The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 26 -

(Genesis 12:1–9)

And there was a famine in the lande besides the first famine that was in the dayes of Abraham. Wherefore Izhak went to Abimelech King of the Philistims vnto Gerar.

For the Lord appeared vnto him, and sayde, Goe not downe into Egypt, but abide in the land which I shall shewe vnto thee.

Dwell in this lande, and I will be with thee, and will blesse thee: for to thee, and to thy seede I will giue all these countreys: and I will performe the othe which I sware vnto Abraham thy father.

Also I wil cause thy seede to multiply as the starres of heauen, and will giue vnto thy seede all these countreys: and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,

Because that Abraham obeyed my voyce and kept mine ordinance, my commandements, my statutes, and my Lawes.

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

So Izhak dwelt in Gerar.

And the men of the place asked him of his wife, and he sayd, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife, least, sayde he, the men of the place shoulde kill me, because of Rebekah: for she was beautifull to the eye.

So after hee had bene there long time, Abimelech King of the Philistims looked out at a windowe, and loe, he sawe Izhak sporting with Rebekah his wife.

Then Abimelech called Izhak, and sayde, Loe, shee is of a suertie thy wife, and why saydest thou, She is my sister? To whom Izhak answered, Because I thought this, It may be that I shall dye for her.

Then Abimelech said, Why hast thou done this vnto vs? one of the people had almost lien by thy wife, so shouldest thou haue brought sinne vpon vs.

Then Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man, or his wife, shall die the death.

Isaac’s Prosperity

Afterwarde Izhak sowed in that lande, and founde in the same yeere an hundreth folde by estimation: and so the Lord blessed him.

And the man waxed mightie, and stil increased, till he was exceeding great,

For he had flockes of sheepe, and heards of cattell, and a mightie housholde: therefore the Philistims had enuy at him.

In so much that the Philistims stopped and filled vp with earth all the welles, which his fathers seruantes digged in his father Abrahams time.

Then Abimelech sayde vnto Izhak, Get thee from vs, for thou art mightier then wee a great deale.

Therefore Izhak departed thence and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

And Izhak returning, digged the welles of water, which they had digged in the dayes of Abraham his father: for the Philistims had stopped them after the death of Abraham, and hee gaue them the same names, which his father gaue them.

Izhaks seruantes then digged in the valley, and found there a well of liuing water.

But the herdmen of Gerar did striue with Izhaks herdmen, saying, The water is ours: therefore called he the name of the well Esek, because they were at strife with him.

Afterwarde they digged another well, and stroue for that also, and he called the name of it Sitnah.

Then he remoued thence, and digged an other well, for the which they stroue not: therefore called hee the name of it Rehoboth, and sayde, Because the Lord hath nowe made vs roome, we shall increase vpon the earth.

So he went vp thence to Beer-sheba.

And the Lord appeared vnto him the same night, and sayde, I am the God of Abraham thy father: feare not, for I am with thee, and wil blesse thee, and will multiplie thy seede for my seruant Abrahams sake.

Then he builte an altar there, and called vpon the Name of the Lord, and there spred his tent: where also Izhaks seruauntes digged a well.

Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

Then came Abimelech to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friendes, and Phichol the captaine of his armie.

To whom Izhak sayd, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate mee and haue put mee away from you?

Who answered, Wee sawe certainely that the Lord was with thee, and wee thought thus, Let there be nowe an othe betweene vs, euen betweene vs and thee, and let vs make a couenant with thee.

If thou shalt do vs no hurt, as we haue not touched thee, and as we haue done vnto thee nothing but good, and sent thee away in peace: thou nowe, the blessed of the Lord, doe this.

Then hee made them a feast, and they dyd eate and drinke.

And they rose vp betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: then Izhak let them go, and they departed from him in peace.

And that same day Izhaks seruantes came and tolde him of a well, which they had digged, and said vnto him, We haue found water.

So hee called it Shibah: therefore the name of the citie is called Beer-sheba vnto this day.

Esau’s Wives

Nowe when Esau was fourtie yeere olde, he tooke to wife Iudith, the daughter of Beeri an Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon an Hittite also.

And they were a griefe of minde to Izhak and to Rebekah.

(Genesis 12:1–9)

There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

The LORD appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about.

Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your offspring, all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed,

because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

Isaac lived in Gerar.

The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”

When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.

Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”

Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”

Isaac’s Prosperity

Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. The LORD blessed him.

The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.

He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.

Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.

Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing

(a)

water.

The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek,(b) because they contended with him.

They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. So he called its name Sitnah.(c)

He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. So he called it Rehoboth.(d) He said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

He went up from there to Beersheba.

The LORD appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”

He built an altar there, and called on the LORD’s name, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Isaac’s Covenant with Abimelech

Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army.

Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?”

They said, “We saw plainly that the LORD was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let’s make a covenant with you,

that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.’ You are now the blessed of the LORD.”

He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.

They rose up some time in the morning, and swore an oath to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

The same day, Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”

He called it “Shibah”.(e) Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba”(f) to this day.

Esau’s Wives

When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits.

Footnotes

(a)26:19 Or, living. Or, fresh.

(b)26:20 “Esek” means “contention”.

(d)26:22 “Rehoboth” means “broad places”.

(e)26:33 Shibah means “oath” or “seven”.

(f)26:33 Beersheba means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven”