Genesis 26

Genesis 26 General Notes

Special concepts in this chapter
Trust

When things in the land were bad, Isaac did not trust in Yahweh. Instead, he ran to the safety of Egypt. Even when Abraham's descendants did not trust in Yahweh's faithfulness to fulfill his covenant, Yahweh remained faithful to his covenant and blessed Isaac. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#trust, /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#faithful and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#fulfill and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant)

Wells

In the ancient Near East, wells were very important strategically. Therefore, they were a sign of power and a sign of God's blessing being upon Isaac.

Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
"She is my sister"

Isaac was afraid the Egyptians would see him as a foreigner and upon seeing his beautiful wife, they would try to kill him. This would free Rebekah to marry someone else. Apparently, it would have been easy for them to kill a foreigner without punishment. If she was Isaac's sister, they would have shown favor to him. This is the same thing his father, Abraham, did. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#favor)

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Genesis 26:1

Now

This word is used here to mark a new part of the story.

a famine happened

"there was a famine" or "there was another famine"

in the land

You can state explicitly the land to which this refers. Alternate translation: "in the land where Isaac and his family lived" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

that had been in the days of Abraham

"that had happened during Abraham's life" or "that had happened while Abraham was alive"

Genesis 26:2

General Information:

Yahweh begins to speak to Isaac.

appeared to him

"appeared to Isaac"

Do not go down to Egypt

It was common to speak of leaving the promised land as "going down" to another place. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

Genesis 26:3

for to you and to your descendants, I will give all these lands

"for I will give all these lands to you and your descendants"

I will fulfill the oath that I swore to Abraham your father

"I will do what I promised Abraham your father I would do"

Genesis 26:4

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking to Isaac.

I will multiply your descendants

"I will cause you to have very many descendants."

like the stars of heaven

This speaks about the number of Isaac's descendants as if they were the same as the number of stars. See how you translated this in Genesis 22:17. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-simile)

heaven

This refers to everything we see above the earth, including the sun, moon, and stars.

all the nations of the earth will be blessed

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "I will bless all the nations of the earth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 26:5

Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my instructions, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws

The phrases "obeyed my voice" and "kept my instructions, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" mean basically the same thing. Alternate translation: "Abraham obeyed me and did everything I commanded him to do" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-parallelism)

obeyed my voice

Here "voice" stands for Yahweh. Alternate translation: "obeyed me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

Genesis 26:6

So Isaac settled in Gerar

Only Isaac is mentioned because he is the leader of the family, but his whole family was with him. Alternate translation: "So Isaac and his family settled in Gerar" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 26:7

He feared to say

Here "fear" refers to the unpleasant feeling a person has when there is a threat of harm to himself or others. "He was afraid to say"

to get Rebekah

"in order to take Rebekah"

Genesis 26:8

He saw, behold, Isaac

The word "behold" shows that what Abimelech saw surprised him. Alternate translation: "And he was surprised to see that Isaac"

was caressing Rebekah

Possible meanings are 1) he was touching her the way a husband touches his wife or 2) he was laughing and talking with her the way a husband talks with his wife.

Genesis 26:9

Abimelek called Isaac to him

Abimelek probably sent someone to tell Isaac that Abimelek wanted to see him. Alternate translation: "Abimelek sent someone to bring Isaac to him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?

This is a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: "Why did you say that she is your sister?" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotesinquotes and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotations)

to get her

"so he could take her"

Genesis 26:10

What is this you have done to us?

Abimelech used this question to scold Isaac. Alternate translation: "You should not have done this to us!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)

might easily have lain with your wife

The word "lain" here is a euphemism for "had sexual relations." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)

you would have brought guilt upon us

This speaks about causing someone to be guilty as if "guilt" were an object that is placed on someone. Alternate translation: "you would have caused us to be guilty of taking a man's wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

upon us

Here "us" refers to Abimelech and his people. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-exclusive)

Genesis 26:11

Whoever touches this man

Here "touches" means to touch in a harmful way. Alternate translation: "Whoever harms this man" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

will surely be put to death

Abimelech may have intended to tell someone to kill anyone who might harm Isaac or Rebekah. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "I will put him to death" or "I will order my men to kill him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 26:12

General Information:

This begins a new part of the story. It changes from telling about Isaac calling Rebekah his sister, and it starts to tell about how Isaac became very rich and the Philistines were jealous of him.

in that land

"in Gerar"

a hundredfold

This means "one hundred times as much as he planted." It can be translated more generally as "a very large crop." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)

Genesis 26:13

The man became rich

"Isaac became rich" or "He became rich"

grew more and more until he became very great

"he gained more and more until he became very wealthy"

Genesis 26:14

sheep

This may also include goats. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

a large household

Here "household" stands for workers or servants. Alternate translation: "many servants" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

The Philistines envied him

"The Philistines were jealous of him"

Genesis 26:15

Now

Here this word does not mean "at this moment." It is indicating where the action in the story begins. It can be translated with the connecting word "So" to show that this is a result of what happened in Genesis 26:12-14. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-connectingwords)

in the days of Abraham his father

The phrase "in the days of" stands for a person's lifetime. Alternate translation: "when Abraham, his father, was living" or "during his father Abraham's lifetime"

