The Meaning of Genesis 26:28 Explained

Genesis 26:28

KJV: And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD 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;

YLT: And they say, 'We have certainly seen that Jehovah hath been with thee, and we say, 'Let there be, we pray thee, an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

Darby: And they said, We saw certainly that Jehovah is with thee; and we said, Let there be then an oath between us between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee,

ASV: 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,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they said,  We saw  certainly  that the LORD  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; 

What does Genesis 26:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 26:18-35 - Isaac's Wells And Covenant
It is interesting to follow Isaac in his well-digging. Let us also dig wells and set streams flowing, which will bless men long after we have gone home to heaven. The first well was Esek-strife. The second, Sitnah-hatred. The third, Rehoboth-room. Thus is human life, too often, till it ends with Sheba-oath or covenant. But even the outward repose to which life may attain, as the result of the struggles of earlier life, may be interrupted by anxiety and trial, caused by children or grandchildren. Esau's marriage brought endless trouble in its train. And grief of mind will sow life with thorns. Let children take care lest they give needless pain to those who love them. That which hurts tender and true hearts is not likely to carry with it the blessing of God. As soon as a wandering soul gets back to God even his enemies make peace with him; he is at least secure from their hurt. See Proverbs 16:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 26

1  Isaac, because of famine, sojourns in Gerar, and the Lord blesses him
7  He is reproved by Abimelech for denying his wife
12  He grows rich, and the Philistines envy his prosperity
18  He digs wells
23  God appears to him at Beersheba, and blesses him;
26  and Abimelech makes a covenant with him
34  Esau's wives

What do the individual words in Genesis 26:28 mean?

But they said surely we have seen that is Yahweh with you So we said there should be now an oath between [two parties] between us and between you and let us make a covenant with you
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ רָא֣וֹ רָאִינוּ֮ כִּֽי־ הָיָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה ׀ עִמָּךְ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ

וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ  But  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רָא֣וֹ  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
רָאִינוּ֮  we  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֣ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עִמָּךְ֒  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וַנֹּ֗אמֶר  So  we  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תְּהִ֨י  there  should  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נָ֥א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אָלָ֛ה  an  oath 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָלָה  
Sense: oath.
בֵּינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ  between  [two  parties] 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ  between  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ  and  between  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה  and  let  us  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
בְרִ֖ית  a  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
עִמָּֽךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.