Genesis 26

1 Now there was another [a subsequent] famine [a severe scarcity of food, a time of hunger] in the land [the earth, a country or region], subsequent to [besides, in addition to] the one that had occurred [happened, existed] in Abraham’s [the father of the faithful, a key figure] time [day, period of life]. And Isaac [he laughs, a son of Abraham] went [walked, traveled] to Abimelech [a king of the Philistines, a ruler] king of the Philistines [a people group, inhabitants of Philistia] at [toward, in the direction of] Gerar [a city, a place of encounter]. word study 2 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared [in a vision, came to] to Isaac and said, “Do not [let it not be, refrain from] go down [descend, journey] to Egypt [the land of the Nile, a country in northeastern Africa]. Settle [dwell, reside] in the land [the earth, a region] where I tell [speak, command] you. word study 3 Stay [sojourn, dwell temporarily] in this land [region, country] as a foreigner [alien, stranger], and I will be [exist, come into being] with you [together, in companionship] and bless [praise, honor] you. For I will give [bestow, grant] all these lands [countries, territories] to you and your offspring [seed, descendants], and I will confirm [establish, fulfill] the oath [promise, vow] that I swore [made a solemn promise] to your father [parent, ancestor] Abraham [the father of faith]. word study 4 I will make your descendants [as numerous as the stars of heaven] as numerous as the stars in the sky [the celestial heavens], and I will give them [to possess and inherit] all these lands [countries and territories], and through your offspring [seed, posterity] all nations [Gentiles, people of the earth] of the earth will be blessed [praised, honored, and made thankful], word study 5 because Abraham [the father of faith] listened [obeyed, hearkened] to My voice [the sound of God’s speaking] and kept [obeyed, guarded] My charge [My requirements], My commandments [My laws], My statutes [My ordinances], and My laws [My instructions].” word study 6 So Isaac [the son of Abraham, he laughs] settled [dwelt, lived, stayed] in Gerar [a city of the Philistines, south of Gaza] [as a resident, to remain]. word study 7 But when the men [people, individuals] of that place [location, region] asked about his wife [woman, spouse], he said, “She is my sister [relative, kin].” For he was afraid [feared, had reverence] to say, “She is my wife [spouse, partner],” since he thought to himself, “The men [people, inhabitants] of this place [city, area] will kill me [slay, destroy] on account of Rebekah [the beautiful one], because she is [was considered] so beautiful [pleasant to look at, lovely].” word study 8 When Isaac [the son of Abraham, he laughs] had been there [in the land of the Philistines, for a long time] a long time, Abimelech [a king of the Philistines, a non-Israelite ruler] king of the Philistines [a people group, the enemies of Israel] looked down [gazed, peeped] from the window [an opening in the wall, a place of observation] and was surprised [amazed, astonished] to see Isaac caressing [lovingly fondling, playing with] his wife [his female partner, companion] Rebekah [the mother of Esau and Jacob]. word study 9 Abimelech [the Philistine king] sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really [certainly, without a doubt] your wife [woman, spouse]! How could you say, ‘She is my [biological] sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought [feared, was afraid] I might die [perish, lose my life] on account of her [because of my relationship with her, for her sake].” word study 10 “What [in the world, this act] is this you have done to us [causing potential harm]?” asked Abimelech [the Philistine king]. “One [a single individual] of the people [nation, community] could easily have slept [had intimate relations, lain] with your wife [woman, partner], and you would have brought [caused, led to] guilt [sin, fault, offense] upon us [our community, nation].” word study 11 So Abimelech [the Philistine king] warned [commanded, charged] all the people, saying, “Whoever [anyone who] harms [touches, strikes] this man [Isaac, the patriarch] or his wife [Rebekah, his female companion] will surely [without a doubt, certainly] be put to death [executed, killed].” word study 12 Now Isaac [son of Abraham, heir of the promise] sowed [planted seed, scattered with hope] seed in the land [the earth, a country], and that very year [a period of time, a season of growth] he reaped [harvested, gathered] a hundredfold [a large quantity, 100 times more]. And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] blessed [praised, honored] him [with divine favor, prosperity], word study 13 and he became [exceedingly, very] richer and richer [grew more and more], until he was [very, greatly] exceedingly wealthy [great, increased in possessions]. word study 14 He owned [possessed, had control of] so many [a great multitude of] flocks [sheep and goats, livestock] and herds [cattle, domesticated animals] and servants [household staff, workers] that the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia, a rival nation] envied [were jealous of, felt envious towards] him. word study 15 So the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia, a neighboring region] took dirt [dust, dry earth] and stopped up [closed, blocked] all the wells [water-holes, springs] that his father’s [Abraham’s, his earthly father] servants [slaves, attendants] had dug [searched, excavated] in the days [time, period] of his father Abraham [the patriarch, father of the faithful]. word study 16 Then Abimelech [the Philistine king] said to Isaac [he laughs, son of Abraham], “Depart [go away, leave] from us, for you are much [exceedingly, greatly] too powerful [mightier, stronger] for us [than we are, in comparison to us].” word study 17 So Isaac [the son of Abraham, he laughs] left that place [thence, from there] and encamped [pitched his tent, set up camp] in the Valley [brook, river] of Gerar [a city in the land of the Philistines] and settled [dwelt, remained] there [in that location, at that time]. word study 18 Isaac [the son of Abraham, meaning ‘he laughs’] reopened [digged again, unblocked] the wells [water sources, springs] that had been dug [excavated, searched out] in the days [period of time, era] of his father