26:1 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.
26:2 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.
26:5 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.
26:7 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.
26:8 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.
26:10 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.
26:14 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.
26:17 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.
26:24 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.
26:25 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.
26:29l 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.
