Genesis 26

The Promise Reaffirmed to Isaac

1 There was another famine in the land in addition to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time.  * 26:1 Gn 12:10 And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.  * 26:1 Gn 20:22 The Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I tell you about; 3 stay in this land as an alien, and I will be with you and bless you.  * 26:3 Gn 12:2; 26:24; 28:15; 31:3 For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring,  * 26:3 Gn 12:7; 13:15; 15:18 and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.  * 26:3 Gn 22:16–18; Ps 105:94 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, I will give your offspring all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed  * 26:4 Or will consider themselves blessed by your offspring,  * 26:4 Gn 12:3; 18:18; Ac 3:25; Gl 3:85 because Abraham listened to me and kept my mandate, my commands, my statutes, and my instructions."  * 26:5 Lv 18:30; Dt 11:16 So Isaac settled in Gerar.

Isaac’s Deception

7 When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, "She is my sister,"  * 26:7 Gn 12:13; 20:5 for he was afraid to say "my wife," thinking,  * 26:7 Pr 29:25 "The men of the place will kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is a beautiful woman."  * 26:7 Gn 24:168 When Isaac had been there for some time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see  * 26:8 Or and he looked and behold— Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.