Genesis 26:28

_THEN ABIMELECH WENT TO HIM FROM GERAR, AND AHUZZATH ONE OF HIS FRIENDS, AND PHICHOL THE CHIEF CAPTAIN OF HIS ARMY._ Then Abimelech went to him. Since there was a lapse of 70 years between the visit of Abraham and of Isaac, the Abimelech and Phichol spoken of must have been different persons' official titles. Kurtz and Tuch think that there is no chronological difficulty in the way of supposing the same Abimelech who covenanted with Abraham entered into a similar compact with Isaac; because as the patriarchs attained to a great age, their contemporaries might be equally distinguished for longevity. And their conjecture, that Abimelech was an aged king, appears to be confirmed by the fact that he did not himself take Rebekah to his harem, but only expressed a fear lest one of the people might have taken liberties with her. AHUZZATH ONE OF THIS FRIENDS. The 'king's friend' is frequently...

28._We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee_. By this argument they prove that they desired a compact with Isaac, not insidiously, but in good faith, because they acknowledge the favor of God towards him. For it was necessary to purge themselves from this suspicion, seeing that they now presented themselves so courteously to one against whom they had before been unreasonably opposed. This confession of theirs, however, contains very useful instruction. Profane men in calling one, whose affairs all succeed well and prosperously, the blessed of the Lord, bear testimony that God is the author of all good things, and that from him alone flows all prosperity. Exceedingly base, therefore, is our ingratitude, if, when God acts kindly towards us, we pass by his benefits with closed eyes. Again, profane men regard the friendship of one whom God favors, as desirable for themselves; considerin...

26-33 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, Proverbs 16:7. Kings' hearts are in his hands, and when he pleases, he can turn them to favour his people. It is not wrong to stand upon our guard in dealing with those who have acted unfairly. But Isaac did not insist on the unkindnesses they had done him; he freely entered into friendship with them. Religion teaches us to be neighbourly, and, as much as in us lies, to live peaceable with all men. Providence smiled upon what Isaac did; God blessed his labours....

Verse Genesis 26:28. _LET THERE BE NOW AN OATH BETWIXT US_] Let us make a covenant by which we shall be mutually bound, and let it be ratified in the most solemn manner....

- The Events of Isaac’s Life 5. משׁמרת _mı̂shmeret_, “charge, ordinance.” מציה _mı̂tsvâh_, “command,” special order. חק _choq_, “decree, statute,” engraven on stone or metal. תירה _tôrâh_, “law,” doctrine, system of moral truth. 10. עשׂק _‛__êśeq_, ‘Eseq, “strife.” 21. שׂטנה _śı̂ṭnâh_, Sitnah, “opposition.” 22. רחבית _r__e__chobôt_, Rechoboth, “room.” 26. אחזת...

EXPOSITION GENESIS 26:23 AND HE (viz; Isaac) WENT UP FROM THENCE (Rehoboth, where latterly he had been encamped) TO BEER-SHEBA—a former residence of Abraham (Genesis 21:33), situated "near the water-shed between the Mediterranean and the Salt Sea" (Murphy), hence approached from the low-lying wady by an ascent. GENESIS 26:24 AND THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM THE SAME NIGHT (_i_._e_. the night of his arrival at Beersheba), AND SAID (in a dream or vision), I (the pronoun is emphatic) AM THE GOD (the Elohim) of Abraham t

AND THEY SAID, WE SAW CERTAINLY THAT THE LORD WAS WITH THEE,.... Not only while he was among them, by the fruitfulness of the land he sowed, by the increase of his family, his flocks and herds, but also since he was gone from them, in the valley of Gerar, and now in Beersheba: AND WE SAID; one to another, assembled in privy council, in which this affair was talked over and debated: LET THERE NOW BE AN OATH BETWIXT US, [EVEN] BETWIXT US AND THEE: what was between us and thy father, or between thine ancestors and ours, let it be renewed and confirmed before us; so Onkelos and Jarchi; see Genesis 21:23: AND LET US MAKE A COVENANT WITH THEE; the articles of which follow....

CHAPTER 26 ISAAC IN GERAR _ 1. The famine (Genesis 26:1)_ 2. Jehovah appears unto Isaac (Genesis 26:2) 3. Isaac in Gerar where he denies Rebekah (Genesis 26:6) 4. Isaac's prosperity and the digging of wells (Genesis 26:12) 5. Jehovah appears at Beersheba (Genesis 26:23) 6. Isaac and Abimelech (Genesis 26:26) 7. The wives of Esau ...

GENESIS 26. ISAAC AND THE PHILISTINES. Apart from Genesis 26:34 f. this chapter belongs to J. The original has been expanded in Genesis 26:1, and Genesis 26:15; Genesis 26:18 are harmonistic insertions. Apart from Genesis 26:12 the incidents are parallel to incidents recorded of Abraham. On the relation to the earlier adventures of Sarah in Egypt and Gerar, see Genesis 26:20 *. The incident is misplaced; obviously it is earlier than the birth of Esau and Jacob.

SAW CERTAINLY. Figure of speech _Polyptoton_ (App-6), for emphasis. Hebrew "seeing we saw". Compare Genesis 2:16 " _freely_ eat"; Genesis 27:30 " _scarce_ gone out"; Genesis 43:3 " _solemnly_ protest"; Genesis 43:7 "asked us _straitly_ ", "could we _certainly_ know"; Genesis 43:20 "came _indeed_ down"; Exodus 5:23 "not delivered us _at all_ "; Genesis 18:18