Place Old Testament
Esek
Esek, a well dug by Isaac's servants, named after a quarrel with local herdsmen. Mentioned once in Scripture, at Genesis 26:20.
Why it matters. Well dug by Isaac's servants; named after quarrel
- Primary passages
- Location
- 31.391, 34.561 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Esek
Esek is the name of a well mentioned in Genesis 26:20, which was dug by the servants of Isaac, the son of Abraham. The well was located in the Gerar Valley, where Isaac had settled after the Philistines had stopped up the wells previously dug by his father.
When Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with them, claiming the water as their own. As a result, Isaac named the well Esek, which means "contention" or "dispute," reflecting the conflict that had arisen over the water rights.
The incident at Esek demonstrates the ongoing tensions between Isaac and the local inhabitants, as well as the importance of water sources in the semi-arid region. It also highlights Isaac's peaceful nature, as he chose to move on and dig another well rather than engage in further confrontation with the herdsmen of Gerar.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 1 verse across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
Genesis (1 verse)