Verse

Genesis 26:27

ESV Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
NIV Isaac asked them, 'Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?'
NASB Isaac said to them, 'Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?'
CSB Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me? You hated me and sent me away from you."
NLT Why have you come here?' Isaac asked. 'You obviously hate me, since you kicked me off your land.'
KJV And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

What does Genesis 26:27 mean?

King Abimelech, along with an advisor and the commander of his army, has traveled from Gerar to Beersheba to visit Isaac. Isaac's response to seeing them is defensive and suspicious. This makes sense. Earlier in this chapter, Abimelech effectively deported Isaac from the immediate area around Gerar because Isaac's great wealth had made him too powerful (Genesis 26:12–17). In short, Isaac had become something of a threat to Abimelech simply because of his massive number of herds, flocks, servants, and need for water resources.

We were told nothing of Isaac's emotional response to being sent away at the time. Now we see it clearly hurt him. He assumed, apparently, that Abimelech hated him. Abimelech had been angry with Isaac for lying about his marriage to Rebekah (Genesis 26:6–11), so there are multiple reasons for Isaac to think this way. The visitors will clarify their intentions in the next verses: they want to establish peace and friendship with this man of God (Genesis 26:28).
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