They said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you,
English Standard Version (ESV)
These foreign leaders recognize God's hand on Isaac not just from his prosperity, but from a deeper observation of his spiritual connection. Their request for a covenant isn't just a political agreement; it's an acknowledgement that Isaac's relationship with the Lord is the true source of his strength and blessing.
They said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having been expelled by the Philistines due to envy and conflict over wells, Isaac settles in Beersheba where God blesses him and promises to multiply his offspring. The Philistine king, Abimelech, seeing Isaac's prosperity and recognizing God's favor upon him, approaches Isaac not with hostility, but with a desire for a formal peace treaty. They propose a sworn pact, acknowledging that God is clearly with Isaac, and wish to establish a covenant of mutual non-aggression.
Why did the Philistines suddenly shift from hostility to seeking a covenant with Isaac? It wasn't Isaac's power, but a divine acknowledgment they couldn't ignore.
The Philistines' Confession
The Philistines, led by King Abimelech, approach Isaac with a surprising request for a sworn pact. Their reasoning is crucial: 'We see plainly that the LORD has been with you.'
The Philistines don't just want peace; they want a 'cut covenant.' What does this solemn agreement entail, and why was it so important?
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The Weight of a 'Cut Covenant'
The request for an 'oath' and to 'make a covenant' signifies more than a casual agreement. In the ancient Near East, cutting a covenant was a deeply serious affair, often involving a ritual where an animal was cut in two, symbolizing that the parties being cut would be dealt with similarly if they broke the agreement.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, representing His faithfulness, holiness, and active involvement in history, especially regarding His people.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A formal, solemn, and binding agreement between two or more parties, often ratified by an oath or ritual, establishing a relationship of mutual obligation and peace.
~1800 BC
Abimelech and Abraham make a covenant
Abraham and Abimelech, king of the Philistines in Gerar, make a covenant regarding a well of water, establishing a peaceful relationship between them.
~1750 BC— this verse
Isaac sojourns in Gerar
A famine causes Isaac to sojourn in Gerar, where he fears for his life due to his wife Rebekah's beauty and falsely claims she is his sister. Abimelech discovers the truth and protects them.
~1750 BC
Isaac prospers and is envied
Isaac sows in the land and receives a hundredfold harvest. He becomes wealthy in flocks, herds, and servants, leading to the Philistines' envy and the stopping up of wells dug by Abraham's servants.
~1750 BC
Isaac digs new wells and moves
Isaac digs anew the wells his father had dug, but the Philistines quarrel with him over the water. He moves and digs more wells, eventually finding one for which they do not contend, naming it Rehoboth.
~1750 BC
Isaac and Abimelech renew covenant
Abimelech and his officials come to Isaac, acknowledging that the LORD is with him. They propose and formalize a covenant between them, ensuring peace and mutual non-aggression.
This passage shows a similar interaction between Abraham and Abimelech, where the Philistine king acknowledges God's presence with Abraham and seeks a covenant, highlighting a recurring theme of foreign rulers recognizing and respecting God's favor on the patriarchs.
Exodus 6:3This verse explains that God revealed His personal name, Jehovah, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which helps explain why the Philistines, who may have previously known God as 'Elohim,' now explicitly use 'Jehovah' when acknowledging God's presence with Isaac.
Deuteronomy 29:12-13These verses speak of entering into a covenant with the Lord and His people, which parallels the Philistines' desire to make a covenant with Isaac, underscoring the importance and solemnity of such agreements in the ancient world.
Psalm 127:1This psalm states that unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain, which echoes the Philistines' observation that 'the LORD has been with you,' acknowledging that human success is ultimately dependent on divine favor and blessing.
ellicottGenesis 26:28: "And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;"
(28, 29) Let there be now an oath. —The word literally signifies a curse. Each side uttered an imprecation, with the prayer that it might fall upon himself if he broke the terms of the covenant. Let us make a covenant.—Heb., cut. (See Note on Genesis 15:10; Genesis 15:18; where also see the explanation of…
calvinGenesis 26:1-35: "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar."
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
Deinde fuit fames in terra praeter famem superiorem, quae fuerat in diebus Abraham: et profectus est Ishac ad Abimelech regem Pelisthim in Gerar
And th…
These foreign leaders recognize God's hand on Isaac not just from his prosperity, but from a deeper observation of his spiritual connection. Their request for a covenant isn't just a political agreement; it's an acknowledgement that Isaac's relationship with the Lord is the true source of his strength and blessing.
Having been expelled by the Philistines due to envy and conflict over wells, Isaac settles in Beersheba where God blesses him and promises to multiply his offspring. The Philistine king, Abimelech, seeing Isaac's prosperity and recognizing God's favor upon him, approaches Isaac not with hostility, but with a desire for a formal peace treaty. They propose a sworn pact, acknowledging that God is clearly with Isaac, and wish to establish a covenant of mutual non-aggression.
Having been expelled by the Philistines due to envy and conflict over wells, Isaac settles in Beersheba where God blesses him and promises to multiply his offspring. The Philistine king, Abimelech, seeing Isaac's prosperity and recognizing God's favor upon him, approaches Isaac not with hostility, but with a desire for a formal peace treaty. They propose a sworn pact, acknowledging that God is clearly with Isaac, and wish to establish a covenant of mutual non-aggression.
"They said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you," — These foreign leaders recognize God's hand on Isaac not just from his prosperity, but from a deeper observation of his spiritual connection. Their request for a covenant isn't just a political agreem…
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Last reviewed October 2026