Midras Kejadian 26:27: Sifrei Devarim, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

Variantly: "to all of Israel": They all could stand up under rebuke. R. Tarfon said: I swear if (i.e., that there is not) anyone in this generation who is capable of receiving rebuke. R. Akiva said: I swear if (i.e., that there is not) anyone in this generation who is capable of giving rebuke. R. Yochanan b. Nuri said: I testify by heaven and earth that more than five times R. Akiva was rebuked on my account before R. Gamliel and I know that he loved me even more (for it), in fulfillment of (Proverbs 9:8) "Reprove not a scorner lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man and he will love you." For reproof leads to peace. And thus do you find with Abraham, viz. (Bereshith 21:25) "And Abraham reproved Avimelech because of the well, etc." And what is written (of this)? (Ibid. 28) "And the two of them made a covenant." And thus with Israel, viz. (Ibid. 26:27) "And Isaac said to them: Why did you come to me when you hate me and you sent me away from you!" And (Ibid. 31) "And they departed from him in peace."

… And thus (that rebuke leads to peace) do we find with Abraham, viz. (Ibid. 21:28) "And Abraham rebuked Avimelech, etc.", followed by (27) "and the two of them made a covenant." And thus do we find with Isaac, viz. (Ibid. 26:27) "And Isaac said to them: Why have you come to me when you hate me and you sent me away from you?" followed by "… (31) "and Isaac saw them off and they went from him in peace."

It is written (in Is. 2:2): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT IN THE LATTER DAYS THE MOUNTAIN OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD SHALL BE ESTABLISHED <AS THE HIGHEST OF THE MOUNTAINS>…. This text is related (to Job 8:7): THOUGH YOUR BEGINNING WAS TRIFLING (rt.: Ts'R), <YOUR END SHALL GREATLY FLOURISH>. <This verse is here> to teach you that everyone who is troubled (rt.: Ts'R) from his beginning has rest at his end. You have no one who was more troubled (rt.: Ts'R) than Abraham, who was cast into a fiery furnace and went into exile from his ancestral home. Moreover, sixteen kings oppressed him. He also stood the test of ten trials and buried Sarah. Yet in the end he had rest. (Gen. 24:1) NOW ABRAHAM WAS OLD, ADVANCED IN YEARS, AND THE LORD BLESSED ABRAHAM <IN ALL THINGS>. Isaac was troubled (rt.: Ts'R) in his youth, for the Philistines were jealous of him, [as stated] (in Gen. 26:16): AND ABIMELECH SAID UNTO ISAAC: GO AWAY FROM US, FOR YOU HAVE BECOME HAVE BECOME TOO POWERFUL FOR US. In the end they begged him for mercy, [as stated] (in vs. 27): AND ISAAC SAID UNTO THEM: WHY HAVE YOU COME UNTO ME…. Jacob also was troubled (rt.: Ts'R) in his youth, as stated (in Ps. 129:1): THEY HAVE HARASSED ME GREATLY FROM MY YOUTH, LET ISRAEL NOW SAY. While he was in his mothers belly, Esau wanted to kill him, as stated (in Gen. 25:22): BUT THE CHILDREN STRUGGLED WITHIN HER…. [Moreover, when he received the blessings, (according to Gen. 27:41:) THEN ESAU HATED JACOB …, AND ESAU SAID IN HIS HEART: <LET THE DAYS OF MOURNING FOR MY FATHER COME, AND I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB>. So he fled to Laban and was troubled (rt.: Ts'R) over his daughter, and after that Laban wanted to kill him, as stated (in Deut. 26:5): AN ARAMEAN WOULD HAVE DESTROYED MY ANCESTOR.¹³This is required sense by the midrash. A more usual translation would read: A WANDERING ARAMEAN WAS MY ANCESTOR. He went away from him and encountered Esau, as stated (in Gen. 33:1): NOW JACOB RAISED HIS EYES AND SAW ESAU COMING…. There came upon him the trouble over Dinah and the trouble over Joseph. Yet in the end he had rest, [as stated] (in Gen. 47:12): AND JOSEPH SUSTAINED HIS FATHER <AND HIS BROTHERS>…. Ergo (in Job 8:7): THOUGH YOUR BEGINNING WAS TRIFLING (rt.: Ts'R), <YOUR END SHALL GREATLY FLOURISH>.