Genesis 26:7
5 because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.
But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”
8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.
9 Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”
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 when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”
- ASV
- And the men of the place asked him of his wife. And he said, She is my sister. For he feared to say, My wife. Lest, [said he], the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah. Because she was fair to look upon.
- DARBY
- And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister; for he feared to say, my wife, [saying to himself,] Lest the men of the place slay me on account of Rebecca because she was fair in countenance.
- BLB
- And the men of that place asked about his wife, and he said, “She [is] my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “[She is] my wife,” lest the men of the place kill me on account of Rebekah, because she [is] beautiful of appearance.
- ÅB
- Og mennene der på stedet spurte ham ut om hans hustru. Da sa han: Hun er min søster. For han torde ikke si at hun var hans hustru; han tenkte: Mennene her på stedet kunne da slå meg ihjel for Rebekkas skyld, siden hun er så vakker.
- OTB
- Da mennene på stedet spurte om hans kone, sa han: «Hun er min søster,» for han fryktet å si: «Hun er min kone,» og tenkte: «Mennene på dette stedet kan drepe meg på grunn av Rebekka, for hun er vakker.»
- B1930
- Og mennene der på stedet spurte ham ut om hans hustru. Da sa han: Hun er min søster. For han torde ikke si at hun var hans hustru; han tenkte: Mennene her på stedet kunde da slå mig ihjel for Rebekkas skyld, siden hun er så vakker.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.
Read in contextGenesis 20:2
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
Read in contextGenesis 12:13
Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”
Read in contextGenesis 24:16
Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
Read in contextGenesis 20:12–13
Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.
Read in contextEphesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Read in contextColossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,
Read in contextMatthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Read in context