¹⁷ And Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

^{18 Ref} And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

^{19 Ref} And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

^{20 Ref} And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.

^{21 Ref} And they digged another well, and they strove for that also. And he called the name of it Sitnah.

^{22 Ref} And he removed from thence, and digged another well. And for that they strove not. And he called the name of it Rehoboth. And he said, For now Jehovah hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

^{23 Ref} And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.

^{24 Ref} And Jehovah appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

^{25 Ref} And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants digged a well.

^{26 Ref} Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his host.

^{27 Ref} And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore are ye come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

^{28 Ref} And they said, We saw plainly that Jehovah was with thee. And we said, Let there now be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,

^{29 Ref} that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace. Thou art now the blessed of Jehovah.

^{30 Ref} And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

^{31 Ref} And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another. And Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

^{32 Ref} And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.

^{33 Ref} And he called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day.

^{34 Ref} And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

^{35 Ref} And they were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.