The Meaning of Genesis 26:10 Explained

Genesis 26:10

KJV: And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

YLT: And Abimelech saith, 'What is this thou hast done to us? as a little thing one of the people had lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us guilt;'

Darby: And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done to us? But a little and one of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought a trespass on us.

ASV: And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? One of the people might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Abimelech  said,  What [is] this thou hast done  unto us? one  of the people  might lightly  have lien  with thy wife,  and thou shouldest have brought  guiltiness  upon us. 

What does Genesis 26:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 26:1-17 - Isaac Is Blessed And Grows Rich
There was no harm in Isaac's going to Gerar, as he had a distinct command to that effect, Genesis 26:2-3. But he does not seem to have been strong enough to stand the test of residence there. He might have received into his soul that sufficient grace which is always within the reach of tempted men; but, like so many of us, he looked down and not up. What could have been more reassuring than the promises of the divine presence and blessing! But he was guilty of incredible meanness to the woman who had come so far to be his wife, and of deceit to Abimelech. Notice how the sins of the fathers repeat themselves in the children! It was a disappointing lapse from the glorious height on which he had stood when he yielded himself to God's call on Mount Moriah! But we have experienced the same contrasts within ourselves. Now on the mount of transfiguration, asking to live there, and then in the valley, quarreling for pre-eminence. But, notwithstanding all, God's loving-kindness does not fail. See Genesis 26:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Genesis 26:10 mean?

And said Abimelech what [is] this you have done to us soon might have lain with one of the people with your wife and you would have brought on us guilt
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־ זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ ؟ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־ אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ  Abimelech 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king of Gerar in Abraham’s time.
מַה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
זֹּ֖את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
עָשִׂ֣יתָ  you  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
؟ לָּ֑נוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
כִּ֠מְעַט  soon 
Parse: Preposition-k, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
שָׁכַ֞ב  might  have  lain  with 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַב  
Sense: to lie down.
אַחַ֤ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הָעָם֙  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ  your  wife 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וְהֵבֵאתָ֥  and  you  would  have  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עָלֵ֖ינוּ  on  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אָשָֽׁם  guilt 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָשָׁם  
Sense: guilt, offense, guiltiness.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 26:10?

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