Bible Translation: Genesis, Chapter 26

A severe famine struck the land, so Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.
God appeared and told him, “Don’t go to Egypt, stay in Gerar. I will bless you and give this land to your descendants, just as I promised your father, Abraham.
As was the family custom, Isaac told the men of Gerar that Rebekah was his sister. But Abimilech looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing her.
He immediately called for Isaac and said “She is obviously your wife! Why did you tell me she is your sister?”
“Because I was afraid someone would kill me for her!”

“How could you do this to us? One of my people might have slept with your wife, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”

Then Abimelech made a proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”

God blessed Isaac with more grain than he planted. He became rich and acquired so many sheep, goats, cattle and servants that the Philistines became jealous. So they filled up his wells with dirt. The wells Abraham’s servants had dug.
Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave because he had become too powerful.
So Isaac moved to the Gerar Valley and reopened the wells Abraham had dug there.
Isaac’s servants dug and discovered a fresh water well. But the shepherds from Gerar claimed the spring. They argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, so Isaac named it Esek, meaning “argument.”

They dug another well and again there was a dispute. Isaac named it Sitnah, meaning “hostility.” There was no dispute over the next well, so Isaac name it Rehoboth, meaning “open space.”
Isaac moved to Beersheba and dug another well. He also built an altar for God.

One day Abimelech came with his advisor, Ahuzzath, and his army commander, Phicol. “Why are you here?” Isaac asked. “You obviously hate me.”
Abimelech said “If you can’t beat them, join them. God obviously blesses you. Let’s make a covenant. Swear you won’t harm us, just as we have never harmed you. We sent you away in peace, and look how the Lord has blessed you!”
So Isaac prepared a feast and they promised to leave each other alone.
Another well was dug, water was found, the end.
P.S., Esau married two Hittite women and they made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.

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Bible Translation: Genesis, Chapter 25

Abraham married another woman named Keturah. She gave birth to six sons.
Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac, but gave gifts to his other sons and sent them to live in the east, away from Isaac. (I guess he didn’t want a Cain/Abel situation.)
Abraham died at 175 years old. Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah he’d purchased, the same place he’d buried Sarah. Then God blessed Isaac.

Ishmael had a bunch of descendants. They lived in open hostility toward their relatives.

Isaac pleaded with God because Rebekah couldn’t have children. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant with twins, but the two children fought in the womb. So she asked God, “Why is this happening to me?”
God said “Your kids will become two nations and they will be rivals from the beginning. Your older son will serve your younger son.
When she gave birth, Esau was born very red and covered with fur. Jacob was born grabbing Esau’s heel.

Esau became a skillful hunter, but Jacob preferred to stay inside. Isaac loved Esau because of the food he hunted, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
One day Jacob was cooking stew when Esau came home. He told Jacob, “I’m starving, give me some of that red stew!”
Jacob agreed, but added, “You have to trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”
Esau said “Whatever, I’m starving. What good is my birthright now?”
“Then swear to me that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath.
Then Jacob gave him some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.

Bible Translation: Genesis, Chapter 17

When Abram was 99, God told him “I am God Almighty. Serve me faithfully and live a perfect life. I will make you a promise, by which I will guarantee you countless descendants. (First, why you bragging? Second, this is his standard promise.)
Abram fell on his face. Then God said “I’m also changing your name. You will now be called Abraham because you will be the father of many nations. Kings will be among your descendants!”
Then God said “Canaan will always be your land and I’ll always be your God.”
“However,” God said, “You must obey the terms of this promise. Each male must be circumcised on the 8th day of his birth. This also applies to all servants, born or bought. If you don’t cut the foreskin, I’ll cut my end of the deal.”

Then God said he was changing Sarai’s name. “She will now be called Sarah.” Abraham looked confused, so God spelled it for him. “S-A-R-A-H, Sarah.” Abraham said “Use it in a sentence.”

God ignored him and said “I will bless her with a son and she will be the mother of many nations.”
Then Abraham bowed to the ground, but laughed in disbelief. I can’t be a daddy at 100, he thought. So he said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”
But God replied, “No, Sarah will give you a son. You will name him Isaac. Since you asked, I’ll also bless Ishmael. He will become the father of 12 princes. Isaac will be born around this time next year.”
After God left, Abraham circumcised all the males in his family, including the slaves. Remember, Abraham was 99 when he had his foreskin cut off.