Genesis 26:1-2

Isaac Settles in Gerar

1 Now there was ¹a famine in the land, besides * the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to ²Abimelech king of the Philistines.

2 The LORD ³appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; ⁴stay in the land of which I shall tell you.

Genesis 26:1-2 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 26

This chapter treats of Isaac's removal to Gerar, occasioned by a famine, Ge 26:1; of the Lord's appearance to him there, advising him to sojourn in that place, and not go down to Egypt; renewing the covenant he had made with Abraham, concerning giving that country to him and his seed, Ge 26:2-6; of what happened unto him at Gerar on account of his wife, Ge 26:7-11; of Isaac's great prosperity and success, which drew the envy of the Philistines upon him, Ge 26:12-15; of his departure from hence to the valley of Gerar, at the instance of Abimelech; and of the contentions between his herdsmen, and those of Gerar, about wells of water, which caused him to remove to Beersheba, Ge 26:16-23; of the Lord's appearance to him there, renewing the above promise to him, where he built an altar, pitched his tent, and his servants dug a well, Ge 26:24,25; of Abimelech's coming to him thither, and making a covenant with him, Ge 26:26-31; which place had its name from the oath then made, and the well there dug, Ge 26:32,33; and lastly, of the marriage of Esau, which was a great grief to Isaac and Rebekah, Ge 26:34,35.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 12:10
• 2. Genesis 20:1, 2
• 3. Genesis 12:7; Genesis 17:1; Genesis 18:1
• 4. Genesis 12:1

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "dwell"