Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 26:18-22”
Categories: Genesis“Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them. But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, ‘The water is ours!’ So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it Sitnah. He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, for he said, ‘At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.’”
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“Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham…” (verse 18) “Isaac…moves his family and belongings beyond the recognized urban limits of Gerar to the same region in which his father had once made a prolonged stay (21:34). Abraham’s sojourn could not have been accomplished without the digging and maintenance of several wells. In order to establish clear proprietary rights, each well would be given an identifying name. Since Abraham’s death the Philistines had blocked them up. Isaac now restores them and revives their original names so as to make his ownership incontestable.” (Nahum Sarna)
“But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water.” (verse 19) “In the course of this work his men unexpectedly uncover an old well fed by a subterranean spring. A well of this type was especially valuable; when originally excavated, it would have been lined with stone. Since a memory of its existence has not been preserved, it is ownerless and ought to belong to the finder. Nevertheless, the shepherds of Gerar lay claim to it.” (Nahum Sarna)
“The herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, ‘The water is ours!’” The shepherds of Gerar never lifted a shovel or a finger in the digging of this well, yet they laid claim to the possession of it. They likely viewed the foreigner as having no rights to something valuable in the land of their nativity, even though they would have had no access to the well had not Isaac’s men uncovered it. Human nature hasn’t changed in the slightest over the long epochs of time. The world is never without a large chunk of the population that demands the proceeds of what other people have earned by their own ingenuity and hard work. “So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him.” “Esek” is Hebrew for “Contention”.
“Then they dug another well…” (verse 20) Instead of standing up and fighting back and demanding his rights and the bounty of his labor, Isaac merely packed up his family and staff and belongings and settled in another location. Sometimes the aggravation is too much to deal with and the potential for loss is just too substantial to take a risk, so some things are just not worth fighting for. If there had been no place left to turn and no hope for sustenance elsewhere it would have been different. But as it was, there were ample opportunities elsewhere for prosperity and peace, and you just can’t put a price tag on peace! Walking away is not a sign of weakness in most cases. Usually it is an indication of great wisdom!
“And they quarreled over it too…” (verse 21) It would have been completely understandable if this second skirmish had gotten Isaac all up in arms. He had just recently pulled up his roots and transplanted his family in a new location. He had put in the time and considerable effort to claim a new stake, dig another well and make a fresh start. And yet again, the shepherds of the region demanded that he give up that which he had rightfully worked for and deserved. But Isaac once again proved himself to be a model for patience, meekness and generosity. Instead of blowing a fuse and striking back he merely packed up and moved on again. “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” (Romans 12:17-18) “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9) “So he named it Sitnah.” Strike two—“Sitnah” means “hostility”.
“He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it…” (verse 22) Peace at last. It is a tremendous blessing to live in harmony with your neighbors. Finally Isaac found a place he could call “home” for a while. His hard work, patience and trust in the Lord paid off, as it always does for God’s people. “So he named it Rehoboth…” “Which signifies broad and spacious, places, enlargements.” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible) “At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” Isaac wisely waited on the Lord to make a way for him. He trusted in God to resolve his problems without sitting idly by in the interim. Appropriately, he gave the Lord all the credit for his current and future prosperity.
Please read Genesis 26:23-25 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
