Isaac

1There was a time when food would not grow in the land. This was a second time. The first was back in Abraham's days. Isaac went to Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, in a town called Gerar.

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

NoteThe Philistines were a people who lived near the sea. They were not part of Isaac's family. Gerar was one of their towns.

2The LORD showed himself to Isaac. He said, "Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I show you."

And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

NoteIn the Bible, LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. Egypt was a country far to the south. It had a big river, so food grew there even when other lands were dry.

3"Stay in this land as a visitor. I will be with you, and I will bless you. I will give all these lands to you and to your family after you. I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham."

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

NoteTo bless someone means to be good to them and help them.

4"I will make your family as many as the stars in the sky. I will give all these lands to your family. Through your family, all the nations on earth will be blessed."

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5"I say this because Abraham listened to my voice. He did what I told him. He kept my commands, my rules, and my laws."

Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6So Isaac lived in Gerar.

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

7The men of that place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife." He thought the men there might kill him because of Rebekah, because she was beautiful.

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.

NoteLong ago a strong man might kill a husband to take his wife. A brother would only be asked for permission. That is why Isaac said sister.

8Isaac had been there a long time. Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, looked out of a window. He saw Isaac touching and holding Rebekah in the way a husband holds his wife.

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.

9Abimelech called Isaac and said, "She really is your wife! Why did you say she was your sister?" Isaac said, "Because I thought I might be killed because of her."

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.

10Abimelech said, "What have you done to us? One of our men could easily have slept with your wife. Then you would have brought guilt on all of us."

And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11So Abimelech gave an order to all his people. He said, "Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death."

And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

NotePut to death means killed as a punishment by the king.

12Then Isaac planted seed in that land. That same year he gathered a hundred times what he had planted. The LORD blessed him.

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

NoteA farmer planted seed and hoped for a little more back. Getting a hundred times more was a huge harvest.

13The man became great. He kept getting richer and richer, until he was very great indeed.

And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14He owned many sheep and goats. He owned many cattle. He had many servants. The Philistines were jealous of him.

For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

NoteIn those days people counted their riches in animals. The more sheep, goats and cattle you had, the richer you were.

15Long ago, in Abraham's days, his father's servants had dug wells. The Philistines had blocked up all those wells and filled them with dirt.

For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

NoteThis land was very dry. A well was a deep hole dug down to water. Filling someone's wells with dirt was a mean and serious thing to do.

16Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us. You are much stronger than we are."

And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17So Isaac left that place. He set up his tent in the valley of Gerar and lived there.

And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

NoteIsaac lived in tents, not houses. That way he could move his animals to new grass and water.

18Isaac dug open the wells again, the ones dug in the days of his father Abraham. The Philistines had blocked them after Abraham died. Isaac gave the wells the same names his father had given them.

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.

19Isaac's servants dug in the valley. There they found a well of fresh, running water.

And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

NoteFresh running water bubbles up from under the ground. It is much better than still water that sits in a hole.

20The men who cared for the animals of Gerar argued with Isaac's men. They said, "The water is ours!" So Isaac named that well Esek, because they argued with him.

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.

NoteEsek is a word in Isaac's language. It means arguing or fighting over something.

21Then they dug another well. People argued about that one too. So he named it Sitnah.

And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

NoteSitnah is a word that means being against someone. It sounds like the fighting that happened there.

22He moved away from there and dug another well. No one argued about this one. He named it Rehoboth. He said, "Now the LORD has made room for us. We will do well in this land."

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.

NoteRehoboth means wide open room. Isaac meant there was finally space for him.

23From there Isaac went up to Beersheba.

And he went up from thence to Beersheba.

NoteBeersheba was a place in the dry land to the south. Abraham had lived there long before.

24That same night the LORD showed himself to him. He said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid. I am with you. I will bless you. I will give you many, many children, because of my servant Abraham."

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.

25Isaac built an altar there. He called on the name of the LORD. He set up his tent there. Isaac's servants dug a well there too.

And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.

NoteAn altar was a pile of stones. People used it to give gifts to God. Calling on the name of the LORD means praying to God out loud.

26Then Abimelech came from Gerar to see Isaac. He brought Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol, the leader of his army.

Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.

NoteThe king's friend was a job, not just a pal. He was a trusted helper who gave the king advice.

27Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me? You hate me. You sent me away from you."

And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

28They said, "We saw clearly that the LORD was with you. We said, let there be a promise between us and you. Let us make an agreement with you."

And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

NoteA promise like this was very serious. People said it out loud before God, and everyone had to keep it.