Genesis 26:16

Abimelek said

Possible meanings are 1) this is another action to force Isaac and his people to leave. Alternate translation: "Then Abimelek said" or "Finally Abimelek said" or 2) Abimelek made this decision because he saw that his people were jealous and acting in a hostile way towards Isaac. Alternate translation: "Therefore Abimelek said" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-connectingwords)

much mightier than we

"much stronger than we are"

Genesis 26:17

So Isaac departed

Only Isaac is mentioned because he is the leader, but his family and servants went with him. Alternate translation: "So Isaac and his household left" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 26:18

Isaac dug out

Here "Isaac" stands for Isaac and his servants. Alternate translation: "Isaac and his servants dug out" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

which they had dug

"which Abraham's servants had dug"

in the days of Abraham his father

"during his father Abraham's lifetime" or "when Abraham, his father, was living"

The Philistines had stopped them up

This was the reason that Isaac dug them out. Possible ways to translate this are: 1) Since this happened first, this sentence can come before the sentence about Isaac digging them out, as in the UDB. or 2) This sentence can start with "Isaac did this because the Philistines had stopped them up." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-events)

had stopped them up

"had filled them with earth"

Genesis 26:19

flowing water

This phrase refers to a natural spring they uncovered when they were digging a new well. It provided a continuous flow of fresh drinking water. Alternate translation: "fresh water" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

Genesis 26:20

herdsmen

men who tended livestock

This water is ours

Here "ours" refers to the herdsmen of Gerar. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-exclusive)

Esek

Translators may also add a footnote that says "The name Esek means 'quarrel' or 'argue.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 26:21

Then they dug

"Then Isaac's servants dug"

they quarreled

"the herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac's herdsmen"

so he gave it

"so Isaac gave it"

Sitnah

Translators may add a footnote that says "The name Sitnah means 'oppose' or 'accuse.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 26:22

Rehoboth

Translators may add a footnote that says "The name Rehoboth means 'make room for' or 'empty place.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

us ... we

Isaac was speaking about himself and his household.

Genesis 26:23

Isaac went up from there to Beersheba

Here "went up" is probably a reference to going north. Say that he departed in the most natural way for your language. Alternate translation: "Isaac left there and went to Beersheba"

Genesis 26:24

multiply your descendants

"will cause your descendants to increase greatly" or "will cause your descendants to be very many"

for my servant Abraham's sake

"for my servant Abraham" or you can make the full meaning explicit. Alternate translation: "because I promised my servant Abraham that I would do this" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 26:25

Isaac built an altar there

You can make explicit why Isaac built an altar. Alternate translation: "Isaac built an altar there to sacrifice to Yahweh" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

called on the name of Yahweh

To "call on" means to pray or to worship. Here "name" stands for Yahweh. Alternate translation: "prayed to Yahweh" or "worshiped Yahweh" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

Genesis 26:26

went to him

"went to Isaac"

Ahuzzath

This is the name of a man. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

his friend

Possible meanings are 1) "Abimelech's friend" or 2) "Abimelech's advisor."

Phicol

This is the name of a man. See how you translated his name in Genesis 21:22. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 26:27

General Information:

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Genesis 26:28

they said

This refers to Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phicol. One of them spoke and the other two agreed with what he said. It does not mean they all spoke at the same time. Alternate translation: "one of them said"

We have clearly seen

"We know" or "We are certain"

So let us make a covenant

"So we want to make a covenant"

Genesis 26:29

and as we have treated you well

This can also be translated as the beginning of a new sentence. "We have done only good to you"

you are blessed by Yahweh

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Yahweh has blessed you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 26:30

Isaac made a feast for them, and they ate and drank

Eating a meal together was a part of making a covenant with one another. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

for them

Here "them" refers to "Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phicol"

they ate

Here "they" refers to Isaac, Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phicol. Alternate translation: "they all ate"

Genesis 26:31

They rose early

"They awoke early"

Genesis 26:32

General Information:

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Genesis 26:33

He called the well Shibah

"So he called the well Shibah." Translators may add a footnote that says "The name Shibah sounds like the word that means 'oath.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Beersheba

Translators may add a footnote saying "Beersheba can mean either "well of the oath" or "well of seven." (See note on Genesis 21:32)

Genesis 26:34

General Information:

Most of Genesis 26 was about Isaac. These verses are about his older son Esau.

forty

"40" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)

he took a wife

"he married." You can state explicitly that he married two women. Alternate translation: "he took two wives" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Judith ... Basemath

These are the names of Esau's wives. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Beeri ... Elon

These are names of men. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

the Hittite

"the descendant of Heth" or "a descendant of Heth." The Hittite people were the descendants of Heth. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 26:35

They brought sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah

Here "they" refers to Judith and Basemath. To make someone sorrowful or miserable is spoken of as if "sorrow" were an object that a person could bring to another person. Alternate translation: "They made Isaac and Rebekah sorrowful" or "Isaac and Rebekah were miserable because of them" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)