And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
During a famine stay among the Philistines, Isaac was given great prosperity in crops and herds, until their ruler asked him to leave Gerar because he had grown stronger and mightier than his neighbors. The request came from jealousy at his success and fear of his growing power and of the power of his God. Although he held the advantage, Isaac did not strive to keep his place but withdrew for the sake of peace, yielding more than justice required at real cost to himself. His quiet departure showed a lamb-like trust in God's promises, committing his cause to God rather than contending for his rights. God honored that self-sacrifice with special providence and peace with his enemies, and Isaac's prosperity remained a witness so that Abimelech later returned to seek peace and acknowledge the superiority of Isaac's God.
Setting and Expulsion
The words were spoken during Isaac's sojourn in the land of the Philistines in a time of famine, when God gave him abundant blessing and remarkable success in farming and in animal husbandry. That prosperity and public influence drew the attention of his neighbors and of their ruler, and belong to the differences with the Philistines in which Isaac yielded more than justice required. After Abraham died Isaac stood as heir of the covenant and dwelt among the Philistines, who had stopped all the wells Abraham's servants had dug and filled them with earth.
The account is part of God's providential dealings with Abraham's family as the chosen line through which the Seed would come. Isaac's blessing in it stands connected with Abraham's obedience to God's laws. Abimelech told Isaac to leave because Isaac had become much mightier, more powerful and stronger than the Philistines. Isaac therefore departed from Gerar and encamped and dwelt in the valley of Gerar, where he dug again the wells his father had dug.
The request arose from jealousy of Isaac's prosperity and from fear of his growing power, influence and strength. The Philistines recognized his advantage and the power of his God, yet felt that his greater prosperity and strength threatened to bring trouble. Although Abimelech had warned his people not to harm Isaac, he wanted Isaac to depart in order to avoid conflict. In envy he asked Isaac to leave rather than accept the true God.
Peacemaking Witness and Blessing
Though he was the mightier party, Isaac yielded without striving when told to go, and withdrew for the sake of peace rather than using his advantage to hold his position. He willingly yielded more than justice required, accepting inconvenience and apparent loss and material cost and the labor of beginning again by digging anew the wells his father had dug. His yielding of his rights rather than contending committed his cause to God.
That quiet leaving showed a disposition submissive as a lamb, the same spirit he had shown when to be offered as a sacrifice. Trusting God's promises, he refused to contend for his rights and committed his cause to God. God worked for him with special providence as a progenitor of the promised Seed because he so refused to contend.
His prosperity in farming and animal husbandry and his public influence were a witness to God's presence and blessing and to the power of his God, which the Philistines recognized. Their envy led them to ask him to leave rather than accept the true God, but that rejection did not erase the effect of the witness. Abimelech later came to make peace, acknowledging again that Isaac's God was superior to the gods of the Philistines. God blessed Isaac in consequence of that yielding, rewarding and encouraging such self-sacrifice, working for him with special providence and giving him peace with his enemies. His refusal to strive, though the mightier, illustrates the son of promise in contrast to Ishmael, who would have striven, and illustrates the two covenants and which son a person belongs to.
During a famine stay among the Philistines, Isaac was given great prosperity in crops and herds, until their ruler asked him to leave Gerar because he had grown stronger and mightier than his neighbors. The request came from jealousy at his success and fear of his growing power and of the power of his God. Although he held the advantage, Isaac did not strive to keep his place but withdrew for the sake of peace, yielding more than justice required at real cost to himself. His quiet departure showed a lamb-like trust in God's promises, committing his cause to God rather than contending for his rights. God honored that self-sacrifice with special providence and peace with his enemies, and Isaac's prosperity remained a witness so that Abimelech later returned to seek peace and acknowledge the superiority of Isaac's God.
Setting and Expulsion
The words were spoken during Isaac's sojourn in the land of the Philistines in a time of famine, when God gave him abundant blessing and remarkable success in farming and in animal husbandry. That prosperity and public influence drew the attention of his neighbors and of their ruler, and belong to the differences with the Philistines in which Isaac yielded more than justice required. After Abraham died Isaac stood as heir of the covenant and dwelt among the Philistines, who had stopped all the wells Abraham's servants had dug and filled them with earth.
The account is part of God's providential dealings with Abraham's family as the chosen line through which the Seed would come. Isaac's blessing in it stands connected with Abraham's obedience to God's laws. Abimelech told Isaac to leave because Isaac had become much mightier, more powerful and stronger than the Philistines. Isaac therefore departed from Gerar and encamped and dwelt in the valley of Gerar, where he dug again the wells his father had dug.
The request arose from jealousy of Isaac's prosperity and from fear of his growing power, influence and strength. The Philistines recognized his advantage and the power of his God, yet felt that his greater prosperity and strength threatened to bring trouble. Although Abimelech had warned his people not to harm Isaac, he wanted Isaac to depart in order to avoid conflict. In envy he asked Isaac to leave rather than accept the true God.
Peacemaking Witness and Blessing
Though he was the mightier party, Isaac yielded without striving when told to go, and withdrew for the sake of peace rather than using his advantage to hold his position. He willingly yielded more than justice required, accepting inconvenience and apparent loss and material cost and the labor of beginning again by digging anew the wells his father had dug. His yielding of his rights rather than contending committed his cause to God.
That quiet leaving showed a disposition submissive as a lamb, the same spirit he had shown when to be offered as a sacrifice. Trusting God's promises, he refused to contend for his rights and committed his cause to God. God worked for him with special providence as a progenitor of the promised Seed because he so refused to contend.
His prosperity in farming and animal husbandry and his public influence were a witness to God's presence and blessing and to the power of his God, which the Philistines recognized. Their envy led them to ask him to leave rather than accept the true God, but that rejection did not erase the effect of the witness. Abimelech later came to make peace, acknowledging again that Isaac's God was superior to the gods of the Philistines. God blessed Isaac in consequence of that yielding, rewarding and encouraging such self-sacrifice, working for him with special providence and giving him peace with his enemies. His refusal to strive, though the mightier, illustrates the son of promise in contrast to Ishmael, who would have striven, and illustrates the two covenants and which son a person belongs to.