Genesis 26:25

25 And so Isaac builded there an altar to the Lord; and when the name of the Lord was inwardly called, he stretched forth a tabernacle; and he commanded his servants that they should dig wells. (And so Isaac built an altar there to the Lord; and after he had inwardly called on the Lord's name, he pitched his tent there; and then he commanded his servants to dig a well.)

Genesis 26:25 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 26:25

And he builded an altar there
At Beersheba, where his father Abraham had planted a grove before, and very probably had built an altar also, though it might not be now standing, ( Genesis 21:33 ) ; and called upon the name of the Lord;
and gave him thanks for all his mercies to him; for the care he had taken of him, and provision he had made for him and his during the time of famine; and for the protection and preservation of him in Gerar; and for his deliverance of him out of the hands of envious, malicious, and unreasonable men; as well as prayed unto him for present and future mercies, for providential care of him and his; and for communications of special grace, and for meetness for eternal glory; all which every good man daily prays to God for: and pitched his tent there:
intending to take up his abode and settle there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well;
in order to find water for the family, and for the flocks and herds; and which was necessary to be done, as they perceived their master designed to fix his habitation here; wells of water being of great moment and consequence in those hot and desert countries, as the above contentions about them abundantly show.

Genesis 26:25 In-Context

23 Isaac forsooth went up from that place into Beersheba, (And Isaac went up from that place to Beersheba,)

24 where the Lord appeared to him in that night; and said, I am [the] God of Abraham, thy father; do not thou dread (do not thou fear), for I am with thee, and I shall bless thee, and I shall multiply thy seed for (the sake of) my servant Abraham.

25 And so Isaac builded there an altar to the Lord; and when the name of the Lord was inwardly called, he stretched forth a tabernacle; and he commanded his servants that they should dig wells. (And so Isaac built an altar there to the Lord; and after he had inwardly called on the Lord's name, he pitched his tent there; and then he commanded his servants to dig a well.)

26 And when Abimelech, and Ahuzzath, (one of) his friends, and Phicol, [the] duke of knights (the leader of his soldiers), had come from Gerar to that place,

27 Isaac spake to them, (and said,) What came ye to me, a man whom ye have hated, and putted away from you? (Isaac said to them, Why have ye come to me, a man whom ye hate, and whom ye sent away from you?)