Discovery BoxGenesis 26:20 
Context26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled 1 with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac 2 named the well 3 Esek 4 because they argued with him about it. 5
Genesis 26:22
Context26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac 6 named it 7 Rehoboth, 8 saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”
1 tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.
2 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”
4 sn The name Esek means “argument” in Hebrew. The following causal clause explains that Isaac gave the well this name as a reminder of the conflict its discovery had created. In the Hebrew text there is a wordplay, for the name is derived from the verb translated “argued.”
5 tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
6 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Heb “and he called its name.”
8 sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.
