Genesis 26:13 kjv

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

Genesis 26:13 nkjv

The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;

Genesis 26:13 niv

The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.

Genesis 26:13 esv

and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.

Genesis 26:13 nlt

He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow.

Genesis 26 verses

Genesis 26 13 Meaning

Genesis 26:13 states that Isaac "waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great." This verse powerfully describes Isaac's accelerating and exceptional material prosperity, marked by a progressive, compounding increase in wealth and influence. It highlights that his greatness was not a static state but a dynamic, continuous growth, culminating in an exceedingly prominent status within the land. This remarkable increase was a direct manifestation of God's blessing upon him, fulfilling the covenant promises made to his father, Abraham.

Genesis 26 13 Context

Genesis chapter 26 sets the scene during a severe famine, prompting Isaac to consider going down to Egypt, just as his father Abraham had done in a similar situation (Gen 12:10). However, God intervenes, explicitly commanding Isaac to stay in Gerar, in the land of the Philistines, and promises to be with him, bless him, and multiply his descendants, reiterating the Abrahamic covenant promises (Gen 26:1-5). In obedience to God, Isaac dwells there. The subsequent narrative includes Isaac's deceit concerning his wife Rebekah due to fear (Gen 26:6-11). Directly after this episode of obedience and the subsequent fear, verse 12 recounts Isaac sowing crops in that land and reaping a hundredfold, clearly attributing this unprecedented yield to the Lord's blessing. Verse 13 then describes the cumulative and continuous effect of this initial divine favor, depicting Isaac's exponential growth in wealth and stature. This prosperity later led to conflict and envy from the Philistines (Gen 26:14-16), validating the extent of his "very great" status. The historical context reflects a semi-nomadic, pastoral society where wealth was primarily measured in livestock, land ownership (or usage rights), and servants. In this setting, such immense prosperity demonstrated powerful divine favor and significant social standing.

Genesis 26 13 Word analysis

• And the man (וְהָאִישׁ, veha'ish):
  • Word: "And" (וְ, ve): Connects this verse to the preceding one, showing a direct consequence or continuation of the hundredfold harvest mentioned in Gen 26:12.
  • Word: "The man" (הָאִישׁ, ha'ish): Refers specifically to Isaac. The definite article emphasizes "this man," implying Isaac, who is the central figure of the narrative and the recipient of God's blessing.
  • Significance: Clearly identifies the subject of the exceptional prosperity.
• waxed great (וַיִּגְדַּל, vayigdal):
  • Word: From the Hebrew verb gadal (גָּדַל), meaning "to be great, to become large, to increase, to grow rich." This specific verbal form (Waw-consecutive imperfect) indicates a completed action that set off a continuous process – he became great initially.
  • Significance: Marks the beginning of Isaac's remarkable increase, suggesting he started to prosper. It points to a growing significance not just in wealth but potentially in influence.
  • Original Context/Polemics: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a person's "greatness" often correlated with their material wealth and numerous descendants, which were seen as signs of divine favor. This statement attributes Isaac's greatness not to human endeavor alone, but to the Lord's blessing, countering any pagan belief that such prosperity came from other deities or mere fortune.
• and went forward (וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלֹךְ, vayelekh haloch):
  • Word: "went forward" is a unique construction, vayelekh (from halak, הָלַךְ, "to go, walk") followed by the infinitive absolute haloch. This emphasizes continuous, progressive movement and increasing advancement. It means "going onward," "advancing progressively," "steadily."
  • Significance: Denotes a continuous, persistent, and upward progression. Isaac's prosperity was not a one-time event or merely stagnant, but dynamic and always increasing. This particular verbal construction powerfully illustrates the momentum of his prosperity.
• and grew (וְגָדֵל, vegadel):
  • Word: Another form of gadal (גָּדַל), but this is a present participle, implying continuous action: "and continuing to grow" or "being great progressively."
  • Significance: Reinforces the idea of ongoing, unceasing expansion. It’s an active and current process of increasing. This particular verbal sequence vividly paints a picture of relentless growth.
• until he became very great (עַד כִּי־גָדַל מְאֹד, ad ki-gadal me'od):
  • Word: "until he became" (עַד כִּי, ad ki): Establishes a climax or final state resulting from the preceding continuous actions.
  • Word: "great" (גָדַל, gadal): A final instance of the verb gadal, here indicating the achievement of a significant level of greatness.
  • Word: "very" (מְאֹד, me'od): An intensive adverb meaning "exceedingly," "much," "tremendously." It serves as the ultimate superlative.
  • Significance: Marks the ultimate zenith of Isaac's prosperity, indicating an unparalleled degree of wealth and influence that surpassed even ordinary greatness. This level of "very great" implied vast possessions, power, and respect in that ancient culture, leading to envy and recognition (Gen 26:14, 16). It speaks to an almost immeasurable accumulation, a hyperbolic expression to convey astounding abundance.

Words-group analysis:

• "waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great": This entire phrase describes a clear, intensifying, and cumulative progression. The Hebrew uses three different forms of the verb "to be great" (gadal) and combines them with a repetitive form of "to go" (halak) and the superlative adverb me'od. This stylistic repetition and variation (from an initial gadal to a progressive gadel and a climactic gadal me'od, interweaved with the active continuation of haloch) is highly emphatic. It's not just that he became wealthy, but he kept becoming wealthier, constantly progressing to a state of being exceedingly wealthy. This multi-layered description underlines the extraordinary and divinely sustained nature of Isaac's prosperity. It is a testament to the compounding effect of God's blessing.

Genesis 26 13 Bonus section

The profound level of prosperity described in Genesis 26:13 was not without consequences. It provoked deep envy among the Philistines (Gen 26:14), leading Abimelech to directly state, "You have become too powerful for us" (Gen 26:16), compelling Isaac to move. This illustrates that divine blessing, while a mark of God's favor, can also expose human fallenness and opposition, creating challenges even amidst prosperity. Furthermore, this verse sets a pattern for generational blessing, mirroring Abraham's own immense wealth (Gen 13:2) and foreshadowing Jacob's similar, divinely orchestrated prosperity (Gen 30:43). The emphasis on the continuous nature of Isaac's growth in wealth highlights that God's blessings are often sustained and accumulative rather than one-time events. It also showcases God's faithfulness in upholding His covenant promises (Gen 26:3-4) despite the challenging circumstances of famine and the imperfections of His servant Isaac. The extraordinary outcome served as a powerful confirmation of God's sovereign power over nature and human circumstances.

Genesis 26 13 Commentary

Genesis 26:13 acts as a powerful crescendo in the narrative of Isaac's life in Gerar. Following the hundredfold harvest, an unprecedented return, this verse elaborates on the cumulative impact of God's favor. The carefully chosen Hebrew verbs and their repetitive forms (especially gadal and halak) paint a vivid picture of accelerating, compounding prosperity. It was not a sudden burst of wealth but a continuous, onward advancement. "Waxed great" signifies the initial step into substantial prosperity. "Went forward" describes an uninterrupted, relentless progress. "Grew" highlights the ongoing, present tense expansion, and "until he became very great" crowns it with the ultimate state of unparalleled, abundant wealth and influence. This exponential growth served as tangible evidence that the covenant blessings promised to Abraham were actively extending to Isaac. In a context of famine and potential societal instability, Isaac's overflowing abundance served as a powerful testament to the sovereign faithfulness of the God who provides and blesses beyond human imagination. His great prosperity was an undeniable sign to both him and those around him—including the envious Philistines—that God's hand was uniquely upon him, making him exceedingly strong and influential, and preparing the way for the larger unfolding of the covenant people.