Genesis 26:19
New International Version
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.

New Living Translation
Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water.

English Standard Version
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water,

Berean Standard Bible
Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there.

King James Bible
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

New King James Version
Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there.

New American Standard Bible
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water,

NASB 1995
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water,

NASB 1977
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water.

Amplified Bible
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing [spring] water,

Christian Standard Bible
Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of spring water there.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Isaac’s slaves dug in the valley and found a well of spring water there.

American Standard Version
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

Contemporary English Version
While his servants were digging in the valley, they found a spring-fed well.

English Revised Version
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found a spring-fed well.

Good News Translation
Isaac's servants dug a well in the valley and found water.

International Standard Version
While Isaac's servants were digging in the valley, they discovered a well with flowing water.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Isaac?s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there.

NET Bible
When Isaac's servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing water there,

New Heart English Bible
Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing water.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

World English Bible
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing water.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Isaac’s servants dig in the valley, and find there a well of living water,

Young's Literal Translation
And Isaac's servants dig in the valley, and find there a well of living water,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Isaak's servants will dig in the valley and will find there a well of waters.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they digged in the torrent, and found living water.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they dug in the torrent, and they found living water.

New American Bible
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the wadi and reached spring water in their well,

New Revised Standard Version
But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of living water.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the workers of Isaac dug in the valley and they found there a well of living waters.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of living water.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the servants of Isaac dug in the valley of Gerara, and they found there a well of living water.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Isaac's Prosperity
18Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. And he gave these wells the same names his father had given them. 19Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there. 20But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him.…

Cross References
John 4:6-14
Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. / When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) ...

Exodus 17:1-7
Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. / So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?” / But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” ...

Numbers 20:1-13
In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. / Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. / The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! ...

John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” / He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

1 Corinthians 10:4
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

Psalm 105:41
He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.

John 4:10
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Isaiah 41:17-18
The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. / I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.

Revelation 22:1-2
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb / down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Psalm 114:8
who turned the rock into a pool, the flint into a fountain of water!

John 7:38
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Nehemiah 9:15
In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land that You had sworn to give them.


Treasury of Scripture

And Isaac's servants dig in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

springing water.

Song of Solomon 4:15
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

John 4:10,11
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water…

John 7:38
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

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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.














Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley
Isaac, the son of Abraham, is continuing the legacy of his father by dwelling in the land of Canaan. The act of digging wells was essential for survival in the arid regions of the ancient Near East, as water was a precious resource. The valley mentioned here is likely the Valley of Gerar, a region where Isaac had settled. This action reflects the nomadic lifestyle of the patriarchs, who often moved with their flocks and herds in search of pasture and water. The digging of wells also signifies establishing a claim to the land, a common practice in ancient times.

and found a well of fresh water there.
The discovery of fresh water, or "living water," is significant both practically and symbolically. Practically, it ensured the survival and prosperity of Isaac's household and livestock. Symbolically, water is often associated with life and blessing in the Bible. This well can be seen as a divine provision, indicating God's continued blessing and faithfulness to Isaac, as He had promised to Abraham. In a broader biblical context, water is a recurring motif representing spiritual sustenance and life, as seen in Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4, where He speaks of "living water" as a metaphor for eternal life.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaac
The son of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac is a patriarch of Israel. In this chapter, he is living in the land of Gerar during a famine, following God's guidance.

2. Isaac's Servants
These are the individuals who work for Isaac, carrying out tasks such as digging wells, which was crucial for survival and prosperity in the arid regions of the ancient Near East.

3. The Valley
This refers to the geographical location where Isaac's servants dug the well. Valleys were often fertile and could be sources of water, making them strategic locations for settlement.

4. Well of Fresh Water
In the ancient context, finding a well was a significant event, as water was essential for life, agriculture, and sustaining livestock. It symbolizes God's provision and blessing.

5. Gerar
A region in the land of the Philistines where Isaac temporarily settled. It was ruled by King Abimelech during Isaac's time.
Teaching Points
God's Provision
Just as God provided water for Isaac, He provides for our needs today. Trust in His provision even in times of scarcity.

Perseverance in Faith
Isaac's servants had to dig to find water. Similarly, we must sometimes work diligently and persistently in our faith journey to uncover God's blessings.

Symbolism of Water
Water is a recurring symbol of life and spiritual sustenance in the Bible. Reflect on how God quenches our spiritual thirst through His Word and Spirit.

Conflict and Resolution
Isaac faced disputes over wells, yet he continued to seek peace. In our lives, we should strive for peace and resolution, trusting God to provide and protect.Verse 19. - And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. Literally, living water (cf. Leviticus 14:5, 6; Zechariah 14:8; Revelation 21:6).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Isaac’s
יִצְחָ֖ק (yiṣ·ḥāq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3327: Isaac -- 'he laughs', son of Abraham and Sarah

servants
עַבְדֵֽי־ (‘aḇ·ḏê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

dug
וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ (way·yaḥ·pə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2658: To pry into, to delve, to explore

in the valley
בַּנָּ֑חַל (ban·nā·ḥal)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5158: A stream, a winter torrent, a, valley, a shaft

and found
וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־ (way·yim·ṣə·’ū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

a well
בְּאֵ֖ר (bə·’êr)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 875: A pit, a well

of fresh water
מַ֥יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

there.
שָׁ֔ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither


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OT Law: Genesis 26:19 Isaac's servants dug in the valley (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 26:18
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