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Genesis 26

Gen 26, Ge 26, Gn 26


Genesis 26

1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.



19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.

24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.

27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.

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

31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.

33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.

34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

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Summary and the Meaning of Genesis 26 in the KJV Holy Bible

Genesis 26 is a continuation of the story of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and his family. This chapter focuses on the events that take place in the life of Isaac, including his interactions with the Philistines, his blessings from God, and his relationship with his wife, Rebekah. The main themes of this chapter include faith, obedience, and God's faithfulness to His promises. Through the story of Isaac, we can learn valuable lessons about trusting in God and following His will for our lives.

The Context of Genesis 26

Before delving into the events of Genesis 26, it is important to understand the context in which this chapter takes place. In the previous chapters, we learn about the life of Abraham and how God made a covenant with him, promising to make him the father of many nations. Abraham's wife, Sarah, was barren for many years, but God miraculously allowed her to conceive and give birth to Isaac, the promised son. In Genesis 22, we see God testing Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac, but ultimately providing a ram for the sacrifice instead.

Now, in Genesis 26, we see the focus shift to Isaac, the son of promise. He is now a grown man, married to Rebekah, and living in the land of Canaan. This chapter follows the events that take place in Isaac's life, as he faces challenges and blessings from God.

Isaac and the Philistines

The first part of Genesis 26 tells us about a famine that occurred in the land of Canaan. In response to this famine, Isaac decides to go to Gerar, the land of the Philistines. However, God appears to Isaac and tells him not to go to Egypt, but to stay in the land of Canaan, the land that God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants.

Isaac obeys God's command and stays in Gerar. However, when he arrives, he tells the people that Rebekah is his sister, out of fear that they will kill him because of her beauty. This is similar to what Abraham did with Sarah in Egypt (Genesis 12). The king of Gerar, Abimelech, discovers the truth and confronts Isaac about it. Isaac explains that he did it out of fear, and Abimelech warns his people not to harm Isaac or Rebekah.

Despite this initial deception, Isaac and his family are treated well by the Philistines. However, the Philistines become jealous of Isaac's wealth and success, and they begin to fill in the wells that Abraham had dug. This was a significant act of aggression, as water was a precious resource in the desert. Isaac decides to move away from the Philistines and digs new wells, but each time, the Philistines claim the water as their own.

Finally, Isaac digs a well that the Philistines do not claim, and he names it Rehoboth, meaning "room" or "spaciousness." This well symbolizes the peace and prosperity that God has given to Isaac, despite the challenges he faced with the Philistines. This story shows us the importance of trusting in God and His promises, even when we face difficulties and opposition from others.

God's Blessings to Isaac

As Isaac continues to live in Gerar, God blesses him with great wealth and prosperity. The Philistines become envious of his success and ask him to leave. Isaac moves to the valley of Gerar and settles there. He continues to prosper, and his wealth grows even more. He also reopens the wells that his father Abraham had dug, which the Philistines had filled in.

God appears to Isaac and reaffirms His promise to bless him and make him the father of many nations. This is a reminder of the covenant that God made with Abraham, and how it is now being fulfilled through Isaac. God also promises to be with Isaac and bless him wherever he goes.

Isaac builds an altar and worships God, acknowledging His faithfulness and blessings. This is a significant act, as it shows Isaac's faith and gratitude towards God. It also serves as a reminder to us to always give thanks to God for His blessings in our lives.

Isaac and Rebekah's Relationship

The final part of Genesis 26 focuses on the relationship between Isaac and Rebekah. We see that they face challenges in their marriage, as Rebekah is barren, just like Sarah was. Isaac prays to God on behalf of his wife, and God answers his prayer by allowing Rebekah to conceive.

Rebekah gives birth to twin boys, Esau and Jacob. This is significant because it fulfills God's promise to make Isaac the father of many nations. However, we also see a glimpse of the future conflict between the two brothers, as they struggle in the womb and are born with different personalities and preferences.

This part of the chapter also highlights the importance of prayer and trusting in God's timing. Isaac and Rebekah had to wait for many years before they were able to have children, but they remained faithful and prayed to God, and He answered their prayers in His perfect timing.

The Meaning of Genesis 26

Through the story of Isaac in Genesis 26, we can learn valuable lessons about faith, obedience, and God's faithfulness to His promises. Isaac's life serves as an example of how we should trust in God and follow His will for our lives, even when we face challenges and opposition from others.

One of the main themes of this chapter is faith. We see how Isaac's faith in God's promises and his obedience to God's commands led to blessings and prosperity in his life. Despite the challenges he faced, Isaac remained faithful and trusted in God, and God was faithful to His promises to bless him and make him the father of many nations.

Another important theme is obedience. Isaac's obedience to God's command not to go to Egypt, and his decision to stay in the land of Canaan, led to God's blessings and protection in his life. This is a reminder to us that obedience to God's will is always the best choice, even when it may not make sense to us at the time.

Lastly, we see God's faithfulness to His promises. Throughout the chapter, we see how God fulfills His promise to bless Isaac and make him the father of many nations. This is a reminder to us that God is always faithful to His promises, and we can trust in Him to fulfill them in His perfect timing.

Overall, Genesis 26 teaches us the importance of faith, obedience, and trusting in God's faithfulness. It also shows us the power of prayer and the importance of giving thanks to God for His blessings in our lives. As we continue to read the story of Isaac and his family in the following chapters, we will see how these themes continue to play out and how God's plan for His people unfolds.



This article is informed by the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the authors' personal knowledge, considerations and experience, and additional materials and resources available in internet.

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