John Gill Bible Commentary

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.