He that toucheth - He who injures Isaac or defiles Rebekah shall certainly die for it. Death was the punishment for adultery among the Canaanites, Philistines, and Hebrews. See Genesis 38:24 . read more
Isaac sowed in that land - Being now perfectly free from the fear of evil, he betakes himself to agricultural and pastoral pursuits, in which he has the especial blessing of God, so that his property becomes greatly increased. A hundred-fold - שערים מאה , meah shearim , literally, "A hundred-fold of barley;" and so the Septuagint, ἑκατοστευουσαν κριθην . Perhaps such a crop of this grain was a rare occurrence in Gerar. The words, however, may be taken in a general way, as... read more
The man waxed great - There is a strange and observable recurrence of the same term in the original: מאד גדל כי עד וגדל הלוך וילך האיש ויגדל vaiyigdal haish vaiyelech haloch vegadel ad ki gadal meod , And the man was Great; and he went, going on, and was Great, until that he was exceeding Great. How simple is this language, and yet how forcible! read more
He had possession of flocks - He who blessed him in the increase of his fields blessed him also in the increase of his flocks; and as he had extensive possessions, so he must have many hands to manage such concerns: therefore it is added, he had great store of servants - he had many domestics, some born in his house, and others purchased by his money. read more
For all the wells - the Philistines had stopped them - In such countries a good well was a great acquisition; and hence in predatory wars it was usual for either party to fill the wells with earth or sand, in order to distress the enemy. The filling up the wells in this case was a most unprincipled transaction, as they had pledged themselves to Abraham, by a solemn oath, not to injure each other in this or any other respect. See Genesis 21:25-31 . read more
Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we - This is the first instance on record of what was termed among the Greeks ostracism; i.e., the banishment of a person from the state, of whose power, influence, or riches, the people were jealous. There is a remarkable saying of Bacon on this subject, which seems to intimate that he had this very circumstance under his eye: "Public envy is an ostracism that eclipseth men when they grow too great." On this same principle Pharaoh oppressed the... read more
In the days of Abraham - Instead of בימי bimey , in the days, Houbigant contends we should read עבדי abdey , servants. Isaac dug again the wells which the servants of Abraham his father had dug. This reading is supported by the Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate; and it is probably the true one. read more
A well of springing water - חיים מים באר beer mayim chaiyim , A well of living waters. This is the oriental phrase for a spring, and this is its meaning both in the Old and New Testaments: Leviticus 14:5 , Leviticus 14:50 ; Leviticus 15:30 ; Numbers 19:17 ; Song of Solomon 4:15 . See also John 4:10-14 ; John 7:38 ; Revelation 21:6 ; Revelation 22:1 . And by these scriptures we find that an unfailing spring was an emblem of the graces and influences of the Spirit of God. read more
They dug another well - Never did any man more implicitly follow the Divine command, Resist not evil, than Isaac; whenever he found that his work was likely to be a subject of strife and contention, he gave place, and rather chose to suffer wrong than to have his own peace of mind disturbed. Thus he overcame evil with good. read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 26:10
Thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us - It is likely that Abimelech might have had some knowledge of God's intentions concerning the family of Abraham, and that it must be kept free from all impure and alien mixtures; and that consequently, had he or any of his people taken Rebekah, the Divine judgment might have fallen upon the land. Abimelech was a good and holy man; and he appears to have considered adultery as a grievous and destructive crime. read more