DO NOT BE AFRAID

Passage: Genesis 26:16-35

Key verse: 24

NIV

16 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us;(A) you have become too powerful for us.(B)”

17 So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar,(C) where he settled. 18 Isaac reopened the wells(D) that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. 20 But the herders of Gerar quarreled(E) with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!”(F) So he named the well Esek,[a] because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled(G) over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.[b] 22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth,[c](H) saying, “Now the Lord has given us room(I) and we will flourish(J) in the land.”

23 From there he went up to Beersheba.(K) 24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.(L) Do not be afraid,(M) for I am with you;(N) I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants(O) for the sake of my servant Abraham.”(P)

25 Isaac built an altar(Q) there and called on the name of the Lord.(R) There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.(S)

26 Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.(T) 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?(U)”

28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you;(V) so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty(W) with you 29 that you will do us no harm,(X) just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”(Y)

30 Isaac then made a feast(Z) for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath(AA) to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.

32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well(AB) they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” 33 He called it Shibah,[d] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.[e](AC)

Jacob Takes Esau’s Blessing

34 When Esau was forty years old,(AD) he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.(AE) 35 They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.(AF)

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Footnotes
  1. Genesis 26:20 Esek means dispute.
  2. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means opposition.
  3. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means room.
  4. Genesis 26:33 Shibah can mean oath or seven.
  5. Genesis 26:33 Beersheba can mean well of the oath and well of seven.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And (A)he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar (B)quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek,[a] because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah.[b] 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth,[c] saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, (C)“I am the God of Abraham your father. (D)Fear not, for (E)I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake.” 25 So he (F)built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well.

26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and (G)Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and (H)have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. (I)You are now the blessed of the Lord.” 30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and (J)exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. 32 That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah;[d] therefore the name of the city is (K)Beersheba to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took (L)Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and (M)they made life bitter[e] for Isaac and Rebekah.

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Footnotes
  1. Genesis 26:20 Esek means contention
  2. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means enmity
  3. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means broad places, or room
  4. Genesis 26:33 Shibah sounds like the Hebrew for oath
  5. Genesis 26:35 Hebrew they were bitterness of spirit
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Isaac's well-digging faith (16-24) Abimilek pushed Isaac to move away because he was too powerful. Isaac moved away and dug a well. But then the Philistines claimed it was their well. Isaac did not fight with them, but dug another well, and then another until he had peace. Yet in his heart he was fearful and anxious. 2. Isaac called on the name of the Lord (25-35) For the first time, Isaac built an altar and he called on the name of the Lord. This is a sign that his faith was growing and he was seeking God personally. He was not relying on his father's faith, but was engaging in his own intimate relationship with God. Then, God appeared to Isaac and told him not to be afraid but trust his promises. Through meeting God, Isaac's fear problem was solved. Now, he feared God, not people. Then surprisingly, Abimilek came with his officials and sought a peace treaty with Isaac. When we fear God, others fear us for they see God's hand is with us. Afterwards, Isaac's servants dug another well. It was a sign of God's blessing upon his life of faith.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to claim your promises personally and experience real peace in my heart.

One Word: Fear God and trust in his promises by faith