Genesis 26

Isaac driven by famine to remove to Gerar verse 1 &c. where god bids him to stay and not to go into Egypt renewing unto him the promises made unto Abraham 2isaac gives out Rebecca to his sister 7 king Abimelech discovering the contrary reproves him and forbids his subjection to wrong this married couple in the least kind 8 Isaac is greatly blessed by God which draws envy upon him from the philistine that they stop this well 12 upon the imitations from Abimelech he removeth thence towards the lower ground of Gerar and is at some pains to get spring water but finds at length 18,19,32&c. he removes to Beersheba and his comforted there by an apparition of God to whom the returneth thanks by public worship 23 Abimelech enters into the covenant with him 26 Esau to the vexation of his old age 34.

1. And there was famine in that country [to wit in that part of the land of Canaan where Isaac dwelt at this time] besides tee first famine which had been in the days of Abraham [see above 12.10] therefore Isaac went to Abimelech [see above chapter 20. On verse 2 it may be doubted whether this was the same person spoken of in the chapter or else he must have very old by this time so that it is more likely it was his successor] the king of the philistine to Gerar [see above 10.19 and chapter 20 on verse 1.]

2. And the Lord appeared to him and said do not go down to Egypt [as thou didst intend according to the example of thy father above chapter 27 verse 8] dwell in the land that I shall tell thee [see the next verse.]

3. Dwell as a stranger in this land and I shall be with thee for unto thee antsy seed will I give all these countries [which were rehearsed and all set down by name chapter 15] and will establish the earth which I have sworn to thy father Abraham [see above chapter 2 on verse16,17.]

4. And I will multiply thy seeds at the stars of heaven and will give all these countries toothy seed and in thy seed all nations of the earth shall be blessed [see the annotation above chapter 22 on verse 16.]

5. Therefore that Abraham hath been obedient to my voice [see above chapter 22 on verse 16] and hath kept my commandment [Heb. Entertaining keeping or guarding observation that is that which I commanded and ordained and the latter three to respect things particular as it percepts on the moral law on the doctrine of what we are obliged to believe &c. elsewhere there are added unto these the rights whereby are understood the civil or political laws Deuteronomy 11:1.]

6. Thus Isaac dwells at Gerar.

7. And when the men of that place asked him of his wife, he said: She is my sister [see the like examples in Abraham, above chapter 12, 13 and 20.2] for he was afraid to say, my wife, lest, (said he) [this is inserted out of verse 9. See the like insertions Joshua 4:23, 1 Kings 20:34, 2 Corinthians 9:6] the men of this place perchance kill me, for Rebecca; for she was fair of aspect.

8. And it came to pass when he had been there for a long time [Heb. When the days were become enlighten or become long to him there] that Abimelech the king of Philistine looked out at the window and he saw that behold Isaac was spotting with his wife Rebecca [understand that he was using some familiar though honest gesture by which the king might easily conjecture that they were man and wife together.]

9. Then Abimelech called upon Isaac and said truly lo she is thy wife how hast thou said then she is my sister? And Isaac said to him for I have said to him for I said [viz. by myself, that is, I thought see above chapter 20 on verse 11] lets peradventure I die for her sake.

10. And Abimelech said what this that thou hast done to us is? Lightly one of these people might be lain by thy wife so that thou wouldst brought a guilt over or upon us [that is misdeed or iniquity deserving punishment see above chapter 20.9]

11. And Abimelech commanded all people saying who so toucheth [that is doth hurt or wrong unto whether in words or deeds in holy body honor or goods touching is likewise used thus for damaging or wrong below verse 29 Joshua 9:19 Ruth 2.9Job 1.11 Psalms 105:15 and Zachariah 2.8.] this man or his wife shall surely be put to death [Heb. Dying be put to death or put to death by death.]

12. And Isaac sowed in that same land, and he found [that is he got, received, reaped] in the same year an hundred measure; [that is, for one measure which he had sowed, he received an hundred in the harvest. The Hebrew word does signify a public known measure of the dry wares.] For the LORD blessed him.

13. And that man became great [that is rich and mighty as above chapter 24.35] yea he became or waxed greater throughout [Heb. He went gaping or becoming great see the like phrase chapter 8.3 2 Samuel 3:1 and Jonah 1.11in the annotations] until he was become very great.

14. And he had possession of sheep and possession of oxen [that is store of small and great cattle see above chapter 12 on verse16] and a great household service [that is abundance of servants and attendants for his several employments about his cattle his grounds pasture cornfields vineyards gardens orchards see Job 1:3] so that the philistines envied him.

15. And the entire well which his fathers servants had digged in the days of the father Abraham [see above chapter 21.25] those philistines stopped and filled them up with earth [Heb. With dust.]

16. Also Abimelech said Isaac go from us [Heb. From with us] for thou art grown much mightier than we.

17. Then Isaac went from thence and he leagued himself [see the like phrase below chapter 33.18 and elsewhere] in the vale of the Gerar [that is in the lower country at some distance thence] and dwelt there.

