Genesis Chapter 26
Showing all 35 verses for Genesis Chapter 26.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"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. "
"There was a famine in the land — a different one from the famine that had happened in Abraham's time. So Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar."
Isaac faces a famine just as his father once did, moving to Gerar for survival. Hardship repeating itself across a generation doesn't mean God has abandoned the family's story; it's often simply the shape ordinary life takes, even for people walking faithfully with Him.
"And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: "
"The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt — stay in the land I will show you.""
God speaks directly to Isaac, redirecting him away from Egypt towards the land of promise. When you're facing hardship and tempted towards the easiest escape, ask God for direction rather than defaulting automatically to what worked for someone else before you.
"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; "
""Stay here as a resident foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you — because I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, fulfilling the oath I swore to your father Abraham.""
God renews the covenant promises specifically to Isaac, not just referring back to Abraham's. Trust that God's promises are personally renewed to you in your own generation, not simply inherited secondhand from someone else's faith.
"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; "
""I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands. Through your descendants, all nations on earth will be blessed.""
God repeats the promise of descendants as numerous as the stars, and blessing for 'all nations' through Isaac's line. Let the scale of God's ambition for good in the world encourage you; His plans are never smaller than the ones He's already spoken to those who came before you.
"Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. "
""Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my instructions, my commands, my rules and my teachings.""
God explicitly credits Abraham's obedience as part of why these blessings continue. Faithfulness lived out in one generation can genuinely shape the blessing available to the next; consider what kind of inheritance your own obedience might be building for those who come after you.
"And Isaac in Gerar: "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"So Isaac settled in Gerar."
Isaac obeys promptly, settling in Gerar as instructed. Simple, immediate obedience to a clear instruction from God is worth far more than an elaborate plan you never actually carry out.
"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. "
"When the local men asked about his wife, Isaac said, "She's my sister" — he was afraid to say she was his wife, thinking, "The men here might kill me because of Rebekah, since she's beautiful.""
Isaac repeats his father's old fear-driven lie about his wife. Old family patterns of fear can be passed down just as easily as blessings; be alert to which inherited habits are worth keeping and which ones need to be broken in your own life.
"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. "
"After Isaac had been there a long time, King Abimelech looked out of a window and saw Isaac being affectionate with his wife Rebekah."
Isaac's deception is eventually exposed by nothing more dramatic than Abimelech glancing out a window. Deception rarely survives contact with ordinary daylight for long; let that be a reason to choose honesty from the very start rather than hoping a lie will simply hold.
"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. "
"Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, "She's clearly your wife! Why did you say she was your sister?" Isaac replied, "Because I thought I might be killed on account of her.""
Abimelech confronts Isaac plainly, and Isaac admits his fear honestly once caught. When you're caught in a wrong, honest acknowledgement of what actually drove you to it is a far better response than further excuses or denial.
"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. "
"Abimelech said, "What have you done to us? Someone could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.""
Abimelech points out how close Isaac's lie came to causing real harm to innocent people. Consider carefully how even a small, self-protective deception can put other people at risk in ways you never intended or foresaw.
"And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. "
"So Abimelech gave an order to all his people: "Anyone who harms this man or his wife will certainly be put to death.""
Abimelech issues a firm decree protecting Isaac and Rebekah from harm. Sometimes real protection for the vulnerable requires a clear, public stand, not just a private good intention.
"Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. "
"Then Isaac planted crops in that land, and that same year he reaped a hundred times what he sowed — the LORD blessed him."
Isaac reaps a hundredfold harvest, and the text is clear: 'the LORD blessed him.' God's blessing can be genuinely present in your life even in a season shadowed by your own recent failure; grace doesn't wait for you to be flawless first.
"And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: "
"The man became increasingly wealthy — he kept growing until he became very great indeed."
Isaac's wealth and influence keep growing steadily over time. Let steady, sustained growth, not just sudden windfalls, be something you recognise and give thanks for as a sign of God's ongoing faithfulness.
"For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. "
"He owned large flocks and herds and had many servants — and the Philistines grew envious of him."
Isaac's prosperity provokes envy among the Philistines around him. Be prepared for the reality that others' resentment can sometimes be the direct result of your own blessing, through no wrongdoing of your own; try not to let that discourage your continued faithfulness.
"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. "
"All the wells that his father Abraham's servants had dug were blocked up by the Philistines, who filled them in with dirt."
The Philistines vindictively fill in the very wells Abraham's household had dug years earlier. Old resentments can express themselves by attacking a legacy that was never truly a threat in the first place; try not to let inherited hostility from others define how you treat their descendants either.
"And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. "
"Abimelech said to Isaac, "Leave us — you have become far more powerful than we are.""
Abimelech asks Isaac to leave, intimidated by how powerful he has become. Being asked to step back or move on isn't always a sign you've done something wrong; sometimes it simply reflects other people's discomfort with how much you've grown.
"And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and there. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"So Isaac left that place and set up his tents in the valley of Gerar, settling there instead."
Isaac leaves without protest, choosing peace over confrontation. Real strength sometimes looks like walking away from a fight you could win, simply because peace matters more to you than being proven right.
