10
Abimelechאֲבִימֶלֶךְsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whatמַהis thisזֹּאתyou have doneעָשִׂיתָto us?לָּנוּOneאַחַדof the peopleהָעָםmight easilyכִּמְעַטhave lainשָׁכַבwith your wife,אֶת אִשְׁתֶּךָand you would have broughtוְהֵבֵאתָguiltאָשָׁםupon us.”עָלֵינוּ
Genesis 26:10
Study it in the app“Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 26:10, word by word
- Abimelechאֲבִימֶלֶךְavimelech
Abimelech
Abimelech, the name of Philistine kings of Gerar in the days of Abraham and of Isaac, and of other men, such as a son of Gideon. The name means "my father is king"; it may have been a title of the kings of that place.
Where else “avimelech” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- you have doneעָשִׂיתָasita
do
To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.
Where else “asita” appears- Oneאַחַדachad
one
The number one; just one and no more.
Where else “achad” appears- of the peopleעָםam
crowd
The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.
Where else “am” appears- might easilyמְעַטmeat
almost
A short while, or very nearly: barely, by a little.
Where else “meat” appears- have lainשָׁכַבshachav
lie with
To lie with someone, have relations.
Where else “shachav” appears- with your wifeאִשְׁתֶּishte
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “ishte” appears- and you would have broughtהֵבֵאתָheveta
bring
To bring something or someone.
Where else “heveta” appears- guiltאָשָׁםasham
guilt
What one owes for a wrong done.
Where else “asham” appears
The context
9Abimelech called Isaac and said, “So she is your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said to myself, ‘I might die because of her.’”
10 · This verse (above)
11So Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
To study Genesis 26 in a group
1. What it says
What did YHWH promise Isaac, and what happened with the wells he dug (vv. 2-5, 18-22)?
2. What it means
What did Isaac say when he named the well Rehoboth, the one they did not quarrel over, and what does that show about his attitude (vv. 20-22)?
3. How I live it
How can you respond with peace the next time someone disputes something that is yours?