18. And now when Isaac was returned again he digged up again [Heb. And Isaac returned and digged up others and Isaac digged again] those wells of water which they had digged in Abrahams his father time and which the Philistines had stepped up after the death and he called their names after the names whereby his father had named them.

19. the servants of Isaac digged in the vale and they found a well thereof the living waters [that is such as came forth from hidden veins underground and were ever springing with clear fresh and wholesome water to drink compare Leviticus 14:5 ,50 and chapter 15.13 numbers 19.17 Song of Solomon 4:15.]

20. And the herdsmen of the Gerar contended with Isaacs herdsmen saying this water belong to us therefore he called [namely Isaac] and the name of that well is Esek [that is strife contention] because they have been striving and contending about it.

21. Then they digged another well an there were likewise contented over therefore this name sitna [that is enmity hate and resistance from this word Satan hath his name signifying an adversary a hater.]

22. and he broke up another from whence and digged another well and they contended not over the same therefore called the name Rahoboth [that is enlargements spreading] and said for now the LORD hath made room for us and we are grown in his land [others that we may grow or we shall grow .]

23. After that he went up from thence [viz. out of the valley of Gerar] to Berseba [where his father had lived a long time see above chapter 21.31, 32, 33.]

24. And the Lord appeared to him in that night [to wit when he was new to come to Berseba god tarried not long behind with his comfort] and said I am the God of Abraham [see above chapter 17.7] thy father [to whom I have past my word and promise as likewise her hath accepted of the same see below chapter 31 verse 5, 42] be not afraid [to wit of the Philistines compare above chapter 15.1] for I am with thee [see chapter 21 on verse 22] and I will bless thee and multiply thy seed for the sake of Abraham my servant [that is not for his merits but for the covenants sake which I have made him with him.]

25. Then he built an altar there [to shew thereby that he would serve and worship no other God but the god of his father Abraham] and called upon the name of the Lord [see above chapter 4 on verse 26] and he pitched his tents there and Isaacs servants digged a well there.

26. And Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Abuzzath his friend and Pitchl his chieftain of war [see above chapter 21.22 this Phichol should seem to have been another f the same name some are of opinion that this name Pichol was common to the commanders in the chiefs or generals of the country even as the name Abimelech to the king thereof .]

27. And Isaac said to them whereore are ye com to me seeing ye hate me and have sent me away from ye? [See above on verse 16.]

28. And they said: We have apparently seen [Heb. seeing we have seen] that the Lord is with thee; therefore we said: Let there be an oath now between us [an oath or curse. See above chapter 14.23 on verse 41.] between us and between thee; and let us make a covenant with thee. [See above chapter 15 on verse 10, 17, 18.]

29. If thou do ill with us as we have not [or according as we have not &c. and according as we have &c. a form of swearing wherein the imprecation or punishment is omitted se above chapter 14 on verse 23] touched thee [that is have not done thee the least hurt see above verse 11 but of the contrary see verse 14,15,16] and even as we have only done good t thee and have suffered thee to go away in peace [that is we did not hurt neither to thy self nor to thy family nor to thy goods] thou art now the blessed of the Lord [this seems to be an abrupt speech implying thus much since God hath blest thee so abundantly thou oughtest not to remember the small annoyance shewed thee.]

30. Then he made them a feast and they did eat and drink.

31. And they rose up early in the morning and swear to one another [Heb. The man of his brother] after that Isaac had let them go and they went from him in peace.

32. And it happened on that day that Isaacs servants came and brought him word about the well that the had digged [see verse 5] and they said to him we have found water.

33. And he named the same Seba [Heb. Sebiba that oath see above chapter 21 on verse 31] therefore the name of then city is Beersheba [the oath well or well of oath above chapter 21 verse 31 it is said that the country was Abimelech made there the one to the other but here mention is made of a city in that country which likewise got this name from the oath of Isaac and Abimelech] unto this same day.

34. Now when Esau was forty years old [Heb a son of forty years the same age his father was of when he married above chapter 5.20] he took to wife Judith [Heb. Jehudith some hold this to have been the same which below chapter 36 verse 2 is called Aholibama so that it seems she had two names as her father likewise had being called Beeri here and chapter 36.2 Anah yet they may well have been two several women it being plain that Esau was sufficiently to the abuse of having several wives together] the daughters of Beeri the Hethite [one of the nations of Canaan see above chapter 10.15 These matches Esau entered into without contrary to the will and pleasure of his parents see above chapter 24 verse 3 and below chapter 27.46 and chapter 28.2] and Basmath [below chapter 36 verse 2 called Adah] and daughter of Elon the Hethite.

35. And these were the bitterness of the spirits of Isaac and Rebecca [in regard namely of 1. The abominable idolatry 2. Their ill vain worldly spiteful and wordful conditions and 3. That there were the issue of an accursed nation and generation whom God determined to destroy and extirpate.]