Genesis

Genesis 26:7–10

7But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”

8When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9Abimelech 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.”

10“What is this you have done to us?” asked Abimelech. “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

Read all of Genesis 26

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 26:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But when the menאַנְשֵׁ֤י’an·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH582 man, mankind
of that placeהַמָּקוֹם֙ham·mā·qō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4725 standing, spot, condition
askedוַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּway·yiš·’ă·lūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH7592 ask, inquire
about his wifeלְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹlə·’iš·tōwPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH802 woman, wife, female
he saidוַיֹּ֖אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Sheהִ֑ואhîPronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
is my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי’ă·ḥō·ṯîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH269 sister
Forכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
he was afraidיָרֵא֙yā·rêVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH3372 fear
to sayלֵאמֹ֣רlê·mōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH559 utter, say
my wifeאִשְׁתִּ֔י’iš·tîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH802 woman, wife, female
since he thought to himselfפֶּן־pen-ConjunctionH6435 lest
The menאַנְשֵׁ֤י’an·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH582 man, mankind
of this placeהַמָּקוֹם֙ham·mā·qō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4725 standing, spot, condition
will kill meיַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִיya·har·ḡu·nîVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singularH2026 kill, slay
on account ofעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
Rebekahרִבְקָ֔הriḇ·qāhNoun - proper - feminine singularH7259 Rebekah
becauseכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
sheהִֽיא׃hîPronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
is so beautifulטוֹבַ֥תṭō·w·ḇaṯAdjective - feminine singular constructH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good

Genesis 26:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whenכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
had been thereשָׁם֙šāmAdverbH8033 there, thither
a long timeהַיָּמִ֔יםhay·yā·mîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3117 day
Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםpə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
looked downוַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ףway·yaš·qêp̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH8259 overhang, look out and down
fromבְּעַ֖דbə·‘aḏPrepositionH1157 separation
the windowהַֽחַלּ֑וֹןha·ḥal·lō·wnArticle; Noun - common singularH2474 window
and was surprised to seeוַיַּ֗רְאway·yarConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7200 see
Isaacיִצְחָק֙yiṣ·ḥāqNoun - proper - masculine singularH3327 Isaac
caressingמְצַחֵ֔קmə·ṣa·ḥêqVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularH6711 laugh
his wifeאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃’iš·tōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH802 woman, wife, female
Rebekahרִבְקָ֥הriḇ·qāhNoun - proper - feminine singularH7259 Rebekah

Genesis 26:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
sent forוַיִּקְרָ֨אway·yiq·rāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7121 call, proclaim, read
Isaacלְיִצְחָ֗קlə·yiṣ·ḥāqPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3327 Isaac
and saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙way·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
So sheהִ֔ואhîPronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
is reallyאַ֣ךְ’aḵAdverbH389 surely
your wifeאִשְׁתְּךָ֙’iš·tə·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH802 woman, wife, female
Howוְאֵ֥יךְwə·’êḵConjunctive waw; InterjectionH349 How?
could you sayאָמַ֖רְתָּ’ā·mar·tāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Sheהִ֑ואhîPronoun - third person feminine singularH1931 he, she
is my sisterאֲחֹ֣תִי’ă·ḥō·ṯîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH269 sister
Isaacיִצְחָ֔קyiṣ·ḥāqNoun - proper - masculine singularH3327 Isaac
repliedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Becauseכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
I thoughtאָמַ֔רְתִּי’ā·mar·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
I mightפֶּן־pen-ConjunctionH6435 lest
dieאָמ֖וּת’ā·mūṯVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH4191 die
on account of herעָלֶֽיהָ׃‘ā·le·hāPreposition; third person feminine singularH5921 height

Genesis 26:10

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whatמַה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
is thisזֹּ֖אתzōṯPronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
you have doneעָשִׂ֣יתָ‘ā·śî·ṯāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
to usלָּ֑נוּlā·nūPreposition; first person common plural
askedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
Oneאַחַ֤ד’a·ḥaḏNumber - masculine singular constructH259 one
of the peopleהָעָם֙hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
could easilyכִּ֠מְעַטkim·‘aṭPreposition-k; Adjective - masculine singularH4592 a little, fewness, a few
have slept withשָׁכַ֞בšā·ḵaḇVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7901 lie down
your wifeאִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ’iš·te·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH802 woman, wife, female
and you would have broughtוְהֵבֵאתָ֥wə·hê·ḇê·ṯāConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
guiltאָשָֽׁם׃’ā·šāmNoun - masculine singularH817 offence, guilt
upon usעָלֵ֖ינוּ‘ā·lê·nūPreposition; first person common pluralH5921 height

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 26:7 Proverbs 29:25 · Genesis 12:13 · Genesis 20:2 · Genesis 24:16 · Genesis 20:12–13 · Matthew 10:28 · Colossians 3:9 · Ephesians 5:25

Genesis 26:8 Isaiah 62:5 · Proverbs 5:18–19 · Judges 5:28 · Proverbs 7:6 · Song of Solomon 2:9

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.