Keraia
Genesis 26

Genesis 26:9

Isaac Deceives Abimelech · Genesis 26:6–11
Read Genesis 26

Translations

Modern
Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”
Traditional
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
Literal
And Abimelech called to Isaac and said, “Surely behold, she is your wife! And how did you say, ‘She is my sister?’” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘lest I die on account of her.’”
Latin
Et accersito eo, ait: Perspicuum est quod uxor tua sit: cur mentitus es eam sororem tuam esse? Respondit: Timui ne morerer propter eam.

Original

Hebrew
English
Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

Notes

Genesis 26:6–11

While Isaac was living in Gerar, he, like his father Abraham, told people that his wife was his sister. Some think this story repeats the accounts of Abraham’s deception (12:10–20; 20:1–18). But there are more differences than similarities. It is not surprising that a son repeated his father’s lie.

Genesis 26 shows, through many similar patterns, that God’s plan continued through Isaac. Even when Isaac put the covenant at risk, as Abraham had done, God prevented something terrible from happening and protected the marriage. God would bless Abraham’s descendants because of Abraham, but they still needed to trust God themselves to experience those blessings.

True faith in God's promises leads to a life without fear as one follows him. Fear, however, can put the blessing at risk and make a person’s faith seem empty.

Genesis 26:1–35

This section pauses Jacob’s story to focus on Isaac. Isaac’s success and wealth in chapter 26 show that God’s blessing had passed to him (compare 25:11), even though he sometimes failed to trust God.

Theme notes and profiles

Isaac Symbolic Numbers

People

Abimelech: Philistine king who interacted with Abraham and Isaac Isaac: Son of Abraham; father of Jacob and Esau

Glossary

Abimelech Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Ebla Tablets Genesis, Book of Gerar Nathanael Patriarchs, Period of the Philistia, Philistines Rebecca, Rebekah

Topics

Chiding: Abimelech Chides Isaac for Similar Conduct Conscience: Faithful of Abimelech, when he Took Isaac's Wife for a Concubine Cowardice: Isaac, in Calling his Wife his Sister Falsehood: Isaac, Denying That Rebekah Was his Wife Integrity: Abimelech Isaac: The Miraculous Son of Abraham: Lives in Gerar Rebekah (Rebecca): Passes As Isaac's Sister Rulers: Righteous: Abimelech, in his Treatment of Isaac