John Gill Commentary Genesis 26:17

"And Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there." — Genesis 26:17 (ASV)

And Isaac departed thence
At once, peaceably and quietly, though to his loss and disadvantage, without taking himself either to argument or arms, in favour of himself; he departed immediately, as soon as he perceived his abode was disagreeable to the king and his people; which gives us a very agreeable idea of the calm and peaceable disposition of Isaac: and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there ;

---

at some distance from the city of Gerar, as Jarchi observes. Josephus ^F7 says it was not far from it; but how far is not certain; very probably it was not out of the country, though on the borders of it. Some render it, "the brook of Gerar" ^F8 , and interpret it, that he pitched his tent, and dwelt by it; and the word used does signify a brook as well as a valley; and there was a brook of Gerar, which Sozomen ^F9 makes mention of.

FOOTNOTES:

• F7: Antiqu. l. 1. c. 18. sect. 2.
• F8: (rrg lxnb) "ad torrentem Gerarae", V. L.
• F9: Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 32.