Bible Summary:

Another famine hits Canaan. The Lord tells Isaac not to go to Egypt but stay in the lands near Canaan that He promised Abraham, so Isaac moves to the land of Philistines.

Isaac tells everyone Rebecca is his sister for fear they will kill him for his beautiful wife. King Abimelech sees Isaac and Rebecca making love, so challenges Isaac about the lie. Isaac tells the king of his fear, so Abimelech warns his people not to mistreat them or be put to death.

Isaac becomes a farmer, reaps a hundred times as much as he sows, and becomes a very rich man. The Philistines become jealous and fill Isaac’s wells, plus King Abimelech asks Isaac to leave.

Isaac moves twice and digs new wells. Each time the shepherds of the area quarrel over the water, so Isaac moves on. With no dispute after the third move, Isaac stays and names the well “Freedom”.

Isaac then leaves for Beersheba. God appears and tells Isaac not to fear because He is with him. Abimelech shows up with an advisor and army commander to make a peace agreement since Isaac was close to God. They celebrate with a feast.

My Thoughts:

Wife as Sister Again: Isaac pulls the same stunt as Abraham did to Abimelech in Genesis 20 by telling everyone his wife is his sister. Maybe the fear of being killed for his wife is real since they are foreigners. Things were a lot different back then.

Isaac Rich Again: I guess Isaac must have lost his inheritance during the famine, likely spent on the only remaining food, since this story says he becomes rich in the new lands. Farming seems somewhat of a break from shepherding for Isaac, though he still has sheep per the quarreling over the wells. Farming is a natural response to famine though.

Do Not Fear: God says, “Do not be afraid; I am with you.”  God is always with us, each and every one of us.  I love the poem Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson.  It helps me remember that God is there, even when things are not going well.