Single lesson
Isaac and Rebekah in Gerar
Genesis 26:1–11
This lesson helps children follow the events in Gerar, notice Isaac’s choices, and see that God spoke clearly while people still made fearful and unwise decisions.
Before you teach
Genesis 26:1–11 begins during a famine. Isaac goes to Gerar, and Yahweh tells him not to go to Egypt but to live in the land Yahweh will show him. Yahweh repeats promises connected with Abraham, then the passage shows Isaac’s fearful lie about Rebekah and Abimelech’s response.
Students will be able to put the account in order, name Isaac’s fearful choice and Abimelech’s response, and explain one thing this passage shows about God’s word and human actions.
Welcome: Famine, Gerar, and God’s direction
5 minAsk children what people might do in a famine when food is scarce. Then explain that Isaac went to Gerar during a famine. Read verses 1–2 and point out that Yahweh gave Isaac a clear direction: do not go to Egypt, but live in the land Yahweh would tell him about. Introduce Gerar and Abimelech as part of the setting of this account.
Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:2
Read and explain: God repeats his promise
7 minRead verses 3–6 aloud. Explain that Yahweh told Isaac to stay in the land and said, ‘I will be with you’ and ‘will bless you’. Notice the promises about land, offspring, and blessing to the nations, and that the passage connects this with Abraham’s obedience. Finish by observing the simple result in verse 6: Isaac lived in Gerar.
Genesis 26:3, Genesis 26:4, Genesis 26:5, Genesis 26:6
Discuss: Isaac’s fearful choice
7 minRead verses 7–9. Help children sequence what happened: the men asked about Rebekah, Isaac said she was his sister, and he did this because he was afraid. Later Abimelech saw that Rebekah was really Isaac’s wife and questioned him. Discuss the difference between God’s clear word earlier and Isaac’s fearful response here.
Genesis 26:7, Genesis 26:8, Genesis 26:9
Make and respond: Story sequence cards
7 minChildren make four simple cards showing key moments: famine and Gerar, God’s command to stay, Isaac saying ‘my sister’, and Abimelech confronting Isaac and protecting them. After drawing, children place the cards in order and retell the account in pairs using the words ‘first’, ‘then’, ‘next’, and ‘finally’.
Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:2, Genesis 26:7, Genesis 26:9, Genesis 26:11
Closing: Outcomes and what we learned
4 minRead verses 10–11. Explain that Abimelech saw danger in Isaac’s lie because guilt could have come on the people. Then Abimelech commanded the people not to touch Isaac or Rebekah. Review the lesson: God spoke clearly, Isaac acted from fear, the truth came out, and Abimelech gave protection. Invite children to state one true thing they learned from the passage.
Genesis 26:10, Genesis 26:11
Questions to explore
What did Yahweh tell Isaac to do when there was a famine?
Look at the contrast in the text: Isaac went to Gerar, and Yahweh specifically said not to go down into Egypt but to live in the land Yahweh would tell him about.
Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:2
Why did Isaac say Rebekah was his sister?
The passage gives Isaac’s reason directly: he was afraid the men of the place might kill him because Rebekah was beautiful to look at.
Genesis 26:7, Genesis 26:9
How did Abimelech respond when he learned the truth about Rebekah?
Notice both parts of his response: he rebuked Isaac because guilt might have come on the people, and he commanded protection for Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 26:10, Genesis 26:11
Make, think or respond
Four-Part Story Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pencils
- Crayons or coloured pencils
- Scissors
Try it together
- Fold or cut paper into four cards.
- Draw one key event on each card: famine and Gerar, God telling Isaac to stay, Isaac saying ‘She is my sister’, and Abimelech confronting Isaac and protecting them.
- Mix the cards up, then put them back in order as a group or in pairs.
- Retell the story from the cards using one sentence for each picture.
This activity helps children sequence Genesis 26:1–11 and notice the choices and outcomes named in the passage.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, provide the four event titles orally and let them draw only one card each before sequencing them together as a class.
- For older or confident readers, ask them to add a short caption with words from the passage such as ‘Don’t go down into Egypt’ or ‘She is my sister’.
An optional closing prayer
You may like to pray: ‘Lord God, thank you that you spoke clearly to Isaac. Please help us listen carefully, tell the truth, and learn from what this passage shows about you and people. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Genesis 26
1 There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about.
3 Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your offspring, all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed,
5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
6 Isaac lived in Gerar.
7 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”
8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
9 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’ ”
10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”
11 Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.