"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. "
"Isaac re-dug the wells that had been dug in his father Abraham's time and blocked up by the Philistines after Abraham died — and he gave them the same names his father had originally given them."
Isaac reopens his father's old wells and restores their original names. There is real value in honouring and restoring the good work of those who came before you, rather than only building something entirely new of your own.
"And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. "
"Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh, flowing water."
Isaac's servants keep digging and eventually strike fresh, flowing water. Persistence in seeking what you genuinely need, even after setbacks, is often what leads you to the provision that was there all along, waiting to be found.
"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. "
"But the herdsmen of Gerar quarrelled with Isaac's herdsmen, claiming, "This water belongs to us." So he named the well Esek, because they had argued over it."
The local herdsmen dispute Isaac's new well, and he names it 'Esek,' meaning strife. It's alright to name conflict honestly for what it is; acknowledging strife plainly is more useful than pretending a difficult situation is peaceful when it isn't.
"And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. "
"They dug another well, and there was a dispute over that one too, so he called it Sitnah."
A second well is dug, and the same conflict repeats, so Isaac names it 'Sitnah,' meaning opposition. Don't be surprised if a fresh start still meets old resistance; persistence through repeated opposition is often simply part of the process, not a sign you're on the wrong path.
"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. "
"He moved on again and dug yet another well, and this time there was no dispute over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in this land.""
A third well finally brings peace, and Isaac names it 'Rehoboth,' room to be fruitful. Keep moving forward through conflict rather than giving up after the first or second setback; the room God has for you may be just beyond the difficulty you're currently facing.
"And he went up from thence to Beersheba. "
"From there, he went up to Beersheba."
Isaac moves on to Beersheba, a place tied to his father's story and God's promises. Returning to places and practices that connect you to your own spiritual heritage can be a meaningful, grounding step forward, not a step backwards.
"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. "
"That same night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid — I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants, for the sake of my servant Abraham.""
God appears to Isaac that same night, telling him plainly, 'fear not, for I am with thee.' When you carry lingering fear from past conflict, let God's direct reassurance of His presence be what actually settles you, rather than needing every circumstance to feel fully safe first.
"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. "
"So Isaac built an altar there and worshipped the LORD. He set up his tent there, and his servants dug a well at that spot."
Isaac responds with worship, builds an altar, and settles in, digging yet another well. Let a fresh reassurance from God become a genuine turning point of gratitude and settled trust in your own life, not just a passing comfort.
"Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. "
"Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar, along with his advisor Ahuzzath and Phichol, the commander of his army."
Abimelech travels to Isaac with his advisors, seeking him out directly. Sometimes the very people who once pushed you away come looking for you later, once they've recognised something genuine in how your life has unfolded.
"And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? "
"Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, seeing as you hate me and sent me away?""
Isaac asks plainly why they've come, given their past hostility towards him. It's fair to ask honest, direct questions of people seeking reconciliation after real past harm; genuine peace doesn't require pretending the history never happened.
"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; "
"They replied, "We can clearly see that the LORD is with you, so we said, let there be a formal oath between us — let's make a treaty with you.""
Abimelech admits openly that they've seen clearly that God is with Isaac. Let your life be lived with enough consistency that even people who once opposed you can honestly recognise God's hand in it.
"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. "
""Promise that you won't harm us, just as we haven't harmed you — we've only ever done good to you and sent you away peacefully. You are now clearly blessed by the LORD.""
Abimelech asks for peace, appealing to how he had treated Isaac fairly in the past. Reconciliation is often built on both sides being honest about the good and the difficult parts of their shared history together.
"And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. "
"Isaac prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank together."
Isaac responds with generous hospitality, hosting a feast for former rivals. Let your instinct towards someone seeking reconciliation be generosity rather than suspicion, even when the relationship has been strained before.
"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. "
"They got up early the next morning and swore an oath to one another. Then Isaac sent them off, and they left in peace."
The oath is sworn, and they part in genuine peace. A well-made peace allows both sides to leave a difficult history behind and move forward without lingering resentment; aim for that kind of complete resolution where you can.
"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. "
"That very same day, Isaac's servants came and told him about the well they had been digging: "We've found water!""
On the very same day, Isaac's servants report finding water, further evidence of God's blessing. Notice how God's provision and reconciliation often arrive together, reinforcing one another; let both be received with equal gratitude.
"And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day. "
"He named it Shebah — which is why the city is still called Beersheba to this day."
Isaac names the place to permanently mark the oath, becoming Beersheba to this day. Marking significant moments of peace and provision helps preserve their meaning for you and for the people who come after you.
"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: "
"Esau was forty years old when he married two Hittite women: Judith, daughter of Beeri, and Bashemath, daughter of Elon."
Esau marries two Hittite women at forty, outside his own family's faith and heritage. Consider carefully the long-term impact of your choices on the people who love you most, even when a decision feels like it only concerns yourself.
"Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. "
"These marriages caused deep distress to Isaac and Rebekah."
Esau's marriages bring real grief to his parents, Isaac and Rebekah. A choice can be legally yours to make and still cause genuine, valid pain to the people who care about you; both truths can be held honestly at once.