Genesis 26

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

"in the land where Isaac and his family lived"

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

appeared to him

"appeared to Isaac"

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

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.

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

"I will bless all the nations of the earth"

Genesis 26:5

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

"Abraham obeyed me and did everything I commanded him to do"

Genesis 26:6

So Isaac settled in Gerar

"So Isaac and his family settled in Gerar"

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

"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 sent someone to bring Isaac to him"

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

"Why did you say that she is your sister?"

to get her

"so he could take her"

Genesis 26:10

What is this you have done to us?

"You should not have done this to us!"

might easily have lain with your wife

The word "lain" here is a euphemism for "had sexual relations."

you would have brought guilt upon us

"you would have caused us to be guilty of taking a man's wife"

upon us

Here "us" refers to Abimelech and his people.

Genesis 26:11

Whoever touches this man

"Whoever harms this man"

will surely be put to death

"I will put him to death" or "I will order my men to kill him"

Genesis 26:12

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."

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.

a large household

"many servants"

The Philistines envied him

"The Philistines were jealous of him"

Genesis 26:15

in the days of Abraham his father

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

Genesis 26:16

Abimelek said

"Therefore 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.

much mightier than we

"much stronger than we are"

Genesis 26:17

So Isaac departed

"So Isaac and his household left"

Genesis 26:18

Isaac dug out

"Isaac and his servants dug out"

The Philistines had filled them with earth

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, or 2) This sentence can start with "Isaac did this because the Philistines had stopped them up."

Genesis 26:19

flowing water

"fresh water"

Genesis 26:20

herdsmen

men who tended livestock

This water is ours

Here "ours" refers to the herdsmen of Gerar.

Esek

Translators may also add a footnote that says "The name Esek means 'quarrel' or 'argue.'"

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.'"

Genesis 26:22

Rehoboth

Translators may add a footnote that says "The name Rehoboth means 'make room for' or 'empty place.'"

us ... we

Isaac was speaking about himself and his household.

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

"because I promised my servant Abraham that I would do this"

Genesis 26:25

Isaac built an altar there

"Isaac built an altar there to sacrifice to Yahweh"

called on the name of Yahweh

"prayed to Yahweh" or "worshiped Yahweh"

Genesis 26:26

went to him

"went to Isaac"

Ahuzzath

This is the name of a man.

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.

Genesis 26:28

they said

"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

"We have done only good to you"

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.

for them

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

they ate

"they all ate"

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.'"

Beersheba

Translators may add a footnote saying "Beersheba can mean either "well of the oath" or "well of seven."

Genesis 26:34

he took a wife

"he took two wives"

Judith ... Basemath

These are the names of Esau's wives.

Beeri ... Elon

These are names of men.

the Hittite

"the descendant of Heth" or "a descendant of Heth." The Hittite people were the descendants of Heth.

Genesis 26:35

They brought sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah

"They made Isaac and Rebekah sorrowful" or "Isaac and Rebekah were miserable because of them"