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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 lain 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.
¹³ And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
¹⁴ For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
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.
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.
²¹ And they digged another well, and 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.
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;
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.
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 Beersheba unto this day.
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.
🌾 The Faithful Promise and the Trials of Isaac’s Journey 🌾
“And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham…” – Genesis 26:1
Genesis 26 continues the divine legacy through Isaac, revealing God’s unwavering covenant despite natural hardship and personal failure. Much like Abraham, Isaac faces trials, deception, conflict, and ultimately peace—but with each event, God’s hand is evident. The chapter reinforces that divine favor does not rely on perfect behavior, but on God’s perfect promise.
Isaac’s choices, both commendable and flawed, become windows into God’s grace. His obedience during famine, his conflict with the Philistines, and the reaffirmation of God’s covenant all portray a man growing in faith and walking a path carved by God’s own hand.
📜 Structure of Genesis Chapter 26
Verses 1–6: Isaac’s Famine and God’s Instruction
As famine strikes, God appears and instructs Isaac not to go to Egypt but to remain in Gerar. There, He renews the Abrahamic promise: “I will be with thee, and will bless thee…” (Genesis 26:3). Isaac’s obedience places him in the direct flow of divine blessing—faith over fear.
Verses 7–11: Rebekah and the Repeat of History
Like Abraham, Isaac fears for his life and lies, calling Rebekah his sister. But God protects her integrity. Abimelech discovers the truth and issues a protective decree. This account reminds us that God’s protection covers even our missteps.
Verses 12–14: A Hundredfold Harvest
Despite famine, Isaac sows and reaps a hundredfold. He becomes “very great” (v. 13), showcasing God’s ability to bless His people beyond natural limitations. This mirrors Genesis 26:3, where God promised prosperity.
Verses 15–22: Well Disputes and Rehoboth’s Peace
Philistines, envious of Isaac, stop up his father’s wells. Each time Isaac digs a new one, conflict follows—until he reaches Rehoboth, meaning “room,” symbolizing divine provision and peace. “For now the Lord hath made room for us…” (v. 22). Perseverance births peace.
Verses 23–25: God Reaffirms His Covenant
At Beersheba, the Lord appears once more, saying, “Fear not, for I am with thee…” (v. 24). Isaac responds with worship—he builds an altar and calls upon the Lord, just as Abraham did before him. This marks a maturing faith rooted in personal encounter.
Verses 26–33: Covenant with Abimelech
Abimelech, seeing God’s favor upon Isaac, seeks peace. Together they form a covenant. God uses worldly rulers to fulfill heavenly promises. Isaac names the well Shebah, echoing Abraham’s earlier covenant at Beersheba—history repeating in redemption.
Verses 34–35: Esau’s Troubling Marriages
The chapter closes with Esau marrying Hittite women, which grieves Isaac and Rebekah. His disregard for spiritual heritage sets the stage for coming conflict and reveals early cracks in the household’s spiritual unity.
💡 Key Themes
✨ God’s Provision Transcends Circumstance
Isaac’s prosperity during famine proves that God’s blessing overrides environmental lack.
✨ Obedience Invites Blessing
Isaac’s decision to stay in Gerar aligned him with divine provision. Obedience, even when counterintuitive, leads to unexpected fruit.
✨ God’s Covenant is Generational
From Abraham to Isaac, the covenant is reaffirmed and personalized. “And I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father.” (Genesis 26:3)
✨ Conflict Precedes Enlargement
Rehoboth is reached only after multiple disputes. Persistence in faith leads to peace and space to flourish.
👤 Key People
- Isaac – A man of quiet strength and steady obedience who matures in faith as God leads him.
- Rebekah – Protected by God, she symbolizes how divine providence safeguards even amid human error.
- Abimelech – A pagan king who recognizes God’s presence in Isaac’s life and chooses peace.
- Esau – His choices reveal a heart misaligned with God’s covenant purpose.
🔥 Why This Chapter Matters
Genesis 26 reveals the enduring faithfulness of God in the midst of trial, repetition, and growth. Though Isaac walks a road his father once traveled—with famine, deception, and foreign tension—God shows that His covenant is not just with Abraham, but with generations to come. Isaac’s obedience in the face of uncertainty sets a precedent for walking by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). This chapter is a beautiful reminder that even when we falter, the Lord remains a shield and provider.
Through Isaac’s journey, we see that divine blessing isn’t tied to comfort, but to covenant. It teaches us that God’s promises are not hindered by hardship, conflict, or fear. “The LORD appeared unto him… and said, Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee” (Genesis 26:24). This divine reassurance is just as real for us today. Keep walkin’ tall in faith, because the God of Isaac walks beside you, too.
💭 Let’s Reflect
- Are you remaining where God has called you, even when it’s uncomfortable?
- What fears cause you to act in the flesh like Isaac did?
- Have you encountered your own “Rehoboth” season—a time when God made room for you after hardship?
- How are you honoring God’s generational promises in your own life?
❓Ready to Go Deeper?
👉 Click here to begin reading Genesis Chapter 27
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