Gen 26 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gen 26:1-35: 26:1-35 In this digression from Jacob’s story, Isaac’s prosperity (ch 26 ) shows that the blessing had passed to him (cp. 25:11 ) despite his failures of faith. 26:1 This Abimelech is probably not the man in ch 20 , for these events could have been 90 years apart. Possibly Abimelech was a dynastic name or title (a later King Achish, 1 Sam 21:10 , was also called Abimelech, Ps 34:title ).

Summary for Gen 26:1-35: 26:1-35 ^a In this digression from Jacob’s story, Isaac’s prosperity (ch 26 ^b) shows that the blessing had passed to him (cp. 25:11 ^c) despite his failures of faith. 26:1 ^d This Abimelech is probably not the man in ch 20 ^e, for these events could have been 90 years apart. Possibly Abimelech was a dynastic name or title (a later King Achish, 1 Sam 21:10 ^f, was also called Abimelech, Ps 34:title ^g).
Summary for Gen 26:2-5: 26:2-5 ^h The Lord assured Isaac that the covenant promises (cp. 12:2-3 ⁱ; 15:5-8 ^j; 17:3-8 ^k; 22:15-18 ^l; 28:13-14 ^m) would pass to him because Abraham faithfully listened to God and obeyed all his requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions. These terms were later used in Deuteronomy to describe God’s full legal covenant with Israel. An Israelite reader would immediately think of the complete Torah when hearing these words and be prompted to obey God’s law as Abraham did, though Abraham had only a few commands from the Lord. Through these words, the text emphasizes that Abraham would have obeyed the later commands if he had had them, because he was an obedient servant of the Lord.
Summary for Gen 26:6-11: 26:6-11 ⁿ While staying in Gerar, Isaac, like his father, deceived people into believing that his wife was his sister. Some suppose that this story duplicates the stories of Abraham’s deception (12:10-20 ^o; 20:1-18 ^p), but the differences are greater than the similarities, and the son’s repetition of his father’s lie is natural. Through numerous parallels with Abraham, ch 26 ^q shows how God’s plan continued with Isaac. Even when Isaac jeopardized the covenant as his father had, God prevented disaster and preserved the marriage. Abraham’s descendants would be blessed because of Abraham, but they had to exercise their own faith to enjoy the blessings. Genuine faith in God’s promises engenders a fearless walk with him; cowering in fear endangers the blessing and mocks the faith.
26:8 ^r Abimelech ... saw Isaac caressing Rebekah: The word for “caressing” (Hebrew metsakheq) is the same as the word used for Ishmael’s “making fun of” Isaac (21:9 ^s); the word is related to the name “Isaac” (Hebrew yitskhaq). It is as though Isaac’s lapse of faith made fun of Abimelech and made a mockery of Rebekah and the great promise embodied in Isaac’s name.
Summary for Gen 26:10-11: 26:10-11 ^t Isaac, like his father, was rebuked by Abimelech (see study note on 20:1-18). This legal wording would remind Israel of how important it was to preserve marital purity. Abimelech recognized the danger to his own people. Though his decree preserved his own society, it was also a word from God that preserved the sanctity of Isaac’s and Israel’s marriages. If Isaac’s marriage had ended here, there would have been no Israelite society.
Summary for Gen 26:12-13: 26:12-13 ^u Isaac lived in the land as a temporary settler, enjoying abundant prosperity because of God’s blessing; his crops flourished and he became very rich.
Summary for Gen 26:14-16: 26:14-16 ^v The Philistines envied Isaac’s prosperity and filled his wells with dirt. The king then ordered Isaac to leave that region because he was too powerful for them (cp. 21:22-23 ^w).
Summary for Gen 26:17-22: 26:17-22 ^x Isaac moved ... to the Gerar Valley (away from the city of Gerar itself, 26:6 ^y, but probably still within ten miles) and reopened his father’s wells. Isaac was also opposed there, but chose not to fight back; he relinquished one well after another until God’s blessing outdid the opposition. Whenever Isaac reopened a well, and regardless of how often enemies caused them to cave in, he found water. God was blessing Isaac and that blessing could not be hindered. Finally, the Philistines left Isaac alone.
Summary for Gen 26:23-25: 26:23-25 ^z At Beersheba, ... the Lord appeared to Isaac to confirm his covenant (cp. 21:31-33 ^aa). Isaac responded in faith as his father had done by building an altar to the Lord and proclaiming the Lord’s identity and nature (see study note on 12:8; 21:33 ^ab).
Summary for Gen 26:26-33: 26:26-33 ^ac This treaty is similar to the one an earlier king had made with Abraham (cp. 21:22-31 ^ad). This king acknowledged that God was blessing Isaac and realized that a treaty with Isaac would benefit him. No opposition can hinder God’s blessing—it will flourish, and other nations will see it and seek peace with God’s people to share in the blessing.
26:33 ^ae Since the earlier treaty was renewed with Isaac, the name of the well was also renewed by the oath.
Summary for Gen 26:34-35: 26:34-35 ^af Esau’s marriages illustrate how unfit he was to lead the covenant people into God’s blessings, and how foolish was Isaac’s later attempt to bless Esau (27:1-40 ^ag). Esau later married a third wife in a vain attempt to do the right thing (28:6-9 ^ah).