Genesis 26:9

Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister?’” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister?’” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

BSB

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.”

KJV

And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

ASV

And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die because of her.

BBE

And he said to Isaac, It is clear that she is your wife: why then did you say, She is my sister? And Isaac said, For fear that I might be put to death because of her.

Original Hebrew

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וַיִּקְרָא vai·yik·ra' and he summoned H7121 אֲבִימֶלֶךְ 'a·vi·me·lekh Abimelech H40 לְיִצְחָק le·yitz·chak (to) Isaac H3327 וַיֹּאמֶר vai·yo·mer and he said H559 אַךְ 'akh surely H389 הִנֵּה hi·neh here H2009 אִשְׁתְּךָ 'ish·te·kha [is] wife your H802 הִוא hi' she H1931 וְאֵיךְ ve·'eikh and how H349 אָמַרְתָּ 'a·mar·ta did you say H559 אֲחֹתִי 'a·cho·ti [is] sister my H269 הִוא hi' she H1931 וַיֹּאמֶר vai·yo·mer and he said H559 אֵלָיו 'e·lav to him H413 יִצְחָק yitz·chak Isaac H3327 כִּי ki for H3588 אָמַרְתִּי 'a·mar·ti I thought H559 פֶּן־ pen- lest H6435 אָמוּת 'a·mut I should die H4191 עָלֶיהָ 'a·lei·ha on her H5921

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 6–11

There is nothing in Isaac's denial of his wife to be imitated, nor even excused. The temptation of Isaac is the same as that which overcame his father, and that in two instances. This rendered his conduct the greater sin. The falls of those who are gone before us are so many rocks on which others have split; and the recording of them is like placing buoys to save future mariners. This Abimelech was not the same that lived in Abraham's days, but both acted rightly. The sins of professors shame them before those that are not themselves religious.

Read Matthew Henry on Genesis 26 →

Cross-references

3

People & places

IsaacAbimelech

Topics

IntegrityConscienceChiding

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.