Genesis 26 - International Children’s Bible (ICB)

Isaac Lies to Abimelech

26 Once there was a time of hunger in the land. This was besides the time of hunger that happened during Abraham’s life. So Isaac went to the town of Gerar. He went to see Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Don’t go down to Egypt. Live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land, and I will be with you. I will bless you. I will give you and your descendants all these lands. I will keep the agreement I made to Abraham your father. 4 I will give you many descendants. They will be as hard to count as the stars in the sky. And I will give them all these lands. Through your descendants all the nations on the earth will be blessed. 5 I will do this because your father Abraham obeyed me. He did what I said. He obeyed my commands, my teachings and my rules.”

6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar. 7 Isaac’s wife Rebekah was very beautiful. The men of that place asked Isaac about her. Isaac said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to tell them she was his wife. He thought they might kill him so they could have her.

8 Isaac lived there a long time. One day as Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out his window, he saw Isaac. Isaac was holding his wife Rebekah tenderly. 9 Abimelech called for Isaac and said, “This woman is your wife. Why did you say she was your sister?”

Isaac said to him, “I was afraid you would kill me so you could have her.”

10 Abimelech said, “What have you done to us? One of our men might have had physical relations with your wife. Then we would have been guilty of a great sin.”

11 So Abimelech warned everyone. He said, “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death.”

Isaac Becomes Rich

12 Isaac planted seed in that land. And that year he gathered a great harvest. The Lord blessed him very much. 13 Isaac became rich. He gathered more wealth until he became a very rich man. 14 He had many slaves and many flocks and herds. The Philistines envied him. 15 So they stopped up all the wells the servants of Isaac’s father Abraham had dug. (They had dug them when Abraham was alive.) The Philistines filled those wells with dirt. 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave our country. You have become much more powerful than we are.”

17 So Isaac left that place. He camped in the Valley of Gerar and lived there. 18 Long before this time Abraham had dug many wells. After Abraham died, the Philistines filled them with dirt. So Isaac dug those wells again. He gave them the same names his father had given them. 19 Isaac’s servants dug a well in the valley. From it a spring of water flowed. 20 But the men who herded sheep in Gerar argued with Isaac’s servants. They said, “This water is ours.” So Isaac named that well Argue because they argued with him. 21 Then Isaac’s servants dug another well. The people also argued about it. So Isaac named that well Fight. 22 Isaac moved from there and dug another well. No one argued about this one. So he named that well Room Enough. Isaac said, “Now the Lord has made room for us. We will be successful in this land.”

23 From there Isaac went to Beersheba. 24 The Lord appeared to Isaac that night. The Lord said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Don’t be afraid because I am with you. I will bless you and give you many descendants. I will do this because of my servant Abraham.” 25 So Isaac built an altar and worshiped the Lord there. He made a camp there, and his servants dug a well.

26 Abimelech came from Gerar to see Isaac. Abimelech brought with him Ahuzzath, who advised him, and Phicol, the commander of his army. 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to see me? You were my enemy. You forced me to leave your country.”

28 They answered, “Now we know that the Lord is with you. We will make a promise to you. And we would like you to make one to us. We would like to make an agreement with you. 29 We did not hurt you. So promise you will not hurt us. And we were good to you, and we sent you away in peace. Now the Lord has blessed you.”

30 So Isaac prepared food for them, and they all ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men made a promise to each other. Then Isaac sent them away, and they left in peace.

32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. They said, “We found water in that well.” 33 So Isaac named it Shibah[a] and that city is still called Beersheba even now.

34 When Esau was 40 years old, he married two Hittite women. One was Judith daughter of Beeri. The other was Basemath daughter of Elon. 35 These women brought much sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah.

Footnotes

  1. 26:33 Shibah This name sounds like the Hebrew words for “seven” and “promise.”

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Genesis 26 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

26 And there is a famine in the land, besides the first famine which was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac goeth unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2 And Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith, `Go not down towards Egypt, tabernacle in the land concerning which I speak unto thee, 3 soj...
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Genesis 26 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

26 Forsooth for hunger rose on the land, after that barrenness that befelled in the days of Abraham, Isaac went forth to Abimelech, king of Palestines, in Gerar. (And another famine arose in the land, like the one which had come in Abraham’s days, and Isaac went to Abimelech, the king of the Philist...
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Genesis 26 - World English Bible (WEB)

26 There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about. 3 Live in this land, and I will be w...
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Genesis 26 - The Voice (VOICE)

26 Once again, a famine spread through the land, similar to the one that occurred in Abraham’s time. Isaac went to the land of Gerar to appeal to King Abimelech of the Philistines. 2 The Eternal appeared in a vision to Isaac.Eternal One: Don’t go down to Egypt, Isaac. Instead settle in the land I w...
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Genesis 26 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Confirming the Covenant with Isaac26 Now there was a famine in the land—aside from the previous famine that happened in Abraham’s days. So Isaac went to King Abimelech of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2 Then Adonai appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Dwell in the land about which I tel...
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Genesis 26 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Isaac and Abimelech26 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to Abim′elech king of the Philistines. 2 And the Lord appeared to him, and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 So...
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Genesis 26 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Isaac and Abimelech26 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to Abim′elech king of the Philistines. 2 And the Lord appeared to him, and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 So...
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Genesis 26 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Isaac and Abimelech26 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac[a] and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; settle in the land that I shall show you. ...
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Genesis 26 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Isaac and Abimelech26 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines.(A)2 The Lord appeared to Isaac[a] and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; settle in the land that I shall show you....
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Genesis 26 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Isaac Deceives Abimelech26 A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. 3 Live here as a foreigner in thi...
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Genesis 26 - New Life Version (NLV)

Isaac and Abimelech26 Now there was another time when there was no food in the land, after the time of no food in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 The Lord showed Himself to Isaac, and said, “Do not go to Egypt. Stay in the land I will tell you ab...
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Genesis 26 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Isaac and Abimelech26 There was a famine in the land, besides (A)the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to (B)Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. 2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: (C)“Do not go down to Egypt; live in (D)the land of which I shall tell you. ...
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Genesis 26 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Isaac and Abimelek26 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...
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Genesis 26 - New International Version (NIV)

Isaac and Abimelek(A)26 Now there was a famine in the land(B)—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines(C) in Gerar.(D) 2 The Lord appeared(E) to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt;(F) live in the land where I tell you to live.(G) 3 Stay i...
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Genesis 26 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Isaac and Abimelek26 There was very little food in the land. The same thing had been true earlier, in Abraham’s time. Isaac went to Abimelek in Gerar. Abimelek was the king of the Philistines. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land where I tell you to live...
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Genesis 26 - New English Translation (NET)

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