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.
But now thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 that created H1254 thee, O Jacob, H3290 and he that formed H3335 thee, O Israel, H3478 Fear H3372 not: for I have redeemed H1350 thee, I have called H7121 thee by thy name; H8034 thou art mine. When thou passest through H5674 the waters, H4325 I will be with thee; and through the rivers, H5104 they shall not overflow H7857 thee: when thou walkest H3212 through H1119 the fire, H784 thou shalt not be burned; H3554 neither shall the flame H3852 kindle H1197 upon thee.
[[A Psalm of David.]] H1732 The LORD H3068 is my light H216 and my salvation; H3468 whom shall I fear? H3372 the LORD H3068 is the strength H4581 of my life; H2416 of whom shall I be afraid? H6342 When the wicked, H7489 even mine enemies H6862 and my foes, H341 came H7126 upon me to eat up H398 my flesh, H1320 they stumbled H3782 and fell. H5307 Though an host H4264 should encamp H2583 against me, my heart H3820 shall not fear: H3372 though war H4421 should rise H6965 against me, in this will I be confident. H982
For I the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will hold H2388 thy right hand, H3225 saying H559 unto thee, Fear H3372 not; I will help H5826 thee. Fear H3372 not, thou worm H8438 Jacob, H3290 and ye men H4962 of Israel; H3478 I will help H5826 thee, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and thy redeemer, H1350 the Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478 Behold, I will make H7760 thee a new H2319 sharp H2742 threshing H4173 instrument having H1167 teeth: H6374 thou shalt thresh H1758 the mountains, H2022 and beat them small, H1854 and shalt make H7760 the hills H1389 as chaff. H4671
[[To the chief Musician H5329 for the sons H1121 of Korah, H7141 A Song H7892 upon Alamoth.]] H5961 God H430 is our refuge H4268 and strength, H5797 a very H3966 present H4672 help H5833 in trouble. H6869 Therefore will not we fear, H3372 though the earth H776 be removed, H4171 and though the mountains H2022 be carried H4131 into the midst H3820 of the sea; H3220
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: 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 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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 26
Commentary on Genesis 26 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 26
Ge 26:1-35. Sojourn in Gerar.
1. 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 (Ps 105:14, 15).
12. Then Isaac sowed in that land—During his sojourn in that district he farmed a piece of land, which, by the blessing of God on his skill and industry, was very productive (Isa 65:13; Ps 37:19); and by his plentiful returns he increased so rapidly in wealth and influence that the Philistines, afraid or envious of his prosperity, obliged him to leave the place (Pr 27:4; Ec 4:4). This may receive illustration from the fact that many Syrian shepherds at this day settle for a year or two in a place, rent some ground, in the produce of which they trade with the neighboring market, till the owners, through jealousy of their growing substance, refuse to renew their lease and compel them to remove elsewhere.
15. all the wells which his father's servants had digged … the Philistines had stopped, &c.—The same base stratagem for annoying those against whom they have taken an umbrage is practiced still by choking the wells with sand or stones, or defiling them with putrid carcases.
17. valley of Gerar—torrent-bed or wady, a vast undulating plain, unoccupied and affording good pasture.
18-22. Isaac digged again the wells of water—The naming of wells by Abraham, and the hereditary right of his family to the property, the change of the names by the Philistines to obliterate the traces of their origin, the restoration of the names by Isaac, and the contests between the respective shepherds to the exclusive possession of the water, are circumstances that occur among the natives in those regions as frequently in the present day as in the time of Isaac.
26-33. Then Abimelech went to him—As there was a lapse of ninety years between the visit of Abraham and of Isaac, the Abimelech and Phichol spoken of must have been different persons' official titles. Here is another proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in an overture of peace being made to him by the king of Gerar. By whatever motive the proposal was dictated—whether fear of his growing power, or regret for the bad usage they had given him, the king and two of his courtiers paid a visit to the tent of Isaac (Pr 16:7). His timid and passive temper had submitted to the annoyances of his rude neighbors; but now that they wish to renew the covenant, he evinces deep feeling at their conduct, and astonishment at their assurance, or artifice, in coming near him. Being, however, of a pacific disposition, Isaac forgave their offense, accepted their proposals, and treated them to the banquet by which the ratification of a covenant was usually crowned.
34. Esau … took to wife—If the pious feelings of Abraham recoiled from the idea of Isaac forming a matrimonial connection with a Canaanitish woman [Ge 24:3], that devout patriarch himself would be equally opposed to such a union on the part of his children; and we may easily imagine how much his pious heart was wounded, and the family peace destroyed, when his favorite but wayward son brought no less than two idolatrous wives among them—an additional proof that Esau neither desired the blessing nor dreaded the curse of God. These wives never gained the affections of his parents, and this estrangement was overruled by God for keeping the chosen family aloof from the dangers of heathen influence.