Genesi 26:30 Commento

In this chapter we have, I. Isaac in adversity, by reason of a famine in the land, which, 1. Obliges him to change his quarters (Gen 26:1). But, 2. God visits him with direction and comfort (Gen 26:2-5). 3. He foolishly denies his wife, being in distress and is reproved for it by Abimelech (Gen 26:6-11). II. Isaac in prosperity, by the blessing of God upon him (Gen 26:12-14). And, 1. The Philistines were envious at him (Gen 26:14-17). 2. He continued industrious in his business (Gen 26:18-23). 3. God appeared to him, and encouraged him, and he devoutly acknowledged God (Gen 26:24, Gen 26:25). 4. The Philistines, at length, made court to him, and made a covenant with him (Gen 26:26-33). 5. The disagreeable marriage of his son Esau was an alloy to the comfort of his prosperity (Gen 26:34, Gen 26:35).

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 26 This chapter treats of Isaac's removal to Gerar, occasioned by a famine, Gen 26:1; of the Lord's appearance to him there, advising him to sojourn in that place, and not go down to Egypt; renewing the covenant he had made with Abraham, concerning giving that country to him and his seed, Gen 26:2; of what happened unto him at Gerar on account of his wife, Gen 26:7; of Isaac's great prosperity and success, which drew the envy of the Philistines upon him, Gen 26:12; of his departure from hence to the valley of Gerar, at the instance of Abimelech; and of the contentions between his herdsmen, and those of Gerar, about wells of water, which caused him to remove to Beersheba, Gen 26:16; of the Lord's appearance to him there, renewing the above promise to him, where he built an altar, pitched his tent, and his servants dug a well, Gen 26:24; of Abimelech's coming to him thither, and making a covenant with him, Gen 26:26; which place had its name from the oath then made, and the well there dug, Gen 26:32; and lastly, of the marriage of Esau, which was a great grief to Isaac and Rebekah, Gen 26:34.

And it came to pass the same day,.... That the above things were transacted: that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged; they had dug it before Abimelech came to Isaac, but they had not had an opportunity of acquainting him with it until he was gone, and then they came to give him an account of it, what sort of a well it was, and how it answered their expectations and wishes; and which in those countries was a very great blessing, and served very much to recommend a place to dwell in: and said unto him, we have found water; not only had dug a well, but they had found plenty of water, and that which was good; or otherwise it would not have been worth while to have troubled Isaac with the account of it.

For it is certain that he who serves the Word “is debtor to the wise and the unwise.” Because, therefore, he is producing a feast for the wise, for this reason it is said that “he made” not a small but “a great feast.”And you, if you should not still be “a little child” and in need of “milk” but should bring your “senses exercised” and should come more capable to an understanding of the Word of God after very much instruction has been set before you, there will also be “a great feast” for you. The "vegetables" of the weak will not be prepared for you as food, nor will you be nourished with milk with which “little children” are nourished, but the servant of the Word will make a “great feast” for you. He will speak to you the “wisdom” that is offered “among the perfect.” He will offer you the “wisdom of God hidden in a mystery, which none of the princes of this world knew.” He will reveal Christ to you in this respect, that in him “all the treasures of wisdom are hidden.”15 He makes you therefore “a great feast,” and he himself eats with you if he should not find you to be such that he should say to you, “I could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, as to little ones in Christ.” He says this to the Corinthians, to which he also adds, “For when there are contentions and dissensions among you, are you not carnal and walk in a human way?” Paul did not “make a great feast” for these, insofar that when he was with them and was in need, he was a burden to no one. Nor did he eat bread he did not pay for from anyone, but laboring night and day, his own hands served himself and all who were with him. The Corinthians therefore were so far from having a “great feast” that the preacher of the Word of God could have not even the least or a little feast with them. But there is a great feast for those who know how to hear more perfectly, who bring their “senses” instructed and “exercised” for hearing the Word of God.

Let us imitate Isaac’s goodness; let us imitate his purity. Isaac was certainly a good and virtuous man, devoted to God and faithful to his wife. He did not return evil for evil. He yielded to those who drove him out, but he received them again when they were sorry, being neither harsh to insolence nor obdurate to kindness. When he went away from others, he fled to avoid strife. When he received them again, he readily forgave them, and he was exceptionally kind when he pardoned. Men sought to associate with him, and he added a delightful feast.

A famine in the land obliges Isaac to leave Beer-sheba and go to Gerar, v. 1. God appears to him, and warns him not to go to Egypt, v. 2. Renews the promises to him which he had made to his father Abraham, vv. 3-5. Isaac dwells at Gerar, v. 6. Being questioned concerning Rebekah, and fearing to lose his life on her account, he calls her his sister, v. 7. Abimelech the king discovers, by certain familiarities which he had noticed between Isaac and Rebekah, that she was his wife, v. 8. Calls Isaac and reproaches him for his insincerity, vv. 9, 10. He gives a strict command to all his people not to molest either Isaac or his wife, v. 11. Isaac applies himself to husbandry and breeding of cattle, and has a great increase, vv. 12-14. Is envied by the Philistines, who stop up the wells he had dug, v. 15. Is desired by Abimelech to remove, v. 16. He obeys, and fixes his tent in the valley of Gerar, v. 17. Opens the wells dug in the days of Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up, v. 18. Digs the well, Eze 19:1-14, 20; and the well Sitnah, Eze 20:21; and the well Rehoboth, Eze 20:22. Returns to Beer-sheba, Eze 20:23. God appears to him, and renews his promises, Eze 20:24. He builds an altar there, pitches his tent, and digs a well, Eze 20:25. Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phichol, visit him, Eze 20:26. Isaac accuses them of unkindness, Eze 20:27. They beg him to make a covenant with them, Eze 20:28, Eze 20:29. He makes them a feast, and they bind themselves to each other by an oath, Eze 20:30, Eze 20:31. The well dug by Isaac's servants (Gen 26:25) called Shebah, Gen 26:33. Esau, at forty years of age, marries two wives of the Hittites, Gen 26:34, at which Isaac and Rebekah are grieved, Gen 26:35.

He made them a feast - Probably on the sacrifice that was offered on the occasion of making this covenant. This was a common custom.

SOJOURN IN GERAR. (Gen. 26:1-35) And there was a famine in the land . . . And Isaac went unto . . . Gerar--The pressure of famine in Canaan forced Isaac with his family and flocks to migrate into the land of the Philistines, where he was exposed to personal danger, as his father had been on account of his wife's beauty; but through the seasonable interposition of Providence, he was preserved (Psa 105:14-15).