29"Promise that you will not hurt us. We did not hurt you. We did nothing but good for you. We sent you away in peace. Now you are blessed by the LORD."

That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.

30So Isaac made them a big meal. They ate and drank together.

And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

NoteEating a meal together was part of making an agreement. It showed the two sides were now friends.

31They got up early in the morning. They made their promises to each other. Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace.

And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32That same day Isaac's servants came to him. They told him about the well they had dug. They said, "We have found water!"

And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.

33He named the well Shebah. That is why the city is called Beersheba to this day.

And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.

NoteShebah sounds like the word for promise. Beersheba means the well of the promise.

1Isaac was old. His eyes were weak, and he could not see. He called Esau, his older son, and said, "My son." Esau said, "Here I am."

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

NoteIsaac was Abraham's son. Esau and Jacob were his twin sons. Esau was born first, just before Jacob.

2Isaac said, "Look, I am old now. I do not know the day I will die."

And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

3"So please take your hunting things, your arrow case and your bow. Go out to the field and hunt some meat for me."

Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

4"Then cook me tasty food, the kind I love. Bring it to me so I can eat. Then I will bless you before I die."

And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

NoteA father's blessing was very important in this family. It was a special wish spoken out loud. People believed the words would really come true.

5Rebekah heard Isaac say this to his son Esau. Esau went out to the field to hunt meat and bring it back.

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Listen. I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He said,"

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7"'Bring me meat and cook me tasty food. I will eat it. Then I will bless you before the LORD before I die.'"

Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.

NoteLORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. It was the name this family used for him.

8"Now, my son, listen to me. Do just what I tell you."

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

9"Go to the flock. Bring me two good young goats. I will cook tasty food for your father, the kind he loves."

Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

NoteGoat meat could be cooked to taste like the wild deer meat Esau hunted. That helped hide the trick.

10"Then you will take it to your father to eat. And he will bless you before he dies."

And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

11Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, "But my brother Esau has hairy skin. My skin is smooth."

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:

NoteEsau's arms and skin were covered with thick hair. Jacob's skin was not.

12"Maybe my father will touch me. Then he will see I am tricking him. I will get a curse and not a blessing."

My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

NoteA curse is words that wish bad things on someone. A blessing wishes good things.

13His mother said to him, "Let the curse fall on me, my son. Just listen to me. Go and get them."

And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

NoteRebekah means: if trouble comes from this, let it come to me.

14So he went and got them and brought them to his mother. She cooked tasty food, the kind his father loved.

And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

15Rebekah took the best clothes of her older son Esau. They were with her in the house. She put them on her younger son Jacob.

And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:

16She put the skins of the young goats on his hands. She put them on the smooth part of his neck.

And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:

NoteGoat hair feels rough. On Jacob's arms and neck it felt like Esau's hairy skin.

17Then she gave the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18He came to his father and said, "My father." Isaac said, "Here I am. Which son are you?"

And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?

19Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau, your oldest son. I did what you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my meat. Then you can bless me."

And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

NoteThe oldest son held a special place in the family. He got the biggest share of everything. He led the family after his father died.

20Isaac said to his son, "How did you find it so fast, my son?" He said, "Because the LORD your God brought it to me."

And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.

21Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come close, my son, so I can touch you. I want to know if you really are my son Esau."

And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

22Jacob came close to his father Isaac. Isaac touched him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice. But the hands are Esau's hands."

And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23Isaac did not know who he really was. His hands were hairy, like his brother Esau's hands. So Isaac blessed him.

And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.

24Isaac said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25Isaac said, "Bring the food close to me. Let me eat some of my son's meat. Then I will bless you." Jacob brought it close, and Isaac ate. He brought him wine, and Isaac drank.

And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come close now and kiss me, my son."

And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27He came close and kissed him. Isaac smelled his clothes and blessed him. He said, "Look, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field the LORD has blessed."

And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

NoteEsau spent his days outside hunting. His clothes smelled of fields, plants and animals.

28"So may God give you dew from the sky. May he give you rich land, and plenty of grain and wine."

Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

NoteDew is the water that sits on plants early in the morning. Where these people lived, rain almost never came in summer. Dew helped their food grow. The King James word "corn" means grain like wheat, not corn on the cob.

29"May people serve you. May nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers. May your mother's sons bow down to you. May everyone who curses you be cursed. May everyone who blesses you be blessed."

Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

NoteBowing down means bending low in front of someone. People did it to show that person was greater than they were.

30Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob. Jacob had barely walked away from his father. Then his brother Esau came in from hunting.

