Genesis Chapter 26
While the book of Genesis provided us a number of background stories on Abraham, not as much history is provided as to the life of Isaac. We know of the test that God made on Abraham involving the sacrifice of Isaac, and Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah. But other than it relates to Jacob and Esau, we have few incidents described in the Bible, other than chapter 26, to give us details into the long life of Isaac.
One of the main background stories we have in the chapter tells us that Isaac was bountifully blessed by the Lord. It is provided to us in the incidents related to the second great famine of the land where Isaac lived.
During the life of Abraham, there had been described a great famine. A second one followed during the days of Isaac. During the famine, Isaac went to see the leader of the Philistines: king Abimelech. The Lord appeared unto Isaac and forbid him from traveling down to Egypt, as Abraham had been allowed to do. Instead, God told Isaac to stay in his land and there God would bless him.
The Lord again confirmed the covenant of Abraham through Isaac: "I will be with thee, and will bless thee: for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy farther:
"And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed." Gen. 26:3-4.
Isaac stayed in the land of Gerar, as directed by the Lord. He became known unto king Abimelech, but Isaac had the same fear for his wife, Rebekah, that Abraham had for his wife Sarah during Abraham’s travels in Egypt.
Isaac was afraid that his beautiful wife would be taken from him, and that his own life would be slain by some other man after his wife. Isaac told everyone that Rebekah was his sister. One day Abimelech looked out a window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah, and the king knew then that Rebekah was not Isaac’s sister. The king confronted Isaac about Rebekah and Isaac admitted she was his sister, telling the king of his fear for both of them.
The king had come to respect Isaac and decreed that anyone that bothered either Isaac or Rebekah would be put to death.
We are told Isaac, during the famine, sowed and farmed the land. Isaac’s crops came in a hundred-fold; and the Lord blessed Isaac with great herds and flocks and a great store of servants. The Philistines came to greatly envy Isaac because of his material blessings.
Isaac and his servants drilled water wells, and it was clear he was a blessed man.
Finally, king Abimelech sent Isaac away because of jealously. Everywhere Isaac went in the land of Gegar over which Abimelech reigned, he prospered. Disputes arose over the successful water wells between Isaac’s men and the men of Philistine.
Finally, at the place of Beer-sheba, the Lord appeared unto Isaac to again confirm His blessing. There Isaac built and altar and worshiped the Lord with his servants.
One day king Abimelech, along with the head of the Philistine army and one of the king’s close friends, went to visit Isaac. Isaac asked why the king had come, since the king hated and envied Isaac and had previously sent Isaac away. The king told Isaac he recognized that the Lord had blessed Isaac, and the king wanted no ill will between Isaac and himself. They feasted and departed in peace.
Chapter 26 ends with Isaac and Rebekah receiving bad news about the marriage of the eldest of their sons, Esau. Esau, now 40 had taken two wives: Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. Thus, Esau had married outside his people by marrying two heathen women, causing great grief to both Isaac and Rebekah and further foretelling of his rejection of his birthright.