Genesis Chapter 26
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.
2
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel.
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And she said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant said, It is my master: and she took her veil, and covered herself.
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And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
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And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
6
And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
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And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
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And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
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And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
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And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
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But unto the sons of the concubines, that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
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And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, a hundred threescore and fifteen years.
13
And Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full
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of years, and was gathered to his people.
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And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;
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the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
17
And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son: and Isaac dwelt by Beer-lahai-roi.
18
Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:
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and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the first-born of Ishmael, Nebaioth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
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and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,
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Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
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these are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their nations.
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And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered unto his people.
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And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: he abode over against all his brethren.
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And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:
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and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife.
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And Isaac entreated Jehovah for his wife, because she was barren: and Jehovah was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
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And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, wherefore do I live? And she went to inquire of Jehovah.
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And Jehovah said unto her,
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Two nations are in thy womb,
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And two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels:
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And the one people shall be stronger than the other people;
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And the elder shall serve the younger.
34
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
35
And the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine which had been in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2
And Jehovah appeared to him and said, Go not down to Egypt: dwell in the land that I shall tell thee of.
3
Sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee and bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries; and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father.
4
And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and unto thy seed will I give all these countries; and in 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.
6
And Isaac dwelt at Gerar.
7
And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister; for he feared to say, my wife, [saying to himself,] Lest the men of the place slay me on account of Rebecca — because she was fair in countenance.
8
And it came to pass when he had been there some time, that Abimelech the king of the Philistines looked out of the window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was dallying with Rebecca his wife.
9
Then Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, she is certainly thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? and Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I die on account of her.
10
And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done to us? But a little and one of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought a trespass on us.
11
And Abimelech charged all the people, saying, He that touches this man or his wife shall certainly be put to death.
12
And Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold; and Jehovah blessed him.
13
And the man became great, and he became continually greater, until he was very great.
14
And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great number of servants; and the Philistines envied him.
15
And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped them and filled them with earth.
16
And Abimelech said to Isaac, Go from us; for thou art become much mightier than we.
17
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his camp in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
18
And Isaac dug again the wells of water that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and that the Philistines had stopped 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 dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20
But the shepherds of Gerar strove with Isaac's shepherds, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they had quarrelled with him.
21
And they dug another well, and they strove for that also; and he called the name of it Sitnah.
22
And he removed thence and dug another well; and they did not strive for that. And he called the name of it Rehoboth, and said, For now Jehovah has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
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And he went up thence to Beer-sheba.
24
And Jehovah appeared to him the same night, and said, I am theGod 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 built an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah. And he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug a well.
26
And Abimelech, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol the captain of his host, went to him from Gerar.
27
And Isaac said to them, Why are ye come to me, seeing ye hate me, and have driven me away from you?
28
And they said, We saw certainly that Jehovah is with thee; and we said, Let there be then an oath between us — between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,
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that thou wilt do us no wrong, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done to thee nothing but good, and have let thee go in peace; thou art now blessed of Jehovah.
30
And he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
31
And they rose early 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 that they had dug, and said to him, We have found water.
33
And he called it Shebah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba to this day.
34
And Esau was forty years old, when he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35
And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and to Rebecca.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine, which was in the time of Abraam; and Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Phylistines to Gerara.
2
And the Lord appeared to him and said, Go not down to Egypt, but dwell in the land, which I shall tell thee of.
3
And sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee, and bless thee, for I will give to thee and to thy seed all this land; and I will establish my oath which I swore to thy father Abraam.
4
And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven; and I will give to thy seed all this land, and all the nations of the earth shall be blest in thy seed.
5
Because Abraam thy father hearkened to my voice, and kept my injunctions, and my commandments, and my ordinances, and my statutes.
6
And Isaac dwelt in Gerara.
7
And the men of the place questioned him concerning Rebecca his wife, and he said, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the place should slay him because of Rebecca, because she was fair.
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And he remained there a long time, and Abimelech the king of Gerara leaned to look through the window, and saw Isaac sporting with Rebecca his wife.
9
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said to him, Is she then thy wife? why hast thou said, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, [I did so], for I said, Lest at any time I die on her account.
