'There was a famine in the land, in addition to the previous famine that occurred in the days of Abraham' means an absence of cognitions of faith 'And Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Philistines, to Gerar' means matters of doctrine concerning faith - 'Abimelech' being the doctrine of faith which has regard to rational things, 'the king of the Philistines' matters of doctrine, and 'Gerar' faith.