Genesis 26:29

_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...

29._As we have not touched thee_. An accusing conscience urges them to desire to hold him closely bound unto them; and therefore they require an oath from him that he will not hurt them. For they knew that he might rightfully avenge himself on them for the sufferings he had endured: but they dissemble on this point, and even make a wonderful boast of their own acts of kindness. At first, indeed, the humanity of the king was remarkable, for he not only entertained Isaac with hospitality, but treated him with peculiar honor; yet he by no means continued to act thus to the end. It accords, however, with the common custom of men, to disguise their own faults by whatever artifice or color they can invent. But if we have committed any offense, it rather becomes us ingenuously to confess our fault, than by denying it, to wound still more deeply the minds of those whom we have injured. Neverthel...

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....

- 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

THAT THOU WILT DO US NO HURT,.... Neither to our persons nor properties, to our kingdom and subjects, by invading our land, and seizing on our kingdom, all which was feared from Isaac's growing wealth and power: AS WE HAVE NOT TOUCHED THEE; not done the least injury to him, to his person, family, and substance, but suffered him to go away with all he had untouched: AND AS WE HAVE DONE UNTO THEE, NOTHING BUT GOOD; by royal authority, or by the command and direction of the king and his nobles; for as for the stopping up the wells his father's servants had dug, and the controversy that was about those in the vale, and the trouble Isaac had on that account, these things were not by the order of the king and council, and perhaps without their knowledge: AND HAVE SENT THEE AWAY IN PEACE; no one being suffered to do any injury to him, or molest him in carrying off everything that belonged un...

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.

TOUCHED. Figure of speech _Tapeinosis._ App-6. Emphasizing the fact that so far from injuring him in any way they had shown him favour....

_as we have … but good_ This statement, scarcely veracious in view of Genesis 26:15_; Genesis 26:20_, is evidently made in the interests of policy. _the blessed of the Lord_ Cf. Genesis 26:12 and Genesis 24:31....