Genesis 26:7 - Exposition

And the men of the place ( i . e . the inhabitants of Gerar) asked him (literally, asked, or made inquiries; probably first at each other, though ultimately the interrogations might reach Isaac himself) of his wife (being in all likelihood fascinated by her beauty); and he said ,—falling into the same infirmity as Abraham ( Genesis 12:13 ; Genesis 20:2 )— She is my sister :—which was certainly an equivocation, since, although sometimes used to designate a female relative generally ( vide Genesis 24:60 ), the term "sister" was here designed to suggest that Rebekah was his own sister, born of the same parents. In propagating this deception Isaac appears to have been actuated by a similar motive to that which impelled his father— for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he ( sc . to himself, the words describing the good man's secret apprehensions), the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; —the historian adding, as the explanation of his fears— because she was fair to look upon ( vide Genesis 24:16 ).