Genesis 26:25
in Genesis 26So Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there. His servants also dug a well there.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.
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This verse in Genesis 26
Commentary
6 notes on this verseIsaac builds indeed an altar even now in the law and pitches his tent, but in the Gospels he does not pitch a tent but builds a house and establishes a foundation. For hear Wisdom saying of the church: "Wisdom," Scripture says, "has built herself a house and has set up seven columns."
This site's exposition
Isaac went up to Beersheba
on Genesis 26:23-25
God appears the night Isaac reaches Beersheba and names Himself the God of your father Abraham. That name is the ground the whole chapter stands on. Isaac builds an altar, calls on the name of the LORD, pitches his tent, and only then digs a well. Worship comes before shelter, and shelter before water.
This site's exposition
Isaac built an altar there
This is the one altar Genesis records Isaac building, at Beersheba, where his father also called on the name of the LORD at 21:33. Origen placed the altar and tent under the law. In the Gospels, he said, Isaac builds a house and lays a foundation, as Wisdom has built her house at Proverbs 9:1.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? 28 And they said, We saw certainly that the L ORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v27-28
And he builded an altar there,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Builded an altar there - That he might have a place for God’s worship, as well as a place for himself and family to dwell in. And called upon the name of the Lord - And invoked in the name of Jehovah. See note on Gen 12:8; See note on Gen 13:15.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּ֧בֶן | vaiyiven | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| שָׁ֣ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| מִזְבֵּ֗חַ | mizbeach | an altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| וַיִּקְרָא֙ | vaiyikra' | and he called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֣ם | beshem | on [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיֶּט־ | vaiyet- | and he pitched | H5186 → | 214 times |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| אָהֳל֑וֹ | ʾoholo | tent his | H168 → | 345 times |
| וַיִּכְרוּ־ | vaiyikhru- | and they dug | H3738 → | |
| שָׁ֥ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| עַבְדֵי־ | ʾavdei- | [the] servants of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יִצְחָ֖ק | yitzchak | Isaac | H3327 → | 108 times |
| בְּאֵֽר׃ | beer | a well | H875 → | 38 times |
וַיִּ֧בֶןand he built
vaiyivenH1129 →376 times
שָׁ֣םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
מִזְבֵּ֗חַan altar
mizbeachH4196 →401 times
וַיִּקְרָא֙and he called
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
בְּשֵׁ֣םon [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיֶּט־and he pitched
vaiyet-H5186 →214 times
שָׁ֖םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
אָהֳל֑וֹtent his
ʾoholoH168 →345 times
וַיִּכְרוּ־and they dug
vaiyikhru-H3738 →
שָׁ֥םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
עַבְדֵי־[the] servants of
ʾavdei-H5650 →799 times
יִצְחָ֖קIsaac
yitzchakH3327 →108 times
בְּאֵֽר׃a well
beerH875 →38 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 13:18So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.
it leads to
- Genesis 12:7–8
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 35:27
Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.
- Genesis 14:13
Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by…
- Genesis 18:1
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
- Genesis 12:7–8
Through
Psalms 116:17I will offer to You a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
it leads to
- Psalms 50:14
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
- Leviticus 7:12
If he offers it in thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed…
- Psalms 50:14
Through
Genesis 13:4to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:12
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Jeremiah 29:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 14.2.