10
And Abimelech said to him, Why hast thou done this to us? one of my kindred within a little had lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought [a sin of] ignorance upon us.
11
And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, Every man that touches this man and his wife shall be liable to death.
12
And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found in that year barley an hundred-fold, and the Lord blessed him.
13
And the man was exalted, and advancing he increased, till he became very great.
14
And he had cattle of sheep, and cattle of oxen, and many tilled lands, and the Phylistines envied him.
15
And all the wells which the servants of his father had dug in the time of his father, the Phylistines stopped them, and filled them with earth.
16
And Abimelech said to Isaac, Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we.
17
And Isaac departed thence, and rested in the valley of Gerara, and dwelt there.
18
And Isaac dug again the wells of water, which the servants of his father Abraam had dug, and the Phylistines had stopped them, after the death of his father Abraam; and he gave them names, according to the names by which his father named them.
19
And the servants of Isaac dug in the valley of Gerara, and they found there a well of living water.
20
And the shepherds of Gerara strove with the shepherds of Isaac, saying that the water was theirs; and they called the name of the well, Injury, for they injured him.
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And having departed thence he dug another well, and they strove also for that; and he named the name of it, Enmity.
22
And he departed thence and dug another well; and they did not strive about that; and he named the name of it, Room, saying, Because now the Lord has made room for us, and has increased us upon the earth.
23
And he went up thence to the well of the oath.
24
And the Lord appeared to him in that night, and said, I am the God of Abraam thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for the sake of Abraam thy father.
25
And he built there an altar, and called on the name of the Lord, and there he pitched his tent, and there the servants of Isaac dug a well in the valley of Gerara.
26
And Abimelech came to him from Gerara, and so did Ochozath his friend, and Phichol the commander-in-chief of his army.
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And Isaac said to them, Wherefore have ye come to me? whereas ye hated me, and sent me away from you.
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And they said, We have surely seen that the Lord was with thee, and we said, Let there be an oath between us and thee, and we will make a covenant with thee,
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that thou shalt do no wrong by us, as we have not abhorred thee, and according as we have treated thee well, and have sent thee forth peaceably; and now thou art blessed of the Lord.
30
And he made a feast for them, and they ate and drank.
31
And they arose in the morning, and swore each to his neighbour; and Isaac sent them forth, and they departed from him in safety.
32
And it came to pass in that day, that the servants of Isaac came and told him of the well which they had dug; and they said, We have not found water.
33
And he called it, Oath: therefore he called the name of that city, the Well of Oath, until this day.
34
And Esau was forty years old; and he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beoch the Chettite, and Basemath, daughter of Helon the Chettite.
35
And they were provoking to Isaac and Rebecca.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Orta autem fame super terram post eam sterilitatem, quæ acciderat in diebus Abraham, abiit Isaac ad Abimelech regem Palæstinorum in Gerara.
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Apparuitque ei Dominus, et ait: Ne descendas in Ægyptum, sed quiesce in terra, quam dixero tibi.
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Et peregrinare in ea, eroque tecum, et benedicam tibi: tibi enim et semini tuo dabo universas regiones has, complens iuramentum quod spopondi Abraham patri tuo.
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Et multiplicabo semen tuum sicut stellas cæli: daboque posteris tuis universas regiones has: et BENEDICENTUR in semine tuo omnes gentes terræ,
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eo quod obedierit Abraham voci meæ, et custodierit præcepta et mandata mea, et ceremonias legesque servaverit.
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Mansit itaque Isaac in Geraris.
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Qui cum interrogaretur a viris loci illius super uxore sua, respondit: Soror mea est. timuerat enim confiteri quod sibi esset sociata coniugio, reputans ne forte interficerent eum propter illius pulchritudinem.
8
Cumque pertransissent dies plurimi, et ibidem moraretur, prospiciens Abimelech rex Palæstinorum per fenestram, vidit eum iocantem cum Rebecca uxore sua.
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Et accersito eo, ait: Perspicuum est quod uxor tua sit: cur mentitus es eam sororem tuam esse? Respondit: Timui ne morerer propter eam.
