And the herdsmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, The water [is] ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
20. Esek ] That is, Contention. LXX ; Lat. Calumnia. In this and the two following verses we have popular tradition as to the origin of the names of wells in the region associated with the sojournings of the patriarch.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The water is ours, because digged in our soil; which was no good argument, because he digged it by their consent or permission at his own charge, and for his own use.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen,…. About the well which was dug in the valley; and this shows it was near Gerar or at least was upon the border of the country, and so it was a disputable point to whom it belonged:
saying, the water [is] ours; though the well was dug by Isaac’s servants, yet they laid claim to the water, pretending it was their ground, being on their borders:
and he called the name of the well Esek: which signifies “contention”: the reason of the name follows,
because they strove with him; wrangled, contended, and disputed with him about whose right it was.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
20-22. Esek Sitnah Rehoboth These appear to have been new wells digged, in addition to the old ones re-opened, and the names mean, respectively, Strife, Opposition, (from the same root as Satan,) and Broad Places, Room . The name of Rehoboth still lingers in the wady er-Ruhaibeh, some twenty-three miles south of Beer-sheba, where Robinson found extensive ruins. Later travellers claim to have found the well, but their reports are conflicting.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Esek means contention
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water [is] ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
Ver. 20. And the herdmen of Gerar. ] Not content to have cast him out, they pursued him, with cruel hatred; and, by denying him water, went about to destroy both him and his herds. Crosses seldom come single, but in a crowd. Jam 1:2 “The clouds return after the rain,” Ecc 12:2 and cluster against a new storm. See, therefore, that ye keep your cloak close about you.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Esek. Hebrew strife or contention.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
name of the well
The wells of Genesis have significant names, and are associated with significant events:
(1) Beer-lahai-roi, the well of him that liveth and seeth me Gen 16:14; Gen 24:62; Gen 25:11.
(2) Beer-sheba, the well of the oath or covenant Gen 21:15-33; Gen 22:19; Gen 26:23-25; Gen 46:1-5.
(3) Esek, contention Gen 26:20.
(4) Sitnah, hatred Gen 26:21. Esek and Sitnah were Isaac’s own attempts at well-digging. Afterward, he dwelt by the old wells of his father.
(5) Rehoboth, enlargement Gen 26:22.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
did strive: Gen 21:25
Esek: i.e. Contention
Reciprocal: Gen 13:7 – a strife Gen 20:1 – Gerar Jdg 5:11 – in the places 1Sa 21:7 – herdmen