Text -- Genesis 26:20 (NET)

26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac named the well Esek because they argued with him about it.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Gen 26:20

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.