בראשית 