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Genesis 26 (Bereshit)

Genesis 26

Genesis 26 (Bereshit) Summary

Genesis 26 (Bereshit) is the narrative of Isaac’s blessing from YHVH. It begins with a famine in the land and YHVH’s instruction to stay in the land. YHVH makes the promise to bless Isaac and his seed. He stays in Gerar.

Following this encounter with YHVH we see him repeat Abraham’s action of saying Rebekah, his wife, is his sister. King Abimelech sees his “affection” towards Rebekah and confronts Isaac about their relationship. He commands his people to stay away from Rebekah. Abimelech request that Isaac leave Gerar. He obliges the king’s request.

The next scene is a series of actions by Isaac’s servants reopening the wells of Abraham. The Philistines contend with him about three of the wells. He digs a total of four wells, all with significate names. After the fourth and final well, YHVH visits Isaac. He builds an altar and calls upon YHVH’s name.

King Abimelech travels with an entourage to meet Isaac. He requests Isaac to make a covenant with him. Isaac agrees and makes a great feast for the king.  After Abimelech’s departure Isaac’s servants inform him, they have found water in the fourth and final well.

This chapter ends with Esau’s marriage to two Hittie women, Judith and Basemath. This creates problems for Isaac and Rebekah.

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Genesis 26 (Bereshit) Outline

Genesis 26 (Bereshit) can be navigated in three possible ways. (1) Jewish tradition of daily reading called Torah Portions, (2) Semitic literature, and (3) theme-based verses.

Click to see Genesis 26 Links

Torah Portions:

  1. First Reading vv. 1-5 – Parsha Toledot
  2. Second Reading vv. 6-12 – Parsha Toledot
  3. Third Reading vv. 13-22 – Parsha Toledot
  4. Fourth Reading vv.23-29 – Parsha Toledot
  5. Fifth Reading vv.30-35 – Parsha Toledot

Semitic Literature:

  1. In the land – vv.1-6
  2. The Wife: Isaac’s Version – vv.7-11
  3. The Blessing – vv.12-33
  4. Deceit and Blessing – vv. 34,35 – Continues to 28.9

Verses Topics:

  1. vv 1-5 – YHVH appears to Isaac in the land of Gerar
  2. v.7 – Isaac says Rebekah is his sister
  3. vv.8-10 – King Abimelech address Isaac about Rebekah
  4. v.11 – King Abimelech address his people about Rebekah
  5. vv.12-14 – Isaac sows and reaps and acquires livestock
  6. v.15 – Philistines previously filled the wells dug by Abraham’s servants
  7. v.16 – King Abimelech requests Isaac leave Gerar
  8. vv.17-22 – Isaac’s servants dig three wells and contents with the Philistines
  9. vv.23,24 – YHVH appears to Isaac in Beer-sheba
  10. v.25 – Isaac builds altar & calls YHVH’s name. His servants dig another well
  11. vv.26-29 – King Abimelech travels to Isaac and requests a covenant
  12. vv.30-33 – Isaac makes a feast and a covenant with Abimelech. Servants inform Isaac about the well.
  13. vv.34-35 – Esau marries Judith and Basemath and creates trouble for Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 26 (Bereshit) English Verses

Parsha Toledot #6
~ Generations ~

FIRST READING CON’T

→ In the land

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 unto 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 swore 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 by thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves;
5 because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.’

Notes on Genesis 26:1

Genesis 26:1 – 6

The patriarch Isaac really has no section unto himself. The theme of the section is the land. Isaac is never really blessed by Abraham but in this chapter, he will receive the blessing of YHVH.

SECOND READING

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar.

→ The Wife: Isaac’s Version

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 the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is 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.’

→ The Blessing

12 And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.

Notes on Genesis 26:8

Genesis 26:8

sporting – me.tza.chek –  מְצַחֵ֔ק – conjugal caresses See Gen. 21.9; Ex 32.6; Jud 16.25

THIRD READING

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 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 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 living water.
20 And the herdmen of Gerar strove with Isaac’s herdmen, 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 the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’

Notes on Genesis 26:21-23

Genesis 26:20

Esek עֵ֔שֶׂק – means quarrel – 

Genesis 26:21

Sitnah שִׂטְנָֽה – means enemy, adversity often translated as “adversary.” Enemy of man not God – root שָׂטָן – it is the same as satan. It and various forms appears around 35x in the Tanaka. Num 22.22; 1 Sam 29.4; 2 Sam 19.23; 1 Ki 5.18; 11.14, 23, 25; Ez4.6; Job; ETC.

Genesis 26:22

Rehoboth – –

FOURTH READING

23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.
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 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 the LORD 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 the LORD.’

