As was pointed out at the beginning of chapter 25, we need to ask how chapter 26 is related to chapter 25. To begin, there is no mention in chapter 26 of Esau and Jacob, aside from the comment at the end on Esau’s foreign wives. The rivalry between Esau and Jacob begins again in chapter 27. Furthermore, chapter 26 does not form a continuity with chapter 25 (except that Isaac and Rebekah were last mentioned in 25.28). The themes of chapter 26, famine, moving to Gerar, promise of descendants, lying about Rebekah, were last seen in connection with Abraham in chapters 12, 20, and 21. Therefore chapter 26 has more continuity of theme with these earlier chapters than it has with chapter 25.

In terms of time, chapter 26 is more closely related to chapters 24 and 25 than to the earlier chapters. However, chapter 26 does not seem to begin where chapter 25 ended, and in translation we cannot open chapter 26 with a time expression such as “After that” or “Some time later.” Revised Standard Version begins chapter 26 by representing the common Hebrew connective with the transitional word Now. Other languages may also use an equivalent transitional expression. Note that Good News Translation “There was” is sometimes used in English to introduce a general reference to past time.

Another possibility that translators may wish to consider is to assume that Isaac, who was last mentioned as living at Beerlahairoi in 25.11, was still located there when the famine in verse 1 occurred. In this case we may say, for example, “While Isaac was camped [was living] at Beerlahairoi, there was a famine.”

Famine in the land: for famine see comments on 12.10. Land refers to the general area, or as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says, “in all that region”; New Jerusalem Bible has “in the country.” Translators should refer to the expression used in 12.10.

Besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham: the text makes clear that the famine in Isaac’s story is to be distinguished from the one in his father’s life in 12.10. Revised English Bible say “—not the earlier famine in Abraham’s time—.” In some languages it will be necessary to make this statement a separate sentence; for example, “This famine was not the same one that happened in Abraham’s time” or “This was a different famine than the one Abraham knew.” Some translations make the point by saying “There was another famine … just as there had been a famine before in the time of Abraham.”

And Isaac went to Gerar as a result of the famine. It may be necessary to make this statement a consequence; for example, “Therefore [For that reason, Because of that] Isaac moved to Gerar.” Only Isaac is mentioned as going to Gerar because the story centers on his life; however, it means that he went with all his property and the people who depended upon him. Went may need to be rendered by a verb that describes the movement of a nomadic herdsman from one campsite to another. In some languages it may be necessary to express went in this context as “left his campsite and migrated to Gerar.”

To Abimelech king of the Philistines: Isaac does not go to Abimelech in the same sense that he goes to Gerar. Gerar is the place, while Abimelech is the ruler of the people of that place and the same ruler Isaac’s father had encountered in chapter 20. Accordingly we may need to say, for example, “Isaac went to Gerar where Abimelech was king of the Philistines” or “Isaac went where Abimelech was king of the Philistines in the region called Gerar.” Having in mind the way a person would act in going to another person’s territory, one translation says “Isaac went and spoke to Abimelech … and then Isaac stayed there in that place Gerar.” For Philistines see both 10.14 and 21.32.

In some languages there is a problem with the order of verses 1-6, because the speech of the LORD in verses 2-5 actually comes before Isaac makes the journey to Gerar. In Good News Translation and some other English versions, the time of verses 2-5 in relation to verse 1 is correctly stated by the verb tenses “had appeared” and “had said.” But it may be necessary in some other languages to move verse 1b so that it comes after Gen 26.5. It is also possible in this case to combine verse 1b with verse 6 as the conclusion of the paragraph; but see the comments on verse 6 regarding this.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .