Genesis 26:13 · Bible study
Genesis 26:13 Commentary: The Man Grew Great
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examines the Hebrew repetition in Genesis 26:13, showing Isaac's unstoppable growth under God's blessing and the conflict it provoked.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Isaac's continuous material growth as a direct result of God's covenant blessing, provoking envy and conflict.
- Key words: The Hebrew root gadal (גדל) repeated in five forms, with the infinitive absolute halokh emphasizing progressive intensity.
- Main debate: None significant; all major commentators agree on the meaning of blessing and conflict.
- Theological theme: Covenant faithfulness, God's blessing is unstoppable, but it often stirs opposition from the world.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of divine blessing, the reality of envy, and the response of faithful perseverance.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
and he became richer and richer, until he was exceedingly wealthy.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the man waxed great, and grew more and more until he became very great:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and the man is great, and goeth on, going on and becoming great, till that he hath been very great,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the man became great, and he became continually greater, until he was very great.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the man was enriched, and he went on prospering and increasing, till he became exceeding great.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el varón se engrandeció, y fué adelantando y engrandeciéndose, hasta hacerse muy poderoso:
E o homem se engrandeceu, e foi engrandecendo-se cada vez mais, até fazer-se muito poderoso:
Cet homme devint riche, et il alla s’ enrichissant de plus en plus, jusqu’ à ce qu’ il devint fort riche.
Und er ward ein großer Mann und nahm immer mehr zu, bis er sehr groß ward,
En die man werd groot, ja, hij werd doorgaans groter, totdat hij zeer groot geworden was.
Quest’uomo divenne grande, andò crescendo sempre più, finché diventò grande oltremisura.
I zbogacił się on mąż, a im dalej, tem więcej wzmagał się, aż urósł wielce.
И стал великим человек сей и возвеличивался больше и больше до того, что стал весьма великим.
他 就昌大，日增月盛， 成了大富戶。
And his wealth became very great, increasing more and more;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 26:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse highlights the unstoppable, progressive nature of God's blessing on Isaac, a continuation of the covenant promises to Abraham. Adam Clarke notes the striking Hebrew repetition, the root gadal appears five times in various forms, underscoring that Isaac's greatness was not a single event but a continuous process. John Gill points out that Isaac grew "in substance, as well as in honour" and became the greatest man in the region, even mightier than King Abimelech. Keil & Delitzsch emphasize that the blessing, promised in verse 3, led to Isaac becoming "very powerful" and his wealth "very great." Yet the same prosperity that displayed God's faithfulness also provoked the Philistines' envy (v.14) and eventual expulsion (v.16). Matthew Henry connects this to the broader theme that God's favour can stir worldly opposition, but remains undiminished.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: This verse unequivocally describes Isaac's extraordinary material prosperity as a direct result of God's covenant blessing, and this prosperity generated envy and conflict with the Philistines.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Source of Isaac's greatness | It was Yahweh's blessing in fulfillment of the covenant promise (Gen 26:3,12). | Some see it primarily as agricultural prosperity (Lange), while others emphasize overall wealth including flocks, herds, and servants (Gill). |
| Reason for Philistine conflict | Envy was the direct cause (Gen 26:14). | Whether this envy was a test from God (implicit in Matthew Henry's reading) or simply natural human sin (Keil & Delitzsch) is not resolved in the text. |
| Significance of the Hebrew repetition | It emphasizes progressive and unstoppable growth. | Adam Clarke highlights its rhetorical force; others (Gill, Keil & Delitzsch) focus more on the factual description of increase. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits within a pivotal chapter in Isaac's life. A famine had driven him toward Egypt, but God commanded him to stay in Gerar, promising, "I will be with you and will bless you" (Gen 26:3). After a tense episode in which Isaac deceived Abimelech about Rebekah, God's protection held. Then came the blessing: Isaac sowed and reaped a hundredfold in the same year, an extraordinary yield. Keil & Delitzsch observe that even in fertile regions a return of twenty-five to fiftyfold was normal; a hundredfold signaled divine intervention.
Isaac's wealth grew in flocks, herds, and servants, marking a shift from his father Abraham's purely nomadic life toward a more settled existence combining agriculture with herding (Lange). The Philistines, who controlled the region, reacted not with admiration but with envy. They stopped up the wells Abraham had dug, a hostile act that cut off the water supply essential for survival. Wells conferred a kind of title to the land, so filling them was both an economic attack and a legal challenge. Abimelech soon asked Isaac to leave, saying, "You are much mightier than we" (v.16). Isaac departed peacefully, pitching his tent in the valley of Gerar, and later dug new wells, an act of faithful persistence in the land God had promised.
