Genesis 26:10 kjv

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.

Genesis 26:10 nkjv

And Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us."

Genesis 26:10 niv

Then Abimelek said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us."

Genesis 26:10 esv

Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us."

Genesis 26:10 nlt

"How could you do this to us?" Abimelech exclaimed. "One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin."

Genesis 26 verses

Genesis 26 10 Meaning

Genesis 26:10 conveys King Abimelech's strong rebuke of Isaac for deceiving him and his people about Rebekah being his sister. Abimelech expresses deep indignation and distress over the potential for grave moral and spiritual defilement. He points out that if one of his people had unknowingly committed adultery with Rebekah, believing her to be an unattached woman, it would have brought severe guilt or sin, carrying spiritual culpability and potential divine judgment, upon the entire Philistine community. The verse highlights the gravity of sexual impurity and deception in ancient society, emphasizing communal accountability for such transgressions.

Genesis 26 10 Context

Genesis 26 describes Isaac's stay in Gerar during a famine, where God blesses him but also commands him not to go down to Egypt, renewing the Abrahamic covenant promises (Gen 26:1-5). Despite God's explicit presence and blessing, Isaac, out of fear for his life, repeats his father Abraham's earlier deception by claiming his wife Rebekah is his sister (Gen 26:7). This lie sets the stage for Abimelech's discovery. The king of Gerar, Abimelech (who may be a successor or a title like Pharaoh), discovers the deception when he observes Isaac "sporting" with Rebekah, indicating a closeness not fitting for siblings (Gen 26:8). This discovery prompts Abimelech's stern confrontation in verse 10, underscoring the severe consequences Isaac's deceit could have wrought on the Philistine nation. The broader historical and cultural context for this period in the ancient Near East includes patriarchal tribal societies where a foreign man's attractive wife could indeed pose a danger to his life. Kings had significant authority over their domains and were expected to uphold social order and prevent religious or moral defilement within their kingdom.

Genesis 26 10 Word analysis

• "And Abimelech said": Signifies the king's authority and his direct address of the matter. As the highest judicial and moral authority, his words carry significant weight.
• "What is this you have done to us?": This rhetorical question expresses shock, disappointment, and strong condemnation. The use of "us" (לָנוּ, lanu) emphasizes that Isaac's deception jeopardized not just Abimelech personally, but the entire community or kingdom, highlighting the concept of corporate responsibility. The action (עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙, ʿāśîtā) signifies a deliberate act of wrong-doing by Isaac.
• "One of the people": (אֶחָ֤ד מִן־הָעָ֔ם, ʾeḥād min-hāʿām). Refers to any male inhabitant among the Philistine populace, underscoring the widespread and uncontrolled risk Isaac's lie introduced. The danger was not specific to a powerful figure, but pervasive.
• "might easily have lain with": (יִשְׁכַּ֤ב, yiškāb). From the root shākab, meaning to lie down, often euphemistically used for sexual intercourse. The verbal form here (imperfect with waw-conversive for potential consequence) strongly implies a potential and imminent risk of adultery occurring very easily due to Isaac's misrepresentation of Rebekah's status. It highlights the direct path from the lie to the potential sin.
• "your wife": (אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ, ʾišttĕḵā). The pivotal detail. The sin's gravity lay not in general immorality, but in the violation of a married woman. The sanctity of marriage and marital fidelity, even among non-Israelites, is acknowledged as a foundational moral boundary.
• "and you would have brought guilt upon us!": (וַהֲשֵׁיכֹ֖תָ עָלֵ֥ינוּ אָשָֽׁם, wahašêḵōtā ʿālênū ʾāšām).
  • "would have brought": (וַהֲשֵׁיכֹ֖תָ, wahašêḵōtā). This verb implies causing or inflicting something, directly attributing the consequence to Isaac's action.
  • "guilt": (אָשָֽׁם, ʾāšām). A crucial term. It denotes more than just social blame; it refers to a state of spiritual or moral culpability, trespass, or sin that incurs divine displeasure and requires expiation, often associated with a "guilt offering" in the Mosaic Law. Abimelech is not just concerned with social dishonor but with an actual offense against cosmic or divine order that could bring punishment upon his entire kingdom. This suggests an innate understanding of sin and its communal repercussions, perhaps universally imprinted by God or revealed through divine common grace.
  • "upon us!": Reiterates the collective burden, the notion that individual sin can bring down corporate judgment or moral contamination upon a community.

Genesis 26 10 Bonus section

• The striking resemblance between Isaac’s actions and those of his father Abraham (Gen 12, 20) highlights a recurring pattern of fear-driven deception within the patriarchal narratives. It demonstrates that faith is not perfected in one generation but often involves wrestling with the same temptations.
• Abimelech's acute awareness of "guilt" on his people, even without explicit knowledge of Yahweh, indicates a moral framework in the ancient Near East that often recognized collective culpability for grave offenses. It aligns with the biblical teaching that all humanity possesses a measure of moral understanding, even apart from revealed law, showcasing the common grace of God.
• Despite Isaac’s sin, God protects him and continues to bless him in Gerar, ultimately making him incredibly prosperous (Gen 26:12-14). This juxtaposition emphasizes God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and His grace, which overrides the failings of His human instruments. The deception is a reminder of human frailty, while God's protection and blessing underscore His unwavering character and redemptive purpose.

Genesis 26 10 Commentary

Isaac’s re-enactment of his father's lie in Genesis 26:10 exposes his deep-seated fear and a profound lapse in faith, despite God's renewed covenant promises. Abimelech's subsequent rebuke is poignant and direct, reflecting not just human indignation but a remarkably sensitive grasp of moral responsibility and the concept of corporate guilt. The king’s primary concern is not merely the potential for social impropriety, but for "guilt" (ʾāšām), a theological term denoting a breach that demands divine attention and potentially divine retribution. Had an unintended act of adultery occurred, Abimelech rightly perceived that such a violation would have spiritually polluted his entire nation, rendering them liable for divine judgment. This illustrates that basic moral law, including the sanctity of marriage and the abhorrence of lying, was recognized even among Gentile peoples, demonstrating God's universal influence and the inscription of His law on human hearts (Rom 2:14-15). The passage subtly underlines God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people, protecting Isaac and Rebekah despite Isaac's moral failure, even using a pagan king's moral integrity to intervene.