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Dixitque Abimelech: Quare imposuisti nobis? potuit coire quispiam de populo cum uxore tua, et induxeras super nos grande peccatum. Præcepitque omni populo, dicens:
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Qui tetigerit hominis huius uxorem, morte morietur.
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Sevit autem Isaac in terra illa, et invenit in ipso anno centuplum: benedixitque ei Dominus.
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Et locupletatus est homo, et ibat proficiens atque succrescens, donec magnus vehementer effectus est:
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habuit quoque possessiones ovium et armentorum, et familiæ plurimum. Ob hoc invidentes ei Palæstini,
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omnes puteos, quos foderant servi patris illius Abraham, illo tempore obstruxerunt, implentes humo:
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in tantum, ut ipse Abimelech diceret ad Isaac: Recede a nobis, quoniam potentior nobis factus es valde.
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Et ille discedens, ut veniret ad torrentem Geraræ, habitaretque ibi:
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rursum fodit alios puteos, quos foderant servi patris sui Abraham, et quos, illo mortuo, olim obstruxerant Philisthiim: appellavitque eos eisdem nominibus quibus ante pater vocaverat.
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Foderuntque in Torrente, et repererunt aquam vivam.
20
Sed et ibi iurgium fuit pastorum Geraræ adversus pastores Isaac, dicentium: Nostra est aqua. quam ob rem nomen putei ex eo, quod acciderat, vocavit Calumniam.
21
Foderunt autem et alium: et pro illo quoque rixati sunt, appellavitque eum, Inimicitias.
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Profectus inde fodit alium puteum, pro quo non contenderunt: itaque vocavit nomen eius, Latitudo, dicens: Nunc dilatavit nos Dominus, et fecit crescere super terram.
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Ascendit autem ex illo loco in Bersabee,
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ubi apparuit ei Dominus in ipsa nocte, dicens: Ego sum Deus Abraham patris tui, noli timere, quia ego tecum sum: benedicam tibi, et multiplicabo semen tuum propter servum meum Abraham.
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Itaque ædificavit ibi altare: et invocato nomine Domini, extendit tabernaculum: præcepitque servis suis ut foderunt puteum.
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Ad quem locum cum venissent de Geraris Abimelech, et Ochozath amicus illius, et Phicol dux militum,
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locutus est eis Isaac: Quid venistis ad me hominem quem odistis, et expulistis a vobis?
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Qui responderunt: Vidimus tecum esse Dominum, et idcirco nos diximus: Sit iuramentum inter nos, et ineamus fœdus,
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ut non facias nobis quidquam mali, sicut et nos nihil tuorum attigimus, nec fecimus quod te læderet: sed cum pace dimisimus auctum benedictione Domini.
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Fecit ergo eis convivium, et post cibum et potum
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surgentes mane, iuraverunt sibi mutuo: dimisitque eos Isaac pacifice in locum suum.
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Ecce autem venerunt in ipso die servi Isaac annunciantes ei de puteo, quem foderant, atque dicentes: Invenimus aquam.
33
Unde appellavit eum, Abundantiam: et nomen urbi impositum est Bersabee, usque in præsentem diem.
34
Esau vero quadragenarius duxit uxores, Iudith filiam Beeri Hethæi, et Basemath filiam Elon eiusdem loci:
35
quæ ambæ offenderant animum Isaac et Rebeccæ.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2
The LORD appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about.
3
Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your offspring, all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
4
I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed,
5
because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
6
Isaac lived in Gerar.
7
The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”
8
When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
9
Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”
10
Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”
11
Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
12
Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. The LORD blessed him.
13
The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
14
He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.
15
Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.
16
Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
17
Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.
18
Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing water.
20
The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
21
They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. So he called its name Sitnah.
22
He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. So he called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”
23
He went up from there to Beersheba.
24
The LORD appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”
25
He built an altar there, and called on the LORD’s name, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.
26
Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army.
27
Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?”
28
They said, “We saw plainly that the LORD was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let’s make a covenant with you,
29
that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.’ You are now the blessed of the LORD.”
30
He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
31
They rose up some time in the morning, and swore an oath to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32
The same day, Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”
33
He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.
