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.
23 25 (J). Isaac at Beer-sheba
24. the same night ] The manner of the appearance of Jehovah is not defined. Was it “in a vision” (Gen 15:1), or “in a dream” (Gen 20:3)?
fear not ] The words of encouragement are probably spoken in reference to the hostility Isaac had recently experienced, and to his loneliness in the land of his sojournings; cf. Gen 15:1 (J).
I am with thee ] Cf. Gen 26:3, Gen 28:15, Gen 31:3. Isaac might feel lonely as a stranger ( gr) in the land, but he was assured of the presence of Jehovah wherever he went.
for my servant sake ]. See note on Gen 26:5. The title “my servant” here given to Abraham is only found in this place in Genesis. LXX reads “thy father.” But it was the obedience of Abraham that won for him this great title: cf. Isa 41:8, “Israel my servant Abraham my friend.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 24. The Lord appeared unto him] He needed especial encouragement when insulted and outraged by the Philistines; for having returned to the place where his noble father had lately died, the remembrance of his wrongs, and the remembrance of his loss, could not fail to afflict his mind; and God immediately appears to comfort and support him in his trials, by a renewal of all his promises.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And the Lord appeared to him in the same night,…. The first night he came to Beersheba, in a dream or vision, in which the Lord was represented as speaking to him:
and said, I [am] the God of Abraham thy father; though he was dead, he remembered the covenant he made with him, and the promises he made unto him: and besides, though Abraham was dead as to his body, yet alive in his soul; for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,
Mt 22:32:
fear not; any future famine, nor want of any good things, nor any enemies, the Philistines his neighbours, who had driven him from their country, and had harassed him from place to place:
for I [am] with thee, and will bless thee; and if God is with his people, they have nothing to fear from men; and if he blesses them, they are blessed, and no curse can light upon them:
and multiply thy seed, for my servant Abraham’s sake; who was a faithful, diligent, servant of his; whose service was, not forgotten by him, but would be rewarded in a way of grace, though not of debt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
24. And the Lord appeared unto him. This vision (as I have elsewhere said) was to prepare him to listen more attentively to God, and to convince him that it was God with whom he had to deal; for a voice alone would have had less energy. Therefore God appears, in order to produce confidence in and reverence towards his word. In short, visions were a kind of symbols of the Divine presence, designed to remove all doubt from the minds of the holy fathers respecting him who was about to speak. Should it be objected, that such evidence was not sufficiently sure, since Satan often deceives men by similar manifestations, being, as it were, the ape of God; — we must keep in mind what has been said before, that a clear and unambiguous mark was engraven on the visions of God, by which the faithful might certainly distinguish them from those which were fallacious, so that their faith should not be kept in suspense: and certainly, since Satan can only delude us in the dark, God exempts his children from this danger, by illuminating their eyes with the brightness of his countenance. Yet God did not fully manifest his glory to the holy fathers, but assumed a form by means of which they might apprehend him according to the measure of their capacities; for, as the majesty of God is infinite, it cannot be comprehended by the human mind, and by its magnitude it absorbs the whole world. Besides, it follows of necessity that men, on account of their infirmity, must not only faint, but be altogether annihilated in the presence of God. Wherefore, Moses does not mean that God was seen in his true nature and greatness, but in such a manner as Isaac was able to bear the sight. But what we have said, namely, that the vision was a testimony of Deity, for the purpose of giving credibility to the oracle, will more fully appear from the context; for this appearance was not a mute spectre; but the word immediately followed, which confirmed, in the mind of Isaac, faith in gratuitous adoption and salvation.
I am the God of Abraham. This preface is intended to renew the memory of all the promises before given, and to direct the mind of Isaac to the perpetual covenant which had been made with Abraham, and which was to be transmitted, as by tradition, to his posterity. The Lord therefore begins by declaring himself to be the God who had spoken at the first to Abraham, in order that Isaac might not sever the present from the former oracles: for as often as he repeated the testimony of his grace to the faithful, he sustained their faith with fresh supports. Yet he would have that very faith to remain based upon the first covenant by which he had adopted them to himself: and we must always keep this method in mind, in order that we may learn to gather together the promises of God, as they are combined in an inseparable bond. Let this also ever occur to us, as a first principle, that God thus kindly promises us his grace because he has freely adopted us.
