05.031. Chapter 26
Isaac reacted to famine as his father had done (Genesis 12:1-20 and Genesis 20:1-18). As he journeyed south, the Lord appeared to him at Gerar and warned him not to go to Egypt (Genesis 26:1-2). Gerar was sort of a halfway house on the route to Egypt. God told Isaac to stay temporarily in Gerar (Genesis 26:3) but instead Isaac “dwelt” there (Genesis 26:6). God also reconfirmed to him the unconditional covenant that He had made with Abraham (Genesis 26:3-5).
Isaac reacted to fear as his father had done. He misrepresented his wife as his sister to the men of Gerar (Genesis 26:6-7). It is the sad story of a father’s weakness being repeated in his son. When the deceit was exposed and rebuked, Isaac confessed (Genesis 26:8-11). Confession leads to blessing. Isaac became wealthy in Gerar—so wealthy that the Abimelech who was then reigning asked him to leave (Genesis 26:12-16). So Isaac moved from Gerar to the Valley of Gerar, not far away (Genesis 26:17). The Philistines (“wanderers”) had filled with debris the wells which Abraham had dug—an unfriendly act signifying that the newcomers were not welcome (Genesis 26:15). Isaac cleaned out the wells. Strife ensued with the Philistines at Esek (“contention”) and Sitnah (“enmity”). Finally Isaac moved away from the Philistines. This time there was no strife when he dug a well, so he called it Rehoboth (“broad places” or “room”). From there he went to Beersheba, where the Lord reassured him with the promise of blessing (Genesis 26:23-25), and where Isaac built an altar, pitched a tent, and dug a well (Genesis 26:25).
Concerning Genesis 26:26-31, Williams says, “It is when Isaac definitely separates himself from the men of Gerar that they come to him seeking blessing from God… The Christian best helps the world when living in separation from it…”14 Isaac’s servants found water the same day that Isaac made a nonaggression pact with Abimelech. Abraham had previously named the place Beersheba because he made a covenant there with his contemporary, Abimelech (Genesis 21:31). Now, under similar circumstances, Isaac renames it Beersheba.
Esau’s marriage to two pagan women caused grief to his parents (Genesis 26:34-35), as have many other unequal yokes since then. It also brought out further his unfitness for the birthright.