Add parallel Print Page Options

12 Isaac planted grain in that land, and in the same year he reaped one hundred times as much as he had sown, because the Lord blessed him. 13 The man kept growing wealthier and wealthier until he became very great. 14 He possessed flocks and herds and a large household, so the Philistines were envious of him.

15 Now the Philistines had blocked all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. 16 Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us, for you are much more powerful than we are.”[a]

17 So Isaac departed from there, camped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

18 Isaac dug again the wells that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, because the Philistines had blocked them after the death of Abraham. He gave them the same names that his father had given them. 19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley along the stream bed and found a well there that provided a steady flow of water. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar started a dispute with Isaac’s herdsmen. They said, “The water belongs to us.” He named the well Esek,[b] because they argued with him. 21 They dug another well, but they started a dispute over that one also. He named it Sitnah.[c] 22 He left that place and dug another well. They did not start a dispute over that one, so he called it Rehoboth.[d] He said, “Now the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23 He traveled from there to Beersheba. 24 The Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

25 He built an altar there and proclaimed[e] the name of the Lord. He pitched his tent there. Isaac’s servants dug a well there.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:16 Or too numerous for us
  2. Genesis 26:20 Esek means argument.
  3. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means opposition.
  4. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means wide enough or enough room.
  5. Genesis 26:25 Or called on

12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in that same year a hundredfold, and Yahweh blessed him. 13 And the man became wealthier and wealthier[a] until he was exceedingly wealthy. 14 And he possessed sheep and cattle and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 And the Philistines stopped up all the wells that the servants of his father had dug in the days of Abraham his father. They filled them with earth. 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you have become much too powerful for us.” 17 So Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar, and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham. And he gave[b] to them the same names[c] which his father had given[d] them. 19 And when the servants of Isaac dug in the valley, they found a well of fresh water there. 20 Then the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours.” And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21 And they dug another well, and they quarreled over it also. And he called its name Sitnah. 22 Then he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. And he called its name Rehoboth, and said, “Now Yahweh has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” 23 And from there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And Yahweh appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and make your descendants numerous for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 25 And he built an altar there and called on the name of Yahweh. And he pitched his tent there, and the servants of Isaac dug a well there.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:13 Literally “became great and went, going and became great”
  2. Genesis 26:18 Or “called”
  3. Genesis 26:18 Literally “names as names”
  4. Genesis 26:18 Or “called”