The Meaning of Genesis 26:15 Explained

Genesis 26:15

KJV: For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

YLT: and all the wells which his father's servants digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines have stopped them, and fill them with dust.

Darby: And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped them and filled them with earth.

ASV: Now all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For all the wells  which his father's  servants  had digged  in the days  of Abraham  his father,  the Philistines  had stopped  them, and filled  them with earth. 

What does Genesis 26:15 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 26:15 mean?

And all the wells that had dug servants his father's in the days of Abraham his father had stopped up the Philistines and filled them with earth
וְכָל־ הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר

וְכָל־  And  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת  the  wells 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: בְּאֵר  
Sense: well, pit, spring.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חָֽפְרוּ֙  had  dug 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָפַר  
Sense: to dig, search for.
עַבְדֵ֣י  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אָבִ֔יו  his  father's 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בִּימֵ֖י  in  the  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אַבְרָהָ֣ם  of  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
אָבִ֑יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
סִתְּמ֣וּם  had  stopped  up 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural, third person masculine plural
Root: סָתַם 
Sense: to stop up, shut up, keep close.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
וַיְמַלְא֖וּם  and  filled  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
עָפָֽר  with  earth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 26:15?

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