This setting, where divine blessing provokes worldly conflict, is not unique to Isaac. It reminds readers that God's favour often attracts opposition, yet His purposes remain secure. The same hand that multiplies the harvest also leads to new wells and broader horizons.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
In Reformed and Wesleyan traditions, this verse has been read as a clear demonstration of God's covenant blessing leading to material increase. Matthew Henry notes the pattern of favour provoking worldly envy, while Adam Clarke draws attention to the emphatic Hebrew syntax. The verse has also been referenced in pastoral discussions on the ethics of wealth and the believer's response to opposition. It continues to serve as a straightforward example of God's faithfulness to His promises, even when prosperity creates friction with the surrounding culture.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Blessing grows progressively. The Hebrew repetition (gadal … halokh vegadel … gadal meod) shows that Isaac's prosperity was not instantaneous but built steadily under God's hand. Small beginnings, great endings.
- Blessing provokes opposition. The Philistines envied Isaac. Blessing from God can stir resentment from a world that does not share His values. It is not a sign that something is wrong, it is often a sign that something is right.
- Blessing leads to faithful response. Isaac did not fight. He moved, dug new wells, and trusted God. Faithfulness in the face of opposition opens new doors.
Five-point outline
- Covenant promise in action. God's faithfulness to His word (Gen 26:3) manifests in visible, material increase.
- The language of increase. The cumulative Hebrew structure forces the reader to feel the relentlessness of God's blessing.
- Envy as a testimony. The Philistines’ envy shows that Isaac's greatness was unmistakable. Your growth can be a silent witness even to those who resent it.
- Conflict as a catalyst. Opposition pushed Isaac to new territory, eventually to Beersheba where God renewed His promise (v.24).
- Blessing undiminished. No human obstacle can stop what God intends to grow. Isaac left Gerar richer than he arrived.
Illustration hooks
- A farmer plants a new crop on marginal land and receives an unexpectedly abundant harvest, prompting lawsuits from neighbours who claim he is taking more than his share.
- A small business builds a reputation for integrity and sees steady growth, then faces whisper campaigns from competitors who feel threatened.
- A local church experiences a season of spiritual and numerical growth, only to attract criticism from other congregations.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is blessing me, why are people getting upset?
- How do I handle the tension between success and the envy it creates?
- Is it okay to enjoy material prosperity when others are struggling?
Leading a Discussion
Genesis 26:13 appears in a story where God's blessing on Isaac is unmistakable, but the response of the Philistines is envy and conflict. This raises hard questions about how we perceive blessing, how we respond to opposition, and what it means to stay faithful when our prosperity stirs resentment. The following questions help your group move from seeing what the text says to applying its truths.
Discussion questions
- What words and phrases in Genesis 26:13 emphasize how much Isaac grew? Which detail stands out most to you?
- How does the Hebrew repetition, using the root gadal five times in different forms, change the way you read this verse?
- Read Genesis 26:12-16. In what specific ways did Isaac's prosperity cause conflict with the Philistines?
- Why do you think the Philistines reacted with envy rather than trying to learn from Isaac's success? What does that reveal about human nature?
- How can we tell the difference in our own lives between worldly success and genuine blessing from God? What marks distinguish them?
- When your success or spiritual growth creates friction with others, what should be your first response? What does Isaac's example teach you?
- What does this passage say about God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when circumstances become difficult?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 24:35 | Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. Yahweh has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys. |
| Psalms 112:3 | Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever. |
| Proverbs 10:22 | Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Hebrew text's repeated use of the same root word for "great," creating a striking, cumulative effect. He notes the simple yet forceful way the language builds: the man was great, and he kept going on and becoming greater, until he was exceedingly great.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes that Isaac’s prosperity grew steadily rather than suddenly, emphasizing divine blessing as a continuous process. This gradual increase from modest beginnings to exceeding greatness illustrates how God sustains and expands the fortunes of those who remain faithful, even in foreign lands.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Isaac's wealth and honor grew so much that he surpassed even King Abimelech in greatness. The commentator notes that Isaac inherited all his father Abraham's riches and continued increasing, becoming the most powerful man in the region.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that Isaac's hundredfold harvest was historically extraordinary, far surpassing typical yields even in very fertile regions. They also note that his farming does not prove he was prompted by God's promise to settle, since Bedouins commonly practiced agriculture.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Isaac’s quiet composure and patient yielding—even under threats, exile, and stolen wells—are not weaknesses but a distinctive strength supported by faith. Unlike Abraham, Isaac does not go to Egypt or take a concubine; his meekness draws pure blessings and shows a theocratic self-restraint that is blessed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights Isaac's quiet perseverance in the face of repeated conflict and dispossession. Rather than fighting for the wells, Isaac yields ground and moves on, trusting God to provide. Henry sees this as the path to the Lord's blessing, which comes not through contention but through patient faith.