And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac [was] sporting with Rebekah his wife.
8. at a window ] The account suggests that Isaac and Rebekah were in the courtyard overlooked by the king’s residence. Cf. 2Sa 11:2.
sporting ] See Gen 21:9 marg., “playing.” The word in the original is the same as that from which the name “Isaac” was popularly derived; cf. Gen 17:17; Gen 17:19, Gen 21:6. Here the meaning seems to be that of “fondling,” the caress of husband and wife, rather than of brother and sister. LXX , Lat. jocantem.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.] Whatever may be the precise meaning of the word, it evidently implies that there were liberties taken and freedom used on the occasion, which were not lawful but between man and wife.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Using more free and familiar carriage than became a brother and sister, but such as was allowable between husband and wife. See Deu 24:5; Pro 5:18,19. But that this was not the conjugal act, may easily be gathered from the circumstances of the time and place; which was open to Abimelechs view; and therefore that was not consistent either with Isaacs modesty or with his prudence, because he would not have her thought to be his wife.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time,…. Perhaps some years: for though it is in the original, “when days were prolonged to him there” b; yet days are sometimes put for years:
that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window; in his own palace, near to which, in all likelihood, were the apartments that Isaac and Rebekah dwelt in; and this he did accidentally, and not out of curiosity, or with any intention to observe or pry into the behaviour and conduct of these two persons one towards the other:
and saw, and, behold, Isaac [was] sporting with Rebekah his wife; laughing and joking with her, which by his motions and gestures, and the airs and freedoms he took, Abimelech could perceive were such as were not usual between brothers and sisters, though honest and lawful between man and wife; such as embracing her in his arms, and frequently kissing her, and the like.
b “cum prolongati essent ei ibi dies”, Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8. Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out at a window. Truly admirable is the kind forbearance of God, in not only condescending to pardon the twofold fault of his servant, but in stretching forth his hand, and in wonderfully averting, by the application of a speedy remedy, the evil which he would have brought upon himself. God did not suffer — what twice had occurred to Abraham — that his wife should be torn from his bosom; but stirred up a heathen king, mildly, and without occasioning him any trouble, to correct his folly. But although God sets before us such an example of his kindness, that the faithful, if at any time they may have fallen, may confidently hope to find him gentle and propitious; yet we must beware of self-security, when we observe, that the holy woman who was, at that time, the only mother of the Church on earth, was exempted from dishonor, by a special privilege. Meanwhile, we may conjecture, from the judgment of Abimelech, how holy and pure had been the conduct of Isaac, on whom not even a suspicion of evil could fall; and further, how much greater integrity flourished in that age than in our own. For why does he not condemn Isaac as one guilty of fornication, since it was probable that some crime was concealed, when he disingenuously obtruded the name of sister, and tacitly denied her to be his wife? And therefore I have no doubt that his religion, and the integrity of his life, availed to defend his character. By this example we are taught so to cultivate righteousness in our whole life, that men may not be able to suspect anything wicked or dishonorable respecting us; for there is nothing which will more completely vindicate us from every mark of infamy than a life passed in modesty and temperance. We must, however, add, what I have also before alluded to, that lusts were not, at that time, so commonly and so profusely indulged, as to cause an unfavourable suspicion to enter into the mind of the king concerning a sojourner of honest character. Wherefore, he easily persuades himself that Rebekah was a wife and not a harlot. The chastity of that age is further proved from this, that Abimelech takes the familiar sporting of Isaac with Rebekah as an evidence of their marriage. (37) For Moses does not speak about marital intercourse, but about some too free movement, which was a proof of either dissolute exuberance or conjugal love. But now licentiousness has so broken through all bounds, that husbands are compelled to hear in silence of the dissolute conduct of their wives with strangers.
(37) The following passage is here omitted in the translation: — “ Non enim de coitu loquitur Moses, sed de aliquo liberiore gestu, qui vel dissolute lasciviae, vel conjugalis amoris testis esset.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Abimelech.Upon this title of the Philistine monarchs see Note on Gen. 21:22. As eighty years had elapsed since Abrahams sojourn in Gerar, it is highly improbable that the same king was still reigning; but both king and people maintain on this occasion the good character previously deserved. The Philistines, however, at this period, were a feeble colony of strangers, and were kept in restraint by a sense of their weakness. They had received a vast accession of strength from abroad before they became formidable enemies of the Israelites at the end of the period of the Judges. (See Gen. 10:14.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Sporting See note on Gen 21:8.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac [was] sporting with Rebekah his wife.
Ver. 8. Sporting with Rebekah his wife. ] Or, laughing and rejoicing; according to that of Solomon, “Rejoice with the wife of thy youth: let her be as the loving hind, and pleasant roe,” &c. Pro 5:18 The hind and roe are the females of the hart and roebuck. Now of the hart and roebuck, it is noted, saith a grave divine, a that of all other beasts they are most enamoured, as I may so speak, with their mates, and even mad again with heat and desire after them. Which, being taken in a good sense, doth set forth the lawful vehement affection that an Isaac may bear to his Rebekah; which may be such, as that others may think he even dotes on her. And so much is imported in that which follows: “Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and err thou always in her love”. Pro 5:19 , marg. Not but that a man may be out in this lawful error too, and exceed in love to his wife; as he in Seneca did, who, whenever he went abroad, wore his wife’s fillet on his bosom for a favour, would never willingly be without her company, nor drink, but when she drank to him; with many the like fooleries, in quae improvida vis affectus erumpebat, saith he. The beginning of this love was honest; but the nimiety was not without deformity. Est modus in rebus.
a D. Gouge.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sporting with, or caressing
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a window: Jdg 5:28, Pro 7:6, Son 2:9
sporting: Pro 5:18, Pro 5:19, Ecc 9:9, Isa 62:5
Reciprocal: Gen 21:32 – the Philistines
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 26:8. This Abimelech was not the same that was in Abrahams days, (chapter 20.,) for this was near a hundred years after; but that was the common name of the Philistine kings, as Cesar of the Roman emperors.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac [was] {e} sporting with Rebekah his wife.
(e) Or showing some familiar sign of love, by which it might be known that she was his wife.