Ch. XXVI.—Isaac and the Philistines (J, R, P).
The chapter comprises the entire cycle of Isaac-legends properly so called; consisting, as will be seen, almost exclusively of incidents already related of Abraham (cf. esp. ch. 20 f.). The introductory notice of his arrival in Gerar (1-6: cf. 201f.) is followed by his denial of his marriage with Rebekah (7-11 || 1210ff. 202ff.), his success in agriculture (12~16,—the only circumstance without an Abrahamic parallel), his quarrels with the Philistines about wells (17-22 || 2125f.), and, lastly, the Covenant of Beersheba, with an account of the naming of the place (23-33 || 2122-34).—The notice of Esau's wives (34f.) is an excerpt from P.
Source.—The style, except in 34f. and some easily recognised redactional
patches (1a(
Greek characters). 2a (Greek characters) b. 3b-5, 15. 18: see the notes), is unmistakably
Yahwistic: cf. (Hebrew characters) (2. 12. 22. 25 [even in the mouth of Abimelech, 28.
29]); (Hebrew characters), 7 (2416); (Hebrew characters), 8; (Hebrew characters), 22 (128); (Hebrew characters), 25; (Hebrew characters), 28
(2441); (Hebrew characters), 29 (2431). Some critics find traces of E in 1f., but these
are dubious.—The relation of the passage to other strata of the J
document is very difficult to determine. On the one hand, the
extremely close parallelism to ch. 20 f. suggests that it is a secondary
compilation based on JE as a composite work, with the name of Isaac
substituted for that of Abraham. But it is impossible to imagine a
motive for such an operation; and several considerations favour the
theory that ch. 26 is a continuation of the source distinguished as Jh in
the history of Abraham. (1) The Abrahamic parallels all belong to
the Negeb tradition (Jb and E); and it is natural to think that Jh, representing
the Hebron tradition, would connect the Negeb narratives
with the name of Isaac (whether Abraham or Isaac was the original
hero of these legends we cannot well ascertain). (2) The language
on the whole confirms this view (cf. (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), and
all the phrases of 25a). (3) The ideal of the patriarchal character
agrees with that which we find in Jh (magnanimity, peaceableness, etc.).—In
any case, it is to be observed that the ch. stands out of its proper
order. The Rebekah of 7ff. is plainly not the mother of two grown-up
sons, as she is at the close of ch. 25; and 271 is the immediate continuation
of 2534 or 28 (see We. Comp.2 30).
1-6. Isaac migrates to Gerar.—Cleared of interpolations,
the section reads: (1a (Greek characters)) There was a famine in the land; (1b) and Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, to Gerar. (2a(Greek characters)) And Yahwe appeared to him and said, (3a)
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee and bless thee.
(6) So Isaac abode in Gerar.—1. Isaac comes probably from
