“Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
Ceremonies of religion, observed under the law of nature. (Menochius)
“And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.”
Sister, or niece. Though lawful at that time, it was not very common for people to marry such near relations; and therefore Isaac, by saying Rebecca was his sister, wished the people of Gerara to be ignorant of her being his wife; being under the like apprehension as his father had been twice before. He imitates his example, trusting in the protection of God, which had rescued Abraham from danger, chap. xxi. (Haydock)
“And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.”
His wife; using greater familiarity than a grave and virtuous man, like Isaac, would offer to do with his sister, or with another person’s wife. — Sin, or punishment, (Menochius) such as Abimelech’s father had formerly experienced. (Haydock)
“And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
Touch, or hurt, by offering to marry, &c. (Haydock) — Adultery was punished with death among these nations, chap. xxxviii. 24, as it was by the law of Moses. (Calmet)
“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold : and the LORD blessed him. received: Heb. found”
And the Lord. This is not mentioned as a miracle; for Egypt and many other countries produced 100 fold. Pliny, Natural History xviii. 10, says, some parts of Africa rendered 150 times as much as was sowed. The famine had now ceased. (Calmet)
“And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.”
Depart. Instead of repressing the outrages of his subjects, the king enters into their jealousies, and banishes a wealthy person, (Haydock) as the Athenians so frequently did afterwards with respect to their best citizens. (Aristotle, Polit. iii. 9.) And Pharao used the same pretext, when he persecuted the Hebrews. (Calmet)
“And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.”
Servants. So the Septuagint and Syriac versions, and the Samaritan copy against the Hebrew, in the days, which is incorrect. (Kennicott)
“And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. springing: Heb. living”
Torrent. That is, a channel where sometimes a torrent, or violent stream, had run. (Challoner) — In this vale of Gerara, a never-failing spring was found. (Haydock)
“And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. Rehoboth: that is Room”
Latitude. That is, wideness, or room. (Challoner) — Hebrew Rechoboth, widely extended streams, latitudines. See chap. x. 11.
“And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.”
Of Abraham, who still lives before me, and for whom I always testified such affection, though I suffered him to be persecuted: hence, fear not. (Haydock)
“Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.”
Ochozath. This name occurs in the Septuagint, as well as the other two; (Chap. xxi. 22.) and means a company of friends. Phicol also signifies the mouth or face of all, being the general of the army, on whom the soldiers must be intent. These are, perhaps, therefore, the names of offices, not of persons; or if they be the same who lived with Abraham, they must have held their high command above 100 years. (Menochius) (Calmet)
“Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. a grief: Heb. bitterness of spirit”
Offended. They were the daughters of princes of the Heathens, (Josephus) and being brought up in idolatry and pride, refused to give ear to the advice of Isaac, who never approved of the marriage of his son with them. Esau would not leave the choice of a wife to his father, as Isaac had done at the same age. (Haydock)