Genesis 26:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."

NIV: because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions."

NASB: because Abraham obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.'

CSB: because Abraham listened to me and kept my mandate, my commands, my statutes, and my instructions."

NLT: I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.'

KJV: Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

NKJV: because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

In the previous verses, the Lord made clear to Isaac that the promises He had made to Abraham were also for Isaac (Genesis 12:1–3). The Lord would be with him and bless him. The Lord would make Isaac's descendants to be as the stars and would give to them the land of Canaan. The Lord established his oath with Isaac.

Perhaps all of this sounded familiar to Isaac. The Lord had made that oath, had sworn by Himself, on the day that Abraham set out to sacrifice young Isaac on an altar in obedience to God. Abraham obeyed. The Lord stopped him and provided a ram, instead. Then the Lord made His oath to Abraham, perhaps within earshot of Isaac (Genesis 22:15–18).

At that time, the Lord had told Abraham He was making this oath because Abraham had obeyed Him. Now the Lord repeats and expands on that motivation for re-establishing these promises: because Abraham obeyed His voice, keeping His charge, His commands, His statutes, and His laws (Genesis 22:18).

Isaac would carry with Him the knowledge that all of these blessings were given by God to Him but were also secured, in part, by his father's obedience to the Lord. Abraham would continue to serve as Isaac's example.

Genesis 26:1–5 contains God's assurances to Isaac that He remains faithful to His covenant promises even after the death of Abraham. In a time of famine, the Lord commands Isaac not to travel to Egypt for relief but to settle in Gerar, the land of the Philistines. Isaac obeys, just as his father had done. This passage emphasizes that Abraham's trust in God was demonstrated through his actions.

Genesis 26 focuses on God's assurances to Isaac to be with him and to bless him, mostly while Isaac and his household are settled in the land of the Philistines. Just as Abraham did, Isaac fearfully lies about his wife being his sister, nearly bringing disaster on Abimelech and his kingdom. Still, God blesses Isaac with greater and greater abundance to the point that Abimelech sends Isaac away because he has become too powerful. After continued disputes over water rights, Abimelech and Isaac eventually make a covenant of peace.

Genesis 26 seems to jump back in time to the season before Jacob and Esau were born, as described in the previous chapter. This is common in ancient literature. The Lord establishes and renews His covenant promises to Isaac, blessing him abundantly in the land of Philistines during a time of famine. Eventually, Abimelech sends Isaac away due to his growing power and disputes over water rights, but they end up forming a peace treaty. Esau's marriage to foreign women creates strife, adding more fuel to the controversy which is soon to occur. In the next chapter, Jacob will steal his older brother's rightful blessing.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.