seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 26:1 Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,(b) 5 because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.” 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
a. Genesis 26:4 Or seed
b. Genesis 26:4 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
This is from the easy English commentary.
(For the previous famine, see Genesis 12:10.)
Gerar was a town that was west of Beer-sheba. It was near to the coast. The inhabitants were Philistines.
‘Abimelech’ means ‘my father is king’. Every Philistine king was called ‘Abimelech’. It was not the name of one king. Abraham had met Abimelech. (See Genesis 20:2-18.) But Abraham probably met the father of the Abimelech that Isaac met.
‘Do not go down to Egypt.’ Egypt was a good place to live when there was a famine. The river Nile provided water for Egypt. Therefore, crops grew in Egypt even when there was no rain. And so there was food in Egypt even when there was a famine in other countries. To go to Egypt would be a wise thing. Abraham went to Egypt when there was a famine. But God told Isaac not to go to Egypt. God said that he would provide for Isaac.
God repeated to Isaac the promises that he had made to Abraham
Gerar was a town that was west of Beer-sheba. It was near to the coast. The inhabitants were Philistines.
‘Abimelech’ means ‘my father is king’. Every Philistine king was called ‘Abimelech’. It was not the name of one king. Abraham had met Abimelech. (See Genesis 20:2-18.) But Abraham probably met the father of the Abimelech that Isaac met.
‘Do not go down to Egypt.’ Egypt was a good place to live when there was a famine. The river Nile provided water for Egypt. Therefore, crops grew in Egypt even when there was no rain. And so there was food in Egypt even when there was a famine in other countries. To go to Egypt would be a wise thing. Abraham went to Egypt when there was a famine. But God told Isaac not to go to Egypt. God said that he would provide for Isaac.
God repeated to Isaac the promises that he had made to Abraham
Here we go again? Will Isaac learn from his father's mistakes?