34
When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35
They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And there is a famine in the land, besides the first famine which was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac goeth unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2
And Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith, `Go not down towards Egypt, tabernacle in the land concerning which I speak unto thee,
3
sojourn in this land, and I am with thee, and bless thee, for to thee and to thy seed I give all these lands, and I have established the oath which I have sworn to Abraham thy father;
4
and I have multiplied thy seed as stars of the heavens, and I have given to thy seed all these lands; and blessed themselves in thy seed have all nations of the earth;
5
because that Abraham hath hearkened to My voice, and keepeth My charge, My commands, My statutes, and My laws.'
6
And Isaac dwelleth in Gerar;
7
and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he saith, `She <FI>is<Fi> my sister:' for he hath been afraid to say, `My wife--lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she <FI>is<Fi> of good appearance.'
8
And it cometh to pass, when the days have been prolonged to him there, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looketh through the window, and seeth, and lo, Isaac is playing with Rebekah his wife.
9
And Abimelech calleth for Isaac, and saith, `Lo, she <FI>is<Fi> surely thy wife; and how hast thou said, She <FI>is<Fi> my sister?' and Isaac saith unto him, `Because I said, Lest I die for her.'
10
And Abimelech saith, `What <FI>is<Fi> this thou hast done to us? as a little thing one of the people had lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us guilt;'
11
and Abimelech commandeth all the people, saying, `He who cometh against this man or against his wife, dying doth die.'
12
And Isaac soweth in that land, and findeth in that year a hundredfold, and Jehovah blesseth him;
13
and the man is great, and goeth on, going on and becoming great, till that he hath been very great,
14
and he hath possession of a flock, and possession of a herd, and an abundant service; and the Philistines envy him,
15
and all the wells which his father's servants digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines have stopped them, and fill them with dust.
16
And Abimelech saith unto Isaac, `Go from us; for thou hast become much mightier than we;'
17
and Isaac goeth from thence, and encampeth in the valley of Gerar, and dwelleth there;
18
and Isaac turneth back, and diggeth the wells of water which they digged in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines do stop after the death of Abraham, and he calleth to them names according to the names which his father called them.
19
And Isaac's servants dig in the valley, and find there a well of living water,
20
and shepherds of Gerar strive with shepherds of Isaac, saying, `The water <FI>is<Fi> ours;' and he calleth the name of the well `Strife,' because they have striven habitually with him;
21
and they dig another well, and they strive also for it, and he calleth its name `Hatred.'
22
And he removeth from thence, and diggeth another well, and they have not striven for it, and he calleth its name Enlargements, and saith, `For--now hath Jehovah given enlargement to us, and we have been fruitful in the land.'
23
And he goeth up from thence <FI>to<Fi> Beer-Sheba,
24
and Jehovah appeareth unto him during that night, and saith, `I <FI>am<Fi> the God of Abraham thy father, fear not, for I <FI>am<Fi> with thee, and have blessed thee, and have multiplied thy seed, because of Abraham My servant;'
25
and he buildeth there an altar, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah, and stretcheth out there his tent, and there Isaac's servants dig a well.
26
And Abimelech hath gone unto him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phichol head of his host;
27
and Isaac saith unto them, `Wherefore have ye come unto me, and ye have hated me, and ye send me away from you?'
28
And they say, `We have certainly seen that Jehovah hath been with thee, and we say, `Let there be, we pray thee, an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
29
do not evil with us, as we have not touched thee, and as we have only done good with thee, and send thee away in peace; thou <FI>art<Fi> now blessed of Jehovah.'
30
And he maketh for them a banquet, and they eat and drink,
31
and rise early in the morning, and swear one to another, and Isaac sendeth them away, and they go from him in peace.
32
And it cometh to pass during that day that Isaac's servants come and declare to him concerning the circumstances of the well which they have digged, and say to him, `We have found water;'
33
and he calleth it Shebah, <FI>oath,<Fi> therefore the name of the city <FI>is<Fi> Beer-Sheba, <FI>well of the oath,<Fi> unto this day.
34
And Esau is a son of forty years, and he taketh a wife, Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite,
35
and they are a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).