Genesis 26:1

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines to Gerar.

American King James Version (AKJV)

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines to Gerar.

American Standard Version (ASV)

And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Then came a time of great need in the land, like that which had been before in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.

Webster's Revision

And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines to Gerar.

World English Bible

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

English Revised Version (ERV)

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.

Clarke's Genesis 26:1 Bible Commentary

There was a famine - When this happened we cannot tell; it appears to have been after the death of Abraham. Concerning the first famine, see Genesis 12:10.

Abimelech - As we know not the time when the famine happened, so we cannot tell whether this was the same Abimelech, Phichol, etc., which are mentioned Genesis 20:1, Genesis 20:2, etc., or the sons or other descendants of these persons.

Barnes's Genesis 26:1 Bible Commentary

- The Events of Isaac's Life

5. משׁמרת mı̂shmeret, "charge, ordinance." מציה mı̂tsvâh, "command," special order. חק choq, "decree, statute," engraven on stone or metal. תירה tôrâh, "law," doctrine, system of moral truth.

10. עשׂק ‛êśeq, 'Eseq, "strife."

21. שׂטנה śı̂ṭnâh, Sitnah, "opposition."

22. רחבית rechobôt, Rechoboth, "room."

26. אחזת 'ǎchuzat, Achuzzath, "possession."

33. שׁבעה shı̂b‛âh, Shib'ah, "seven; oath."

34. יהוּדית yehûdı̂yt, Jehudith, "praised." בארי be'ērı̂y, Beeri, "of a well." בשׂמת bāśemat, Basemath, "sweet smell." אילן 'êylon, Elon, "oak."

This chapter presents the leading events in the quiet life of Isaac. It is probable that Abraham was now dead. In that case, Esau and Jacob would be at least fifteen years of age when the following event occurred.

Genesis 26:1-5

Renewal of the promise to Isaac. "A famine in the land." We left Isaac, after the death of Abraham, at Beer-lahai-roi Genesis 25:11. The preceding events have only brought us up to the same point of time. This well was in the land of the south Genesis 24:62. The present famine is distinguished from what occurred in the time of Abraham Genesis 12:10. The interval between them is at least a hundred years. The author of this, the ninth document, is, we find, acquainted with the seventh document; and the famine to which he refers is among the earliest events recorded in it. There is no reason to doubt, then, that he has the whole history of Abraham before his mind. "Unto Abimelek unto Gerar." The Abimelek with whom Abraham had contact about eighty years before may have been the father of the present sovereign. Both Abimelek and Phikol seem to have been official names. Gerar Genesis 10:19 was apparently on the brook of Mizraim Numbers 34:5, the Wady el-Arish, or the Wady el-Khubarah, a northern affluent of the former, or in the interval between them. It is on the way to Egypt, and is the southern city of the Philistines, who probably came from Egypt Genesis 10:14. Isaac was drawing toward Egypt, when he came to Gerar.

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