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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 26:32

Verse 32 32.And it came to pass the same day. Hence it appears, (as I have said a little before,) that the waters were not found in a moment of time. If it be asked, whence a supply of water had been obtained for his cattle and his household during the intervening days, I doubt not, indeed, that he either bought it, or was compelled to go to a distance to see if any one would be found from whom he might obtain it by entreaty. With respect to the name, (Sheba,) they are mistaken, in my judgment,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:1-35

Line upon line, in God's teaching. Isaac, like his father, has his time of sojourn among the Philistines. The events of his intercourse with the Abimelech of his day resemble those of the former patriarch, though there are differences which show that the recurrence is historical . I. GOD REPEATS HIS LESSONS that they may make the deeper impression. The intention of the record is to preserve a certain line of Divine guidance . Isaac trod in the footsteps of Abraham. We have... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:23-35

A good man's environment. I. ISAAC AND JEHOVAH . 1. Jehovah ' s grace to Isaac . 2. Isaac ' s gratitude to Jehovah . II. ISAAC AND ABIMELECH . 1. Abimelech's request of Isaac. 2. Isaac ' s reception of Abimelech . 3. Solemn adjuration . "And they swore one to another." Though religion does not lie within the sphere of politics, politics lie within the sphere of religion. Nothing should be done by a good man that he cannot sanctify by the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:26

Then (literally, and) Abimelech went to him from Gerar, —the object of this visit was to resuscitate the alliance which had formerly existed between the predecessor of Abimelech and Abraham ( Genesis 21:22-32 ); yet the dissimilarity between the two accounts is so great as to discredit the hypothesis that the present is only another version of the earlier transaction— and Ahuzzath one of his friends ,— מֵרֵעֵהוּ ; neither ὁ νυμφαγωγὸς αὐτοῦ ( LXX .), nor a suite or number of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:27

And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore — מַדּוּעַ , contr, from מָה יָדוּעַ , what is taught?— for what reason (cf. τί μαθών) — come ye to me, seeing (literally, and) ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? While animadverting to the personal hostility to which he had been subjected, Isaac says nothing about the wells of which he had been deprived: a second point of difference between this and the preceding narrative of Abraham's covenant with the Philistine king. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:28

And they said, We saw certainly —literally, seeing we saw , i . e . we assuredly perceived, or, we have indeed discovered. Abimelech and his ministers first explain the motive which has impelled them to solicit a renewal of the old alliance— that the Lord was with thee :—the use of Jehovah instead of Elohim, as in Genesis 21:22 , does not prove that this is a Jehovistic elaboration of the earlier legend. Neither is it necessary to suppose that the term Jehovah is a Mosaic... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:29

That thou wilt do us no hurt ,—literally, if thou wilt do us evil ( sc . thy curse come upon thee!); the force being to negative in the strongest way possible any intention of injury (cf. Genesis 21:23 )— as we have not touched thee, —i.e. injured thee; which was not true, as they, through their servants, had robbed Isaac of at least two wells— and as we have done unto thee nothing but good ,—Abimelech's estimate of his own behavior, if exceedingly favorable to himself, is at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:30

And he made them a feast ,—so Lot did to the angels ( Genesis 19:3 ). There is no mention of any banquet in the case of Abraham's covenant, which may be noted as another point of difference between the two transactions. A similar entertainment accompanied Jacob's covenant with Laban ( Genesis 31:54 ); while in the Mosaic system the sacrificial meal formed an integral part of the regularly-appointed sacrificial worship (Le Genesis 7:15 , 31; Deuteronomy 12:7 , Deuteronomy 12:17 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:31

And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another— literally, a man to his brother . On the derivation of the verb to swear from the word for seven, see Genesis 21:23 — and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 26:32

And it came to pass the same day ( i . e . the day of the treaty), that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged ,—the operation of sinking this well had probably commenced on the day of Abimelech's arrival at Beersheba ( vide Genesis 26:25 ). Almost immediately on the king's departure the well-diggers returned to the patriarch's encampment to report the success of their operations— and said unto him, We have found water. The LXX ; mistaking... read more

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