Bible Strands
Genesis 26:14
He owned so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records Isaac’s agricultural expansion in Gerar, positioned between his rapid wealth accumulation in Genesis 26:13 and the Philistines’ well-sabotage in Genesis 26:15.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יְקַנְא֥וּ (va/y.kan.'U) translates literally as "and they envied," directly describing the Philistines’ response to Isaac’s massive flocks, herds, and servants.
The thread — The motif of wealth provoking jealousy appears in Genesis 12:16 and Genesis 13:2 with Abram, and resurfaces in Genesis 37:11 when Jacob’s brothers react to his favored position.
Why it lands — The passage states that material blessing routinely incites resentment, requiring readers to acknowledge how divine provision operates alongside human opposition without softening the resulting tension.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
Cross-references
- Genesis 37:11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.
- Genesis 12:16 He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
- Genesis 13:2 And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.
- 1 Samuel 18:9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
- Job 1:3 and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East.
- Job 5:2 For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
- Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed Job’s latter days more than his first. He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
- Psalms 112:3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
- Psalms 144:13 Our storehouses will be full, supplying all manner of produce; our flocks will bring forth thousands, tens of thousands in our fields.
- Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.