THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired... [ Continue Reading ]
XXVI. ADVENTURES OF ISAAC AT GERAR. (1) ISAAC WENT... UNTO GERAR. — Following the stream of Semitic migration (Genesis 12:15), Isaac had originally purposed going to Egypt, but is commanded by God to abide in the land, and upon so doing he receives the assurance that he will be confirmed in the inh... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM. — Only once besides does Jehovah manifest himself to Isaac (Genesis 26:24), and sixty years had now passed since the revelations recorded in Genesis 22. Excepting to Abraham, it was only at rare and distant intervals that God spake to the patriarchs. The greater part of t... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE COUNTRIES. — On the archaic form of the pronoun _these,_ see Note on Genesis 19:8. The countries are enumerated in Genesis 15:19. For the “oath,” see Genesis 22:16; and for the metaphor, “as the stars,” see Genesis 15:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID, SHE IS MY SISTER. — We have already seen that Abraham at Gerar showed no consciousness of having done wrong in denying his wife (Genesis 20:2); and we now find Isaac imitating his example with even less reason for his conduct. The circumstances are, however, different. It is the people who... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIMELECH. — Upon this title of the Philistine monarchs see Note on Genesis 21:22. As eighty years had elapsed since Abraham’s sojourn in Gerar, it is highly improbable that the same king was still reigning; but both king and people maintain on this occasion the good character previously deserved. T... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAAC SOWED IN THAT LAND. — When Abraham planted a tamarisk-tree at Beer-sheba (Genesis 21:33) it showed that he regarded the place as a permanent residence, which it was worth his while to adorn, and to provide for its increasing pleasantness. Isaac and Jacob took a still further step in advance to... [ Continue Reading ]
GREAT STORE OF SERVANTS. — Marg., _husbandry._ In Job 1:3 the word is rendered _household_ in the text, and _husbandry_ again in the margin. Literally it means _making employment,_ and answers to our word _business._ But if in a man’s life there is much activity and plenty to do, there must be peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WELLS. — In the East the digger of a well is regarded as a public benefactor; but the Philistines stopped those that Abraham had digged, probably because they regarded his possession of them, though confirmed by the covenant between him and Abimelech (Genesis 21:32), as an intrusion upon their r... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VALLEY OF GERAR. — The word _nahal,_ rendered “valley,” means a narrow defile through which a summer torrent flows. In the bed of these streams water can generally be found by digging, and Isaac hoped that he was far enough from the city for the enmity to cease. But he was mistaken, though he se... [ Continue Reading ]
(18-22) ISAAC DIGGED AGAIN THE WELLS... — This activity of Isaac called forth anew the opposition of the Philistines, His first well was in the wady of Gerar, and was the more valuable because it was not the mere remains of the water of the torrent, but was fed by a spring, as we learn from its bein... [ Continue Reading ]
(23-25) HE WENT UP FROM THENCE TO BEER-SHEBA. — This was a very serious act on Isaac’s part He leaves the solitudes where he had found a refuge from the enmity of the Philistines, and returns to a place scarcely five leagues distant from their city. Should the old rancour revive, it may now take the... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIMELECH WENT TO HIM. — The return of Isaac to Beer-sheba was a matter of serious importance also to Abimelech. The Philistines were themselves an alien race, and an alliance between Isaac and Ishmael, and others of the Semitic stock, might end in their expulsion from the country. Abraham had also... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE COME YE TO ME? — Isaac’s return had brought matters to a crisis, and the king must now decide whether there was to be peace or war.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THERE BE NOW AN OATH. — The word literally signifies a _curse._ Each side uttered an imprecation, with the prayer that it might fall upon himself if he broke the terms of the covenant. LET US MAKE A COVENANT. — Heb., _cut._ (See Note on Genesis 15:10; Genesis 15:18; where also see the explanati... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE FOUND WATER. — As there are two wells at Beer-sheba, it is uncertain whether this was Abraham’s well, re-opened by Isaac (see Genesis 26:25), or a new one.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THE NAME OF THE CITY IS BEER-SHEBA UNTO THIS DAY. — There was no city at this time at Beer-sheba, but one is mentioned at the conquest of Canaan by Joshua (Joshua 15:28). This note, as is the case generally with those which speak of a thing existing “unto this day,” was added by Ezra and t... [ Continue Reading ]
ESAU’S MARRIAGE WITH CANAANITISH WOMEN. (34) ESAU WAS FORTY YEARS OLD. — He was there fore of exactly the same age as Isaac was when, sixty years before, he married Rebekah. But by thus inter marrying with idolaters Esau violated the great principle laid down by Abraham (Genesis 24:3), forfeited the... [ Continue Reading ]