Genesis 26:1-2 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
1. Is this the first famine mentioned in the Bible?
2. Where did Isaac go during the famine?
3. Do you think he went alone?
4. Is Gerar in Egypt?
Genesis 26: 3-5 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
1. If Isaac was obedient what would the 5 blessing be?
2. What 5 reasons did the Lord give Isaac for Abraham's receiving the 'oath'?
3. What does 'charged' in verse 5 mean?
Genesis 26:6-7 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
1. Is history repeating itself or is the son following the example of the father?
Genesis 26:8-10 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. 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. And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
1. How did Abimelech find out Rebekah was Isaac's wife?
2. What does "sporting with" mean?
3. Was Abimelech angry with Isaac?
4. Do you think it's possible the saying 'hiding behind a woman's skirt' orginated here?
5. This is the second time brought guiltiness on "US" has been used in this situation. Compare verse 10 with Gen.20:9, is it implied that one man's actions can affect many?
Genesis 26:11-16 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
1. What did the king proclaim to all his people about Isaac and Rebekah?
2. Even after Isaac's 'lapse' did the Lord bless him?
3. How much was Isaac blessed?
4. Were the Philistines envious?
5. Why was Abimelech worried about Isaac's 'strength'?
6. Do you suppose that Isaac's show of 'mightiness' is God's plan (Exodus 1:9)?
Genesis 26:17-18 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
1. Where did Isaac move to?
2. Look up wells in your Bible dictionary. What were dry wells often used for?
3. What possible reason do you suppose the Philistines could have for stopping up Abraham's wells in a desert region?
Genesis 26:19-21 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
1. Issac's servants digged a well in the valley and it turned out to be a what?
2. The digging of a well is laying a claim to the land, who attempted to drive off Isaac?
3. What does the word 'strive' mean?
4. What did Isaac name the well and what does the name mean?
5. What was the name of the 2nd well that caused grappling over the land where Isaac dwelled?
Genesis 26:22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
1. Instead of living in contention with the Philistines what did Isaac do?
2. What do you think Isaac meant by 'God has made room for us'?
3. What did Isaac name this new well?
4. What does 'Rehoboth' mean?
5. Do you think this well exists today?
Genesis 26:23-25 And he went up from thence to Beersheba. And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.
1. Isaac 'went up' (remember he is in a valley) to Beer-Sheba. Look up Beer-Sheba in your Bible dictionary. What part of the promise land was Beer-Sheba in?
2. What other things happened at Beer-Sheba?
3. Whenever the Bible refers to 'the Lord' 'appearing' at night scholars seem to assume it was in a dream or vision. What is your opinion?
4. The Lord is again reminding and assuring Isaac. Why do you think He is doing it now?
5. Isaac built a what at Beer-Sheba? Now considered hallowed ground to Isaac, as it was to Isaac's father, Isaac pitches a what at Beer-Sheba? And does he lay claim to the land?
Genesis 26:26-31 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the Lord. And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
1. In what verse of this chapter did Abimelech send Isaac away?
2. Why was Abimelech coming to see Isaac now?
3. What happened to all the grappling and contention between Abemelech's people and Isaac?
4. Why make a contract now?
5. Was it Isaac's prosperity that caused them to 'we saw certainly' in verse 28 that the Lord was with Isaac?
6. What happens even in today's world when one prospers above another?
7. This is clearly a one-sided contract, why would Isaac need a contract?
8. Did Isaac agree to the contract?
Genesis 26:32-33 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water. And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
1. What else happened on the day Isaac and Abimelech sealed their contract?
2. What does the name 'Shebah' mean?
3. Does the city of Beer-Sheba still exist today?
Genesis 26:34-35 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
1. Who is Esau?
2. How old was Esau when he took a wife?
3. What was her name?
4. What was her lineage?
5. How did Isaac and Rebekah feel about this matrimonial connection?
6. Who are the Hittites?
7. Does this matrimonial connection say something about Esau's leanings toward the Lord?

Bonus Question: Issac attempted to dig two wells and enlarged Rehoboth (Gen.10:11), why, did Isaac want to be a well-digger, did he want this for his sons and do you think God was in agreement? If not, why not and if so, why?