^26:18Isaac reopened⁴¹ the wells that had been dug⁴² back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up⁴³ after Abraham died. Isaac⁴⁴ gave these wells⁴⁵ the same names his father had given them.⁴⁶

^26:19When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing⁴⁷ water there, ^26:20the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled⁴⁸ with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac⁴⁹ named the well⁵⁰ Esek⁵¹ because they argued with him about it.⁵²^26:21His servants⁵³ dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it⁵⁴ Sitnah.⁵⁵

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Footnotes

41 Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”
42 Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.
43 Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.
44 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
45 Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
46 Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”
47 Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).
48 The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.
49 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
50 Heb “and he called the name of the well.”
51 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.”
52 The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
53 Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
54 Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
55 The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and that the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. He gave them the same names his father had given them. Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of spring water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek because they argued with him. Then they dug another well and quarreled over that one also, so he named it Sitnah.

NLTNew Living Translation

He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them.

Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”). Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”).

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham. And he gave to them the same names which his father had given them. And when the servants of Isaac dug in the valley, they found a well of fresh water there. Then the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours.” And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. And they dug another well, and they quarreled over it also. And he called its name Sitnah.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

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