And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31He had also cooked tasty food. He brought it to his father and said, "Father, sit up and eat some of your son's meat. Then you can bless me."

And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me.

32His father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am your son, your oldest son, Esau."

And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

33Isaac shook all over. He said, "Who was it, then? Someone hunted meat and brought it to me. I ate it all before you came, and I blessed him. And yes, he will be blessed."

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.

NoteOnce a blessing was spoken, people believed it could not be taken back. That is why Isaac could not undo it and give it to Esau.

34Esau heard his father's words. He let out a loud and very bitter cry. He said to his father, "Bless me too, my father!"

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

35Isaac said, "Your brother came with a trick. He has taken your blessing."

And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? He has pushed me aside two times. He took the rights I had as the oldest son. Now he has taken my blessing." Then he said, "Have you not saved a blessing for me?"

And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

NoteThe name Jacob sounds like the word for heel. It also sounds like a word for pushing someone aside. The special rights of the oldest son were called his birthright. Esau had already traded his to Jacob for a bowl of stew.

37Isaac answered Esau, "Look, I have made him your master. I have given him all his brothers to be his servants. I have given him grain and wine to keep him strong. So what can I do for you now, my son?"

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

38Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!" Then Esau cried out loud and wept.

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39His father Isaac answered him, "Look, your home will have the rich land, and the dew from the sky above."

And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

NoteEsau's family later lived in a dry, rocky land called Edom.

40"You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But one day, when you grow restless, you will break his yoke off your neck."

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

NoteA yoke is a wooden bar laid on an animal's neck. It makes the animal pull a heavy load. Here it means having to obey someone else.

1Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he told him, "Do not marry one of the women of Canaan."

And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

NoteTo bless someone was to ask God to be good to them. Canaan was the land where Jacob's family lived. The people there prayed to other gods.

2"Get up and go to Padanaram. Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother."

Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

NotePadanaram was a land far away, many days of walking. Jacob's mother's family lived there. Back then people often married a cousin from their own family.

3"May God Almighty bless you. May he give you children, and many more after them. May you become a great many people."

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

Note"God Almighty" is a name for God. It means the one who is stronger than everything.

4"May he give you the blessing he gave Abraham. May he give it to you and to your children after you. Then this land will be yours. Right now you live here as a stranger. God gave this land to Abraham."

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

NoteAbraham was Jacob's grandfather. God had promised Abraham this land and many, many children. A stranger is someone living in a land that is not his own.

5So Isaac sent Jacob away. Jacob went to Padanaram, to Laban. Laban was the son of Bethuel the Syrian. Laban was the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

NoteSyrian means he came from Syria, a land far to the north. That is where Rebekah's family lived.

27Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, near the city of Arbah. That city is also called Hebron. Abraham and Isaac had lived there.

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

NoteMamre was the place where Abraham had lived. The family had a cave there where they buried their dead.

28Isaac lived one hundred and eighty years.

And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

NoteThe King James Bible says "fourscore." A score means twenty, so fourscore means eighty.

29Then Isaac took his last breath and died. He was very old and had lived a long, full life. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Note"Gave up the ghost" is an old way to say he stopped breathing and died. "Gathered unto his people" means he was buried near his family.

6God's promise did not fail. Not everyone born into Israel's family really belongs to Israel.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

NoteIsrael was a man's name first. God gave that name to Jacob. Jacob's family grew into a whole nation called Israel.

7Being part of Abraham's family does not make them all his true children. God said, "Your family line will be counted through Isaac."

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

NoteAbraham was the very first father of this family. Isaac was his son. God promised that the family would be counted through Isaac.

8So being born into the family is not what makes someone God's child. God's children are the ones born because God promised them.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9Here is the promise God made: "At the right time I will come back. Sarah will have a son."

For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

NoteSarah was Abraham's wife. She was very old and had no children. God promised her a baby anyway.

10There is more to say. Rebecca was going to have twin boys. Their father was Isaac, one of our family fathers.

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

NoteRebecca was Isaac's wife. Twins means two babies born at the same time. These twins were named Jacob and Esau.

11The twins were not born yet. They had done nothing good and nothing bad. God chose anyway. His plan stands because he calls people, not because of anything they have done.

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12God said to Rebecca, "The older boy will serve the younger boy."

It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

NoteBack then the older son usually got the biggest share. He also became the leader of the family. So this was a surprise.

13The Bible says it this way: "I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau."

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

NoteIn the old way of speaking, "loved" and "hated" could mean chose and did not choose. Here it is about which son's family God picked.