26:1 Then there was famine in this area
outside
of the famine during Abraham's time.
So
Isaac went to Abimelek
the
leader of the Philistines in Gerar.
26:2 Yahweh appeared to Isaac saying:
Don’t
go to
But
stay in the land
I
will tell you about.
26:3 Stay in this land for now
and
I will be with you and bless you.
For
you and your followers
will
inherit a greater world
confirming
My promise
to
your teacher Abraham.
26:4 I will make your followers many
just
as there are stars in the sky
and
they will inherit a greater world.
And
through your followers
all
people on earth will be blessed.
26:5 This is because Abraham followed Me
and
did everything I asked of him
by
following My instructions
My
decrees and requests.
26:6 And so Isaac remained in Gerar.
26:7 When the men of that place
asked
about his wife he said:
She
is my sister.
He
was afraid to say:
She
is my wife.
He
thought:
The
men here could kill me
on
account of Rebekah
because
she is attractive.
26:8 When Isaac was there for awhile
Abimelek
king of the Philistines
looked
out from a window
and
saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.
26:9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac saying:
She
is really your wife!
Why
did you say she was your sister?
Isaac
replied:
I
thought I might be killed on account of her.
26:10 Abimelek then asked:
What
have you done to us?
One
of the men could have slept with her
and
you would have accused us.
26:11 So Abimelek commanded the people:
Anyone
who harms this man or his wife
will
surely be put to death.
26:12 Isaac was productive in that land
and
during the year reaped a hundredfold
due
to the blessings of Yahweh.
26:13 And the man became powerful
and
he continued to grow
to
the point of his becoming magnanimous.
26:14 Because he possessed land
and
herds and workers
the
Philistines envied him.
26:15 Then all the wells his father's workers
dug
during the time of his father Abraham
were
blocked by the Philistines
after
they filled them with dirt.
26:16 Then Abimelek spoke to Isaac:
Leave
us for you are
now
too powerful for us.
26:17 So Isaac left that place
and
camped in the
and
there he lived.
26:18 Isaac dug up the water wells
dug
during the time of Abraham
which
were blocked by the Philistines
after
Abraham passed away.
He
named them what his father had given.
26:19 Isaac's workers dug in the valley
and
discovered a fresh spring of water.
26:20 But the shepherds of Gerar
quarreled
with Isaac.
They
said it was their water.
So
he named the well Esek
because
they disputed with him.
26:21 Then they dug another well
but
a quarrel arose over that one too
so
he named it Sitnah (hatred).
26:22 Then he left that place
and
dug another well
and
no one quarreled over that.
He
named it Rehoboth (enlargement) and said:
Now
Yahweh gave us place
so
we can prosper in this land.
26:23 From there he traveled to
26:24 Then that same night Yahweh
appeared
to him and said:
I
am the God of your teacher Abraham.
Do
not worry because I am with you.
I
will bless you and increase your following
for
the sake of My servant Abraham.
26:25 Then he built an altar there
and
praised the name of Yahweh.
He
pitched his tent there
and
there his workers dug a well.
26:26 Then Abimelek came to him from Gerar
with
Ahuzzath his close adviser
and
Phicol the leader of his fighters.
26:27 So Isaac asked them:
Why
have you approached me?
Before
you were hostile
and
sent me away.
26:28 So they answered:
We
saw with certainty
that
Yahweh was with you
so
we figured we should have
an
understanding between us.
Let’s
have an alliance with you.
26:29 So you will not harm us
just
as we did not harm you
but
always treated you well
and
sent you away in peace.
Now
you are blessed by Yahweh.
26:30 Then he made them a feast
and
they ate and drank.
26:31 They rose early the next morning
and
made a promise to each other.
Then
Isaac wished them farewell
and
they left in peace.
26:32 That very day
Isaac's
workers came
and
they told him
about
the well they dug
and
that they found water.
26:33 He named that place Shibah (oath)
and
today this town is called
26:34 Esau was 40 years old
and
he married Judith
daughter
of Beeri the Hittite
as
well as Basemath
daughter
of Elon the Hittite.
26:35 They brought grief
to
Isaac and Rebekah.