FIFTH READING

30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and swore 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.

→ Deceit and Blessing

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 bitterness of spirit unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Genesis 26 (Bereshit) English Verses

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תולדות ו 6

כו Chapter 26

א וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִלְּבַד֙ הָֽרָעָ֣ב הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה: ב וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תֵּרֵ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה שְׁכֹ֣ן בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ: ג גּ֚וּר בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ וַֽאֲבָֽרֲכֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל וַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ: ד וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י אֶת־זַֽרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְזַֽרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑ל וְהִתְבָּֽרֲכ֣וּ בְזַֽרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ: ה עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָהָ֖ם בְּקֹלִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֔י מִצְוֹתַ֖י חֻקּוֹתַ֥י וְתֽוֹרֹתָֽי: [שני] ו וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר: ז וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽוא: ח וַיְהִ֗י כִּי־אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֨לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ: ט וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ: י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַ֠ט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵֽבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם: יא וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת: יב וַיִּזְרַ֤ע יִצְחָק֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיִּמְצָ֛א בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַהִ֖וא מֵאָ֣ה שְׁעָרִ֑ים וַֽיְבָֽרֲכֵ֖הוּ יְהוָֹֽה: [שלישי] יג וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְגָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי־גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד: יד וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ מִקְנֵה־צֹאן֙ וּמִקְנֵ֣ה בָקָ֔ר וַֽעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיְקַנְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים: טו וְכָל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַֽיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר: טז וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־יִצְחָ֑ק לֵ֚ךְ מֵֽעִמָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי־עָצַ֥מְתָּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד: יז וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם יִצְחָ֑ק וַיִּ֥חַן בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב שָֽׁם: יח וַיָּ֨שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַֽחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו: יט וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים: כ וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם־רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק כִּ֥י הִֽתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ: כא וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם־עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה: כב וַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב יְהוָֹ֛ה לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ: [רביעי] כג וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע: כד וַיֵּרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָֹה֙ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָֽנֹכִ֕י אֱלֹהֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֣ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֨יךָ֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֶת־זַֽרְעֲךָ֔ בַּֽעֲב֖וּר אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדִּֽי: כה וַיִּ֧בֶן שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֶּט־שָׁ֖ם אָֽהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּכְרוּ־שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בְּאֵֽר: כו וַֽאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ הָלַ֥ךְ אֵלָ֖יו מִגְּרָ֑ר וַֽאֲחֻזַּת֙ מֵֽרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּפִיכֹ֖ל שַׂר־צְבָאֽוֹ: כז וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יִצְחָ֔ק מַדּ֖וּעַ בָּאתֶ֣ם אֵלָ֑י וְאַתֶּם֙ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם אֹתִ֔י וַֽתְּשַׁלְּח֖וּנִי מֵֽאִתְּכֶֽם: כח וַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ רָא֣וֹ רָאִ֘ינוּ֘ כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה יְהוָֹ֣ה ׀ עִמָּךְ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּֽינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ: כט אִם־תַּֽעֲשֵׂ֨ה עִמָּ֜נוּ רָעָ֗ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א נְגַֽעֲנ֔וּךָ וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤ינוּ עִמְּךָ֙ רַק־ט֔וֹב וַֽנְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֖ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם אַתָּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה בְּר֥וּךְ יְהוָֹֽה: [חמישי] ל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַיֹּֽאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ: לא וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּשָּֽׁבְע֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ לְאָחִ֑יו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֣ם יִצְחָ֔ק וַיֵּֽלְכ֥וּ מֵֽאִתּ֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם: לב וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י יִצְחָ֔ק וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ עַל־אֹד֥וֹת הַבְּאֵ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑רוּ וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ מָצָ֥אנוּ מָֽיִם: לג וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁבְעָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֤ן שֵׁם־הָעִיר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: ס לד וַיְהִ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ אֶת־יְהוּדִ֔ית בַּת־בְּאֵרִ֖י הַֽחִתִּ֑י וְאֶת־בָּ֣שְׂמַ֔ת בַּת־אֵילֹ֖ן הַֽחִתִּֽי: לה וַתִּֽהְיֶ֖יןָ מֹ֣רַת ר֑וּחַ לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְרִבְקָֽה: ס

בראשית כו 26

Genesis 26 (Bereshit) בראשית Interlinear Verses


26.1 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.

א וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִלְּבַד֙ הָֽרָעָ֣ב הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה

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