Part 30

26:5. Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and commandments, and observed my ceremonies and laws.

26:6. So Isaac abode in Gerara.

26:7. And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister: for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.

26:8. And when very many days were passed, and he abode there, Abimelech, king of the Palestines, looking out through a window, saw him playing with Rebecca, his wife.

26:9. And calling for him, he said: It is evident she is thy wife: why didst thou feign her to be thy sister? He answered: I feared lest I should die for her sake.

26:10. And Abimelech said: Why hast thou deceived us? Some man of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us a great sin. And he commanded all the people, saying:

26:11. He that shall touch this man's wife, shall surely be put to death.

26:12. And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found that same year a hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.

26:13. And the man was enriched, and he went on prospering and increasing, till he became exceeding great.

26:14. And he had possessions of sheep and of herds, and a very great family. Wherefore the Palestines envying him,

26:15. Stopped up at that time all the wells, that the servants of his father, Abraham, had digged, filling them up with earth:

26:16. Insomuch that Abimelech himself said to Isaac: Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we.

26:17. So he departed, and came to the torrent of Gerara, to dwell there:

26:18. And he digged again other wells, which the servants of his father, Abraham, had digged, and which, after his death, the Philistines had of old stopped up: and he called them by the same names, by which his father before had called them.

26:19. And they digged in the torrent, and found living water:

Torrent. . .That is, a channel where sometimes a torrent or violent stream had run.

26:20. But there also the herdsmen of Gerara strove against the herdsmen of Isaac, saying: It is our water. Wherefore he called the name of the well, on occasion of that which had happened, Calumny.

26:21. And they digged also another; and for that they quarrelled likewise, and he called the name of it, Enmity.

26:22. Going forward from thence, he digged another well, for which they contended not; therefore he called the name thereof, Latitude, saying: Now hath the Lord given us room, and made us to increase upon the earth.

Latitude. . .That is, wideness, or room.

26:23. And he went up from that place to Bersabee,

26:24. Where the Lord appeared to him that same night, saying: I am the God of Abraham thy father, do not fear, for I am with thee: I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

26:25. And he built there an altar: and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent; and commanded his servants to dig a well.

26:26. To which place when Abimelech, and Ochozath his friend, and Phicol chief captain of his soldiers, came from Gerara,

26:27. Isaac said to them: Why are ye come to me, a man whom you hate, and have thrust out from you?

26:28. And they answered: We saw that the Lord is with thee, and therefore we said: Let there be an oath between us, and let us make a covenant,

26:29. That thou do us no harm, as we on our part have touched nothing of thine, nor have done any thing to hurt thee; but with peace have sent thee away, increased with the blessing of the Lord.

26:30. And he made them a feast, and after they had eaten and drunk: