Genesis 26:7

When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister”. He was afraid to say “my wife”. He thought that the men of the place would kill him for Rebekah, because she was beautiful to look at.

Open English Bible (US)

In The King James Version

And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

In Context

6So Isaac settled in Gerar.

8But after he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of the window, and saw Isaac just as he was caressing Rebekah his wife.

Read all of Genesis 26

Cross References

Genesis 12:13Say you are my sister, so that everything may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared.”

Genesis 20:2where he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

Genesis 20:12Moreover, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father, though not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, just as the Christ loved the church, and gave himself for her,

Matthew Henry on Genesis 26:7-12

Isaac's Denial of His Wife. ( b. c. 1840.) 6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. 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. 9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 26:7