Bible Commentaries

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

(a) In the land of Canaan.

And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, ^b Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

(b) God's providence always watches to direct the ways of his children.

Because that Abraham ^c obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

(c) He commends Abraham's obedience, because Isaac should be even more ready to follow the same: for as God made this promise of his free mercy, so does the confirmation of it proceed from the same fountain.

And the men of the place asked [him] of his wife; and he said, She [is] my sister: ^d 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.

(d) By which we see that fear and distrust is found in the most faithful.

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] ^e sporting with Rebekah his wife.

(e) Or showing some familiar sign of love, by which it might be known that she was his wife.

And Abimelech said, What [is] this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought ^f guiltiness upon us.

(f) In all ages men were persuaded that God's vengeance would come on adulterers.

For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines ^g envied him.

(g) The malicious always envy the graces of God in others.

And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the ^k valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

(k) The Hebrew word signifies a flood, or valley, where water at any time runs.

And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I [am] the God ⁱ 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.

(i) God assures Isaac against all fear by rehearsing the promise made to Abraham.

And he builded an ^x altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.

(x) To signify that he would serve no other God, but the God of his father Abraham.

^l 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.

(l) The Hebrews in swearing begin commonly with "If" and understand the rest, that is, that God will punish him who breaks the oath: here the wicked show that they are afraid lest that happen to them which they would do to others.