in the beginning Genesis chapter twenty-six IV
"When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah" (Genesis 26:8).
This verse has been translated differently depending on the particular Bible version you may be reading. For example, the New King James Version (NKJV) of this verse says that, "Isaac (was) showing endearment to Rebekah his wife." The King James Version (KJV) says, "Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife." The Revised Standard Version (RSV) tells us that "Isaac (was) fondling Rebekah his wife." The Living Bible says, "Abimelech… looked out of a window and saw Isaac and Rebekah making love."
So we're not totally sure about what Abimelech saw Isaac and Rebekah doing, but whatever it was, it obviously involved some kind of physical intimacy that's seen between husbands and wives and not brothers and sisters. In any event, Isaac suddenly had some explaining to do...
"So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, 'She is really your wife! Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? Isaac answered him, 'Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.' Then Abimelech said, 'What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.' So Abimelech gave orders to all the people: 'Anyone who molests this man or his wife shall surely be put to death'" (Genesis 26:9-11).
Perhaps Abimelech was thinking about a similar situation that occurred with Isaac's father Abraham back in Genesis chapter 20. In that incident, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman" (Genesis 20:3). That might help to explain Abimelech's strong reaction here in Genesis chapter 26: "Don't you know what you've done?" Abimelech exclaimed. "If someone had slept with her, you would have made our whole nation guilty!" (CEV).
Just as we saw earlier with Abraham, this incident with Isaac and Abimelech should serve as a warning and example for those who claim to follow God today. Isaac didn't represent God very well during this time and his example reminds us that we should be careful about how we represent God to others.
This is one reason why Philippians 1:27 says, "...conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (NAS). If you conduct yourself in a manner that's worthy of the gospel of Christ, then you'll always be sure to provide others with the right example to follow.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptural references taken from The
Living Bible, © 1971, Tyndale House Publishers Back
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