Genesis 26:2 kjv
And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
Genesis 26:2 nkjv
Then the LORD appeared to him and said: "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.
Genesis 26:2 niv
The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.
Genesis 26:2 esv
And the LORD appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.
Genesis 26:2 nlt
The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you.
Genesis 26 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1 | Now the LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country... to the land that I will show you." | God directs Abraham to an unknown land. |
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." | God appears and reiterates land promise. |
| Gen 12:10 | Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe. | Abraham went to Egypt during famine. |
| Gen 13:14-15 | The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes and look... for all the land that you see I will give to you..." | God confirms the vastness of the promised land. |
| Gen 15:18 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land..." | Covenant formalized, land promise specific. |
| Gen 17:1 | When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless..." | God appears, reiterates covenant call. |
| Gen 46:3-4 | Then he [God] said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there..." | God explicitly permits Jacob to go to Egypt. |
| Ex 3:2 | There the angel of the LORD appeared to him [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush... | God's appearance for instruction. |
| Deut 17:16 | Only he [the king] must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt... | Warning against returning to Egypt for strength. |
| Josh 1:9 | "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." | Divine command for obedience and courage. |
| Ps 37:3 | Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and be fed securely. | Trust in God yields dwelling safely. |
| Ps 37:25 | I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. | God's faithfulness in providing. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. | Emphasis on trusting God's direction. |
| Isa 30:2-3 | who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh... Pharaoh's protection will be your shame... | Warning against seeking help from Egypt instead of God. |
| Hos 11:1 | When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. | Recalls God's rescue from Egypt (Exodus). |
| Matt 2:13 | ... an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you..." | God directs flight to Egypt for Jesus' safety. |
| Heb 11:8 | By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. | Faith-filled obedience to divine call. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | Patriarchs lived as sojourners, trusting in a greater promise. |
| Heb 11:13 | These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | Believers as strangers and exiles, like Isaac. |
| 1 Pet 2:11 | Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. | Christians as temporary residents. |
| John 6:35 | Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." | Christ as the ultimate provision. |
Genesis 26 verses
Genesis 26 2 Meaning
Genesis 26:2 records a direct divine intervention and command from the LORD to Isaac during a time of famine. It serves as both a prohibition against seeking refuge in Egypt, a common resort for patriarchs during such crises, and a directive to remain within the land that the LORD would designate, emphasizing continued reliance on divine provision and guidance rather than worldly solutions. This command underscored Isaac's covenant responsibilities and the specific path God intended for him to walk in faith.
Genesis 26 2 Context
Genesis 26:2 is set during a severe famine in the land, reminiscent of the famine that drove Abraham to Egypt (Gen 12:10). Isaac, inheriting the covenant promises from his father Abraham, naturally considered a similar path for survival. However, unlike Abraham, Isaac receives a direct, prohibitive, and prescriptive word from the LORD. This moment highlights God's specific and tailored guidance for each generation of the covenant line. The context shows Isaac was on his way to Gerar, which was towards Egypt, indicating an initial inclination to go south for provision. God intercepts him with this precise instruction, testing his obedience and faith in divine providence within the promised, albeit famine-stricken, land.
Genesis 26 2 Word analysis
- And the LORD: Waw YHWH (וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה). "LORD" here is YHWH (Yahweh), the personal, covenant name of God. This signifies a deeply personal and authoritative interaction, emphasizing His faithfulness to the covenant with Abraham, which now extends to Isaac. It underscores God's active involvement in the lives of His chosen ones.
- appeared unto him: Wa-yyerah elav (וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו). The verb yyerah is a Niphal form of ra'ah (to see), meaning "was seen" or "caused himself to be seen." It indicates a direct, visible, and intentional manifestation of God to Isaac. This is not a dream or an indirect message but a clear divine encounter, vital for delivering a critical command. It confirms the divine origin of the subsequent instruction.
- and said: wa-yyo'mer (וַיֹּאמֶר). This marks the divine utterance of instruction.
- Go not down into Egypt: ʾAl-tered Miṣraymah (אַל־תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה). This is a strong negative command. "Egypt" (Miṣrayim) represents the established, wealthy, and seemingly self-sufficient power of the world, often contrasted in the Bible with reliance on God. For the patriarchs, it was a common refuge during famine, but also a place of potential moral compromise (as with Abraham in Gen 12) or future bondage (as for Israel). The command not to go emphasizes God's desire for Isaac to trust in His provision exclusively within the covenant land. It sets a boundary for Isaac, specific to his spiritual journey.
- dwell in the land: Gûr bā-ʾāreṣ (גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ). The verb gur (גּוּר) means "to sojourn," "to reside as a temporary resident," or "to live as a foreigner." This is significant; Isaac is not commanded to settle definitively but to remain and trust God's provision while in a land that is not yet fully his possession, mirroring Abraham's pilgrim status (Heb 11:9-10). It highlights continued dependence on God as a sojourner, not reliance on permanent worldly stability.
- which I shall tell thee of: ʾĂsher ʾomar ʾelêḵa (אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ). This phrase signifies an ongoing revelation and guidance from God. The specific location within the land is not yet revealed, demanding Isaac's faith and obedience to wait for God's further instructions. It means Isaac's immediate obedience is essential, even if the future path isn't fully clear.
Genesis 26 2 Bonus section
This divine encounter with Isaac, unlike some of Abraham's visions, is direct and unprompted, indicating God's initiation. The command not to go to Egypt establishes a significant principle for Isaac: reliance solely on Yahweh, even when worldly wisdom suggests otherwise. This incident serves as an early instance of God setting a precedent for the children of Israel to not look to Egypt for help or security (echoed strongly in prophetic books like Isaiah and Deuteronomy), thus reinforcing their unique identity and absolute dependence on their covenant LORD. It contrasts with Jacob's later journey to Egypt, where God explicitly commanded him to go (Gen 46:3-4), showing that God's ways are not always identical, but always sovereignly purposed.
Genesis 26 2 Commentary
Genesis 26:2 provides a crucial glimpse into God's active governance over the lives of His covenant people. Unlike his father Abraham, who went down to Egypt during a famine without a specific divine prohibition (Gen 12), Isaac is directly commanded not to. This highlights God's particular dealings with individuals according to His sovereign plan and their specific needs for spiritual formation.
The command serves multiple purposes. First, it is a test of faith for Isaac, requiring him to trust God's ability to sustain him in a land gripped by famine rather than seeking security in human solutions (Egypt). Second, it reinforces the significance of the promised land itself, not just as a future inheritance, but as the present sphere of God's covenant operations and provision. Staying in the land, despite its barrenness, demonstrated faith in the God who could make a desert blossom. Third, it may represent a protective measure, guarding Isaac and the lineage from the potential moral or spiritual corruptions prevalent in Egypt, as later seen with the children of Israel (Leviticus, Deuteronomy warn against Egyptian practices).
This verse profoundly teaches about divine guidance: it is often specific, sometimes prohibitory ("go not"), and sometimes prescriptive ("dwell in the land"). It also demands progressive obedience: "which I shall tell thee of" implies that God reveals His will step-by-step, requiring constant reliance and readiness to follow. Isaac's response sets the tone for his spiritual walk, demonstrating submission to a sovereign God who dictates not just the ultimate destination but also the journey itself. The pilgrim status of "dwelling" reminds believers that our security and provision come not from worldly structures but from abiding in God's revealed will.