Genesis 26:7
New International Version
When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”

New Living Translation
When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.”

English Standard Version
When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance.

Berean Standard Bible
But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold.”

New American Standard Bible
When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is beautiful.”

NASB 1995
When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.”

NASB 1977
When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful in appearance.”

Amplified Bible
The men of the place asked him about his wife, and he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife”—thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is very beautiful.”

Christian Standard Bible
When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say “my wife,” thinking, “The men of the place will kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is a beautiful woman.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say “my wife,” thinking, “The men of the place will kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is a beautiful woman.”

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the men of the place asked him about his wife and he said, “She is my sister”, because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife”, lest the men of the place would kill him, because Raphqa was beautiful in her appearance.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the men of the place questioned him concerning Rebecca his wife, and he said, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the place should slay him because of Rebecca, because she was fair.

Contemporary English Version
with his beautiful wife Rebekah. He was afraid that someone might kill him to get her, and so he told everyone that Rebekah was his sister.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister; for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would like him because of her beauty.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the men of that place asked about his wife, Isaac answered, "She's my sister." He was afraid to say "my wife." He thought that the men of that place would kill him to get Rebekah, because she was an attractive woman.

Good News Translation
When the men there asked about his wife, he said that she was his sister. He would not admit that she was his wife, because he was afraid that the men there would kill him to get Rebecca, who was very beautiful.

International Standard Version
Later on, the men of that place asked about his wife, so he replied, "She's my sister," because he was afraid to call her "my wife." He kept thinking, "…otherwise, the men around here will kill me on account of Rebekah, since she's very beautiful."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said: 'She is my sister'; for he feared to say: 'My wife'; 'lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is fair to look upon.'

Literal Standard Version
and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he says, “She [is] my sister”: for he has been afraid to say, “My wife—lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she [is] of good appearance.”

Majority Standard Bible
But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”

New American Bible
When the men of the place asked questions about his wife, he answered, “She is my sister.” He was afraid that, if he called her his wife, the men of the place would kill him on account of Rebekah, since she was beautiful.

NET Bible
When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife," for he thought to himself, "The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah because she is very beautiful."

New Revised Standard Version
When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister”; for he was afraid to say, “My wife,” thinking, “or else the men of the place might kill me for the sake of Rebekah, because she is attractive in appearance.”

New Heart English Bible
The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife," lest, he thought, "the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at."

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”

Young's Literal Translation
and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he saith, 'She is my sister:' for he hath been afraid to say, 'My wife -- lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she is of good appearance.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Isaac Deceives Abimelech
6So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.” 8When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.…

Cross References
Genesis 12:11
As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,

Genesis 12:13
Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared."

Genesis 20:2
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

Genesis 20:11
Abraham replied, "I thought to myself, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.'

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

Genesis 24:16
Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

Genesis 26:6
So Isaac settled in Gerar.


Treasury of Scripture

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 on.

She is my sister.

Genesis 12:13
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Genesis 20:2,5,12,13
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah…

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

fair.

Genesis 24:16
And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

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Account Afraid Beautiful Countenance Death Fair Feared Fearing Kill Questioned Rebecca Rebekah Sake Sister Slay Thinking Thought Wife
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Account Afraid Beautiful Countenance Death Fair Feared Fearing Kill Questioned Rebecca Rebekah Sake Sister Slay Thinking Thought Wife
Genesis 26
1. Isaac, because of famine, sojourns in Gerar, and the Lord blesses him.
7. He is reproved by Abimelech for denying his wife.
12. He grows rich, and the Philistines envy his prosperity.
18. He digs wells.
23. God appears to him at Beersheba, and blesses him;
26. and Abimelech makes a covenant with him.
34. Esau's wives.














(7) He said, She is my sister.--We have already seen that Abraham at Gerar showed no consciousness of having done wrong in denying his wife (Genesis 20:2); and we now find Isaac imitating his example with even less reason for his conduct. The circumstances are, however, different. It is the people who inquire about Isaac's relation to Rebekah, and though she was "fair to look upon," yet no annoyance followed upon his denial of her. The king after "a long time" detects their intimacy; but there are no presents, and no marks of respect to Rebekah, and no friendship. It is only after long quarrels, during which Isaac is obliged to withdraw to a long distance from Gerar, that finally peace is made between them.

Verse 7. - And the men of the place (i.e. the inhabitants of Gerar) asked him (literally, asked, or made inquiries; probably first at each other, though ultimately the interrogations might reach Isaac himself) of his wife (being in all likelihood fascinated by her beauty); and he said, - falling into the same infirmity as Abraham (Genesis 12:13; Genesis 20:2) - She is my sister: - which was certainly an equivocation, since, although sometimes used to designate a female relative generally (vide Genesis 24:60), the term "sister" was here designed to suggest that Rebekah was his own sister, born of the same parents. In propagating this deception Isaac appears to have been actuated by a similar motive to that which impelled his father - for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he (sc. to himself, the words describing the good man's secret apprehensions), the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; - the historian adding, as the explanation of his fears - because she was fair to look upon (vide Genesis 24:16).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But when the men
אַנְשֵׁ֤י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of that place
הַמָּקוֹם֙ (ham·mā·qō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

asked
וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ (way·yiš·’ă·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

about his wife,
לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ (lə·’iš·tōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

he said,
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“She
הִ֑וא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is my sister.”
אֲחֹ֣תִי (’ă·ḥō·ṯî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 269: Sister -- a sister

For
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he was afraid
יָרֵא֙ (yā·rê)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

to say,
לֵאמֹ֣ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“[She is] my wife,”
אִשְׁתִּ֔י (’iš·tî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

since he thought to himself,
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

“The men
אַנְשֵׁ֤י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of this place
הַמָּקוֹם֙ (ham·mā·qō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

will kill
יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי (ya·har·ḡu·nî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singular
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

me on account of
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Rebekah,
רִבְקָ֔ה (riḇ·qāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7259: Rebekah -- wife of Isaac

because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

she
הִֽיא׃ (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is so beautiful.”
טוֹבַ֥ת (ṭō·w·ḇaṯ)
Adjective - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good


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OT Law: Genesis 26:7 The men of the place asked him (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 26:6
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