Passage

Genesis 26

Book: Genesis · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar. 2. And Jehovah 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 lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4. and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; 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, 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 because of her. 10. And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? One of the people might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. 11. And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. 12. And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold: and Jehovah blessed him. 13. And the man waxed great, and grew more and more until he became very great: 14. and he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great household: and the Philistines envied him. 15. Now all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth. 16. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. 17. And Isaac departed thence, and encamped 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 herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21. And they digged another well, and they 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 Jehovah hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. 23. And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. 24. And Jehovah 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 Jehovah, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well. 26. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his host. 27. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore are ye come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? 28. And they said, We saw plainly that Jehovah was with thee: and we said, Let there now be 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 Jehovah. 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 Shibah: therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day. 34. And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 35. and they were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah." (Genesis 26:1-35, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2. Yahweh appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about. 3. 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. 4. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring will all the nations of the earth be blessed, 5. because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” 6. Isaac lived in Gerar. 7. 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.” 8. 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. 9. 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.’” 10. 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!” 11. Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” 12. Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him. 13. The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great. 14. He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him. 15. 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. 16. Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go from us, for you are much mightier than we.” 17. Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there. 18. 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. 19. Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. 20. The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21. They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. He called its name Sitnah. 22. He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” 23. He went up from there to Beersheba. 24. Yahweh 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.” 25. He built an altar there, and called on Yahweh’s name, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well. 26. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army. 27. Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?” 28. They said, “We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you, 29. 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 Yahweh.” 30. He made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31. They rose up some time in the morning, and swore to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. 32. 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.” 33. He called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day. 34. 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. 35. They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits." (Genesis 26:1-35, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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. ^{received: Heb. found} 13. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: ^{went: Heb. went going} 14. For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. ^{servants: or, husbandry} 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. ^{springing: Heb. living} 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. ^{Esek: that is, Contention} 21. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. ^{Sitnah: that is, Hatred} 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. ^{Rehoboth: that is Room} 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; ^{We saw: Heb. Seeing we saw} 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. ^{That: Heb. If thou shalt} 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. ^{Shebah: That is, an oath} ^{Beersheba: that is, the well of the oath} 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. ^{a grief: Heb. bitterness of spirit}" (Genesis 26:1-35, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And there is a famine in the land, besides the first famine which was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac goeth unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2. And Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith, 'Go not down towards Egypt, tabernacle in the land concerning which I speak unto thee, 3. sojourn in this land, and I am with thee, and bless thee, for to thee and to thy seed I give all these lands, and I have established the oath which I have sworn to Abraham thy father; 4. and I have multiplied thy seed as stars of the heavens, and I have given to thy seed all these lands; and blessed themselves in thy seed have all nations of the earth; 5. because that Abraham hath hearkened to My voice, and keepeth My charge, My commands, My statutes, and My laws.' 6. And Isaac dwelleth in Gerar; 7. and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he saith, 'She [is] my sister:' for he hath been afraid to say, 'My wife, lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she [is] of good appearance.' 8. And it cometh to pass, when the days have been prolonged to him there, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looketh through the window, and seeth, and lo, Isaac is playing with Rebekah his wife. 9. And Abimelech calleth for Isaac, and saith, 'Lo, she [is] surely thy wife; and how hast thou said, She [is] my sister?' and Isaac saith unto him, 'Because I said, Lest I die for her.' 10. And Abimelech saith, 'What [is] this thou hast done to us? as a little thing one of the people had lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us guilt;' 11. and Abimelech commandeth all the people, saying, 'He who cometh against this man or against his wife, dying doth die.' 12. And Isaac soweth in that land, and findeth in that year a hundredfold, and Jehovah blesseth him; 13. and the man is great, and goeth on, going on and becoming great, till that he hath been very great, 14. and he hath possession of a flock, and possession of a herd, and an abundant service; and the Philistines envy him, 15. and all the wells which his father's servants digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines have stopped them, and fill them with dust. 16. And Abimelech saith unto Isaac, 'Go from us; for thou hast become much mightier than we;' 17. and Isaac goeth from thence, and encampeth in the valley of Gerar, and dwelleth there; 18. and Isaac turneth back, and diggeth the wells of water which they digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines do stop after the death of Abraham, and he calleth to them names according to the names which his father called them. 19. And Isaac's servants dig in the valley, and find there a well of living water, 20. and shepherds of Gerar strive with shepherds of Isaac, saying, 'The water [is] ours;' and he calleth the name of the well 'Strife,' because they have striven habitually with him; 21. and they dig another well, and they strive also for it, and he calleth its name 'Hatred.' 22. And he removeth from thence, and diggeth another well, and they have not striven for it, and he calleth its name Enlargements, and saith, 'For, now hath Jehovah given enlargement to us, and we have been fruitful in the land.' 23. And he goeth up from thence [to] Beer-Sheba, 24. and Jehovah appeareth unto him during that night, and saith, 'I [am] the God of Abraham thy father, fear not, for I [am] with thee, and have blessed thee, and have multiplied thy seed, because of Abraham My servant;' 25. and he buildeth there an altar, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah, and stretcheth out there his tent, and there Isaac's servants dig a well. 26. And Abimelech hath gone unto him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol head of his host; 27. and Isaac saith unto them, 'Wherefore have ye come unto me, and ye have hated me, and ye send me away from you?' 28. And they say, 'We have certainly seen that Jehovah hath been with thee, and we say, 'Let there be, we pray thee, an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; 29. do not evil with us, as we have not touched thee, and as we have only done good with thee, and send thee away in peace; thou [art] now blessed of Jehovah.' 30. And he maketh for them a banquet, and they eat and drink, 31. and rise early in the morning, and swear one to another, and Isaac sendeth them away, and they go from him in peace. 32. And it cometh to pass during that day that Isaac's servants come and declare to him concerning the circumstances of the well which they have digged, and say to him, 'We have found water;' 33. and he calleth it Shebah, [oath,] therefore the name of the city [is] Beer-Sheba, [well of the oath,] unto this day. 34. And Esau is a son of forty years, and he taketh a wife, Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35. and they are a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah." (Genesis 26:1-35, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Hittite Empire Discovery

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.