Genesis 26:20
18 Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. And he gave these wells the same names his father had given them.
19 Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there.
But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him.
21 Then they dug another well and quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.
22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Rehoboth and said, “At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him.
- KJV
- And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
- WEB
- The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
- ASV
- And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac`s herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
- DARBY
- But the shepherds of Gerar strove with Isaac's shepherds, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they had quarrelled with him.
- BLB
- And the shepherds of Gerar strove with the shepherds of Isaac, saying, “The water [is] ours!” And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
- ÅB
- Men hyrdene fra Gerar trettet med Isaks hyrder og sa: Vannet hører oss til. Og han kalte brønnen Esek[^1], fordi de stredes med ham.
- OTB
- Men hyrdene i Gerar kranglet med Isaks hyrder og sa: «Vannet er vårt!» Så han kalte brønnen Esek, fordi de kranglet med ham.
- B1930
- Men hyrdene fra Gerar trettet med Isaks hyrder og sa: Vannet hører oss til. Og han kalte brønnen Esek, fordi de stredes med ham. / < strid.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 21:25
But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
Read in context