Isaac Has Conflict with the Philistines over His Wells

26:12-33

12 Then Isaac sowed seeds in that land, and in that year he obtained a hundredfold, and Yahweh blessed him. 13 And the man became great, and he continued to become even greater until he was exceedingly great. 14 And he had possession of flocks and possession of herds and many servants. So the Philistines envied him, 15 and the Philistines stopped up all the wells that the servants of his father had dug in the days of Abraham his father and filled them with dirt.

16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, because you are more powerful than we are.” 17 So Isaac went from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 Then Isaac returned and dug out the water wells that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father and that the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham, and he called them names like the names that his father had called them.

19 Then the servants of Isaac dug in the valley and found a well of living water there. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so he called its name Sitnah. 22 Then he moved from there and he dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it, so he called its name Rehoboth, and he said, “Because now Yahweh has made space for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23 Then from there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And Yahweh appeared to him during that night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, because I am with you. And I will bless you and multiply your offspring for the sake of Abraham my servant.” 25 Then he built an altar there and called on the name of Yahweh. And he pitched his tents there, and the servants of Isaac dug a well there.

26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and you sent me away from you?” 28 And they said, “We have clearly seen that Yahweh has been with you, so we said, ‘There should be an oath between us’—between us and you. So let us cut a covenant with you, 29 that you will not do evil against us, just as we did not touch you, and just as we did only good to you and sent you away in peace. Now you are blessed by Yahweh.” 30 Then he made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Then they got up early in the morning and swore to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left from him in peace.

32 Then it happened on that day, the servants of Isaac came and told him about the matter of the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water!” 33 So he called it Shibah. For that reason the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.