[And He Walks With Me] Genesis 26
1-6 Two things happen here. First, we see Isaac’s faith tested and proved. When there was another famine in the land, Isaac went to Abimelech, his father’s friend, rather than going to Egypt to escape the famine because the Lord appeared to him and said… This faithful obedience shows that Abraham’s faith was passed down to Isaac along with his material and real possessions. Second, God renewed his promise to Abraham for the next generation. Live in the land that I tell you about… and I will be with you and bless you…. I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky. It was all lifted, virtually verbatim, from God’s previous interactions with Abraham and now repeated in a personal theophany to Isaac.
7-11 Isaac inherited more than Abraham’s property, piety, and promise. He inherited also Abraham’s weakness. Namely, he lied about his wife for he was afraid Abimelech would kill [him] on account of Rebekah. See Genesis 12:10-20; 20:1-18. Just as Jacob exploited Esau’s impetuous nature and hunger to manipulate Esau into a bad decision (see 25:31-34), our natural, morally-neutral self-preservation instinct can become a powerful temptation when our enemy the devil exploits it.
When he looked down from the window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah, Abimelech must have had flashbacks to Genesis 20:1-18, when Isaac’s father told him the same lie Isaac used in verse 7. Back then, Abimelech’s innocent mistake led to infertility among all of his wives and concubines (see note on Genesis 20:17-18). He no doubt feared a similar punishment, or perhaps worse, if the same mistake was repeated!
Despite the similarities between this incident and the similar incidents with Abraham and Sarah (see 12:10-20; 20:1-18), there are significant differences. First, this time, there was no need for supernatural intervention to reveal the ruse. Second, while pharaoh brought Sarah into his palace (12:15), suggesting he may have had relations with her, and Abimelech brought Sarah into his harem but explicitly did not have relations with her (20:24), Abimelech never even sent for Rebekah. Therefore, there is “a decreasing danger in the three accounts.” Third, the repercussions of the incident are different. Pharaoh sent Abraham away in 12:20. Abimelech gave Abraham gifts and an invitation to stay in the land in 20:14-16. Now, Abimelech offered Isaac legal protection. Although Abraham was repeatedly identified as a Hebrew, which means “dispossessed or disenfranchised” (see note on 14:13), and alien (e.g., 15:13; 19:9; 21:23, 34), Isaac was taking possession of his divine inheritance. This is reinforced by the fact that Isaac settled in Gerar (6), sowed seed in that land and reaped a harvest (12), and dug at least five wells in this chapter.[57]
12-16 When God blesses, the neighbors will respond in one of two ways. In 20:2, Abimelech responded to Abraham’s blessing by seeking an alliance with him. That is, he sought to participate in Abraham’s blessing by aligning with him. Now, however, Abimelech grew envious of Isaac’s blessing and sent him away. No doubt, this was because substantial portions of the flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, and many slaves in Isaac’s possession originally belonged to Abimelech and his people. Perhaps the slaves even were Abimelech’s people, suggesting that Isaac was slowly assuming Abimelech’s kingdom.
17-22 a well of spring water suggests that the water was moving and fresh. Possibly it was an artesian well. At any rate, it was distinguished by its exceptional water quality and quantity from the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and that the Philistines had stopped up.
In arid regions, water rights are often a source of conflict. This well of spring water, however, suggested that there was plenty of subterranean water in the area. Therefore, rather than arguing over water, Isaac simply moved on from there and dug another, and they did not quarrel over it. Often, it is better for the relationship to walk away than to quarrel because, even though it may not yet be obvious, God has plenty more to provide. See note on 26-33.
25 Isaac had already received Abraham’s property, piety, and promise. Now, he also assumed Abraham’s practices by [building] an altar and [calling] on the name of the Lord as his father had.
26-33 Isaac’s skepticism is clear and even appropriate. The conflict of the preceding verses was cause for wariness. Yet, Abimelech and Ahuzzath, as jealous as they were, recognized that they were blessed by their positive relationship with Isaac and his father. Therefore, they sought reconciliation. Of course, this was only possible because Isaac walked away from the wells over which they were disputing in 17-22. Often, we must walk away from something now for the sake of what may be in the future. We must prioritize our long-term relationships with people over our short-term possession of things.
Isaac’s willingness to reconcile with Abimelech is more remarkable because, while they had started digging a well (25), his servants had not yet found water. Certainly, he could have sued for access to the wells he dug, much as his father had done in 21:25, but instead, Isaac chose to believe that God’s economy was not a zero-sum game and that there were more resources. His faith was rewarded! He was able to preserve the relationship and find water!
34-35 Once again, Esau’s impulsive nature causes trouble. Instead of waiting for his father to arrange a marriage for him, Esau took as his wives of his own volition. Instead of looking for a wife among his own clan and tribe, Esau married the daughters of two Hethite men. Instead of being sources of blessing, joy, and honor, these daughters-in-law made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
[57] Keener and Zondervan 2016, Genesis 26:7-11