled Isaac with the account of it.
And he called it Sheba,.... Which, according to Jerom, signifies "fulness", as if it had its name from the abundance of water in it; but rather it signifies an "oath", and was so called from the oath, which he and Abimelech had just took to one another; and these circumstances meeting together, the taking of the oath, and the account of the well:
therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day; that is, the well of the oath: it had been so called by Abraham an hundred years ago or more; but now upon this occasion it was renewed and confirmed, and so continued until the times of Moses, and many ages after.
And Esau was forty years old,.... The same age his father was of when he married, Genesis 25:20,
when he took to wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite; JosephusF13Antiqu. l. 1. c. 18. sect. 4. makes her to be the same with Aholibamah; but her father's name was Zibeon, and an Hivite, and must therefore be another person, not only the name being different, but the tribe, Genesis 36:2,
and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; whom Aben Ezra takes to be the same with Adah, and so does Josephus; and in this they may be right, since the name of her father, and his nation or tribe, agree, Genesis 36:2. The fathers of these two women are represented by Josephus as men of great power and authority among the Canaanites, as very probably they were. Esau had another wife of the same name with this last, but she was daughter of Ishmael, and sister of Nebajoth, Genesis 36:3; for he had more wives than those; these were his two first, who very probably were not taken together, but one after another, though it may be but at a short distance from each other.
Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac, and to Rebekah. The marriage of them itself was a trouble to them, it being contrary to their will that any of their children should marry with the Canaanites, and those the worst sort of them, the Hittites; it having been the care of Abraham, the father of Isaac, that his son should not marry with them, and laid a strict injunction on his servant not to take a wife for his son from among them; and which was an example to be followed in later times, and which Esau very likely was not ignorant of: and besides this, the women themselves he took for wives were very disagreeable on all accounts, partly because of their religion, being idolaters, and partly by reason of their temper and behaviour, being proud, haughty, and disobedient; as all the three Targums intimate.