Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 26
Overview:
Isaac, because of
Famine, goes to
Gerar.
(1-5) He denies his
Wife and is reproved
By Abimelech.
(6-11) Isaac grows rich, The
Philistines' envy.
(12-17) Isaac digs wells,
God blesses him.
(18-25) Abimelech makes a
Covenant with
Isaac.
(26-33) Esau's
wives.
(34,35)
1-5 Isaac had been trained up in a believing dependence upon
the Divine grant of the land of
Canaan to him and his heirs; and
now that there is a
Famine in the land,
Isaac still cleaves to
the
Covenant. The real worth of
God's promises cannot be
lessened to a believer
By any
Cross providences that may befall
him. If
God engage to be with us, and we are where he would have
us to be, nothing but our own unbelief and distrust can prevent
our comfort. The obedience of
Abraham to the Divine command, was
evidence of that
Faith, whereby, as a sinner, he was justified
before
God, and the effect of that
Love whereby true
Faith
Works.
God testifies that he approved this obedience, to
encourage others, especially
Isaac.
6-11 There is nothing in
Isaac's denial of his
Wife to be
imitated, nor even excused. The
Temptation of
Isaac is the same
as that which overcame his
Father, and that in two instances.
This rendered his conduct the greater
Sin. The falls of those
who are gone before us are
So many rocks
On which others have
split; and the recording of them is like placing buoys to save
future mariners. This
Abimelech was not the same that lived in
Abraham's days, but both acted rightly. The sins of professors
shame them before those that are not themselves religious.
12-17 God blessed
Isaac. Be it observed, for the encouragement
of
Poor tenants who occupy other people's lands, and are honest
and industrious, that
God blessed him with a great increase. The
Philistines envied
Isaac. It is an instance of the vanity of the
world; for the more men have of it, the more they are envied,
and exposed to censure and injury. Also of the corruption of
nature; for that is an ill principle indeed, which makes men
grieve at the good of others. They made
Isaac go out of their
country. That
Wisdom which is from above, will teach us to give
up our right, and to draw back from contentions. If we are
wrongfully driven from one place, the
Lord will make room for us
in another.
18-25 Isaac met with much opposition in digging wells. Two were
called Contention and
Hatred. See the nature of worldly things;
they make quarrels, and are occasions of strife; and what is
often the
Lot of the most quiet and peaceable; those who avoid
striving, yet cannot avoid being striven with. And what a
Mercy
it is to have plenty of water; to have it without striving for
it! The more common this
Mercy is, the more reason to be
thankful for it. At length
Isaac digged a
Well, for which they
strove not. Those that study to be quiet, seldom fail of being
So. When men are false and unkind, still
God is
Faithful and
gracious; and his time to show himself
So is, when we are most
disappointed
By men. The same night that
Isaac came weary and
uneasy to
Beer-
Sheba,
God brought comforts to his soul. Those
may remove with comfort who are sure of
God's presence.
26-33 When a
Man's ways please the
Lord, he maketh even his
enemies to be at peace with him, Pr 16:7.
Kings' hearts are in
his hands, and when he pleases, he can turn them to favour his
people. It is not wrong to stand upon our
Guard in dealing with
those who have acted unfairly. But
Isaac did not insist
On the
unkindnesses they had done him; he freely entered into
friendship with them. Religion teaches us to be neighbourly,
and, as much as in us lies, to live peaceable with all men.
Providence smiled upon what
Isaac did;
God blessed his labours.
34,35 Esau was foolish in marrying two wives together, and
still more in marrying
Canaanites, strangers to the blessing of
Abraham, and subject to the
Curse of
Noah. It grieved his
parents that he married without their advice and consent. It
grieved them that he married among those who had
No religion.
Children have little reason to expect
God's blessing who do that
which is a grief of mind to good parents.