Abraham [the father of faith, the patriarch], which the Philistines [a non-Israelite people, immigrants from other places] had stopped up [blocked, closed] after Abraham died [passed away, experienced death]. And he gave these wells [water-holes, pits] the same names [identities, designations] his father had given them [called them, named them]. word study 19 Then Isaac’s [servant of God, devoted to Him] servants [attendants, those who serve] dug [searched deeply, excavated] in the valley [brook, small river] and found [discovered, attained] a well [spring, source] of fresh [living, flowing] water [liquid refreshment, spiritual life] there [in that place, at that time]. word study 20 But the herdsmen [shepherds, those who care for animals] of Gerar [a city in the land of the Philistines] quarreled [strived, contended] with Isaac’s [son of Abraham, meaning ‘he laughs’] herdsmen and said, “The water [source of refreshment] is ours [belongs to us]!” So he named the well [spring, source of water] Esek [meaning contention, dispute], because they contended [strived, quarreled] with him [in opposition, in conflict]. word study 21 Then they dug [searched deeply, excavated] another [next, different] well [water source, spring] and quarreled [argued, contended] over that one also [too, even]; so he named [called out to, identified] it Sitnah [strife, opposition, enmity]. word study 22 He moved on [proceeded, went forward] from there and dug [sought, searched for] another [a new, different] well, and they did not quarrel [strive, contend] over it. He named it Rehoboth [wide places, freedom] and said, “At last [now, in this time] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] has made room [enlarged, given space] for us, and we will be fruitful [productive, flourishing] in the land [the earth, our territory].” word study 23 From there [at that point, thence] Isaac went up [to ascend, rose] to Beersheba [the well of the sevenfold oath, Beer-sheba], word study 24 and that night [in the darkness, a time of adversity] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared [was seen, revealed Himself] to him and said, “I am the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of your father Abraham [the father of faith, a key figure in God’s plan]. Do not be afraid [do not fear, have no anxiety], for I am with you [present, accompanying, and guiding you]. I will bless you [bestow good upon you, pronounce you fortunate] and multiply [increase, cause to grow] your descendants [seed, offspring] for the sake of [because of, on account of] My servant [one who serves, a bondservant] Abraham [the father of many nations].” word study 25 So Isaac [the son of Abraham, a man of faith] built [constructed, established] an altar [a place of sacrifice] there and called [invoked, preached] on the name [the character, reputation] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], and he pitched [stretched out, spread] his tent [a temporary dwelling] there. His servants [those who served him, his attendants] also dug [excavated, pierced] a well [a source of water] there. word study 26 Later, Abimelech [a Philistine king] came to Isaac from Gerar [a city in the land of the Philistines], with Ahuzzath [his friend and adviser] his adviser and Phicol [a strong leader] the commander [chief captain, ruler] of his army [a large group of soldiers, a military force]. word study 27 “Why [for what reason, on what account] have you come [approached, drawn near] to me [toward me, in my direction]?” Isaac [he laughs, son of Abraham] asked them [inquired of them, spoke to them]. “You [as a group, collectively] hated [felt intense dislike, were hostile toward] me [toward me, against me] and sent [dismissed, expelled] me away [from your presence, out of your sight].” word study 28 “We can plainly see [clearly perceive, have certainly observed] that the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] has been with [accompanied, blessed, and protected] you,” they replied. “We recommend [suggest, advise] that there should now be an oath [promise, solemn vow] between us and you [a mutual agreement, a covenant]. Let us make [establish, confirm] a covenant [binding agreement, treaty] with you [a promise of peace and friendship] word study 29 that you will not harm [do evil or bad] us, just as we have not harmed [touched or molested] you but have done only good [pleasant and beneficial things] to you, sending you on your way in peace [shalom, completeness and wellness]. And now you are blessed [praised and honored] by the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God].” word study 30 So Isaac prepared [made, had ready] a feast [banquet, celebration] for them, and they ate [devoured, consumed] and drank [partook, imbibed]. word study 31 And they got up [rose betimes] early the next morning [at the break of day] and swore [made a solemn promise, to swear an oath] an oath [a vow, a promise] to each other [one to another, as brothers]. Then Isaac [he laughs, son of Abraham] sent [let them go, departed] them on their way [away, to their own home], and they left [departed, went] him in peace [shalom, completeness and wellness, friendship]. word study 32 On that same day [the very day, during that time], Isaac’s [he laughs, son of Abraham] servants [slaves, attendants] came and told him about the well [water source, spring] they had dug [searched, excavated]. “We have found [discovered, attained] water [refreshment, liquid]!” they told him. word study 33 So he called [named, invoked] it Shibah [oath, sevenfold promise], and to this day [until now, as far as this point in time] the name [identity, character] of the city [town, settlement] is Beersheba [well of the oath, friendship agreement well]. word study 34 When Esau [the hairy one, a son of Isaac] was forty [a significant period of time, often marking a new phase] years old, he took as his wives [married, became husband to] Judith [a Canaanite woman, a Jewess] daughter of Beeri [my well, a Hittite] the Hittite [a descendant of Heth] and Basemath [fragrant, sweet-smelling] daughter of Elon [strong, mighty] the Hittite [a member of a pagan nation]. word study 35 And they brought [a great deal of, a grief of mind] grief [bitterness, trouble, or pain] to Isaac [the father of Esau and Israel, ‘he laughs’] and Rebekah [the wife of Isaac and mother of Esau and Jacob]. word study