Fear not. Since these words are elsewhere expounded, I shall now be the more brief. In the first place, we must observe, that God thus addresses the faithful for the purpose of tranquillizing their minds; for, if his word be withdrawn, they necessarily become torpid through stupidity, or are tormented with disquietude. Whence it follows, that we can receive peace from no other source than from the mouth of the Lord, when he declares himself the author of our salvation; not that we are then free from all fear, but because the confidence of faith is sufficiently efficacious to assuage our perturbations. Afterwards the Lord gives proofs of his love, by its effect, when he promises that he will bless Isaac.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
24. The Lord appeared Immediately on Isaac’s return to Beer-sheba Jehovah renews to him the promises, and there he builds an altar in acknowledgment of his mercy .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 26:24. And the Lord appeared, &c. It is pleasing to observe the propriety and goodness of this gracious appearance of the Lord to Isaac, when he returned to Beer-sheba, where his father had dwelt, after the envy and insults which he had met with from Abimelech and his people.
REFLECTIONS.Isaac, under God’s blessing, in the land of his sojourning, still abounds. His land produces a hundred fold, his servants increase, his cattle multiply. This produces,
1. The envy of the Philistines. They could not look on him but with an evil eye. Note; It is the tribute which genuine worth pays, to be envied.
2. Their ill-usage and expulsion of him: for what can stand before envy? They should rather have shared his blessings, by seeking to his God: but, led by their wicked hearts, they stopped the wells Abraham had digged. Note; The envious man will put himself to expence and trouble, rather than not gratify his ill-will. Still unable to bear him, they at last desired him to be gone.
3. He consents, and quietly removes farther off. Note; It is generally wise rather to yield for peace’ sake, than quarrel.
4. His care to find other wells. He opens old ones, and digs new. Note; In searching for the waters of truth, we may use the labours of those who digged before us; and add our diligence still to improve upon them.
5. The Philistines followed him with disputes from well to well, while he quietly recedes from his right, and retires farther. At last he finds another well, and there they left him in peaceable possession, and he calls it Rehoboth, in token of the enlargement he enjoyed there. Note; They who follow peace, will find it at last. If perverse men will strive with them in this world, at least they will find Rehoboth, a place of enlargements, and peace in heaven.
6. God’s appearing to him with encouraging promises. Note; The season of most comfort with God, is frequently when we are most beset with the perverseness of men.
7. His grateful acknowledgment. He built an altar, and perpetuated thus in his family the good ways of his father Abraham. Such is the gracious effect of bringing up a son in the way he should go.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen_12:2; Gen_15:1-8; Gen_17:6-7 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 26:24 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.
Ver. 24. Fear not. ] For the continued opposition of the Philistines, or whatever other discouragement. The best minds, when troubled for any long time, yield inconsiderate motions, and suffer some perturbation; as water that is violently stirred sends up bubbles. They cannot be so much master over their passions, as not otherwhiles to be disquieted: for, not the evenest weights but, at their first putting into the balance, somewhat sway both parts thereof, not without some show of inequality; which, after some tittle motion, settle themselves in a meet poise. Potissimum vero fidei murus, tentationum ariete durius aliquanto pulsatus et concussus, facile nutare ac ruinam minari incipit, nisi divinitus sustentetur. a
a Bucholcer. C., 320.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I am the: Gen 15:1, Gen 17:7, Gen 24:12, Gen 28:13, Gen 31:5, Exo 3:6, Mat 22:32, Act 7:32
fear: Gen 26:3, Gen 26:4, Gen 13:16, Gen 22:19, Psa 27:1-3, Psa 46:1, Psa 46:2, Isa 12:2, Isa 41:10, Isa 41:13-15, Isa 43:1, Isa 43:2, Isa 44:2, Isa 51:7, Isa 51:12, Luk 12:32, Heb 13:6, Rev 1:17
Reciprocal: Gen 1:28 – General Gen 24:7 – which spake Gen 28:15 – I am Gen 30:27 – the Lord Gen 31:3 – with thee Gen 39:2 – the Lord Gen 39:3 – saw that Exo 2:24 – remembered Deu 13:17 – as he hath 1Ki 18:36 – Lord God Mar 12:26 – I am Joh 11:15 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 26:24. Fear not, I am with thee, and will bless thee Those may remove with comfort that are sure of Gods presence with them wherever they go.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I [am] the God {i} 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.
(i) God assures Isaac against all fear by rehearsing the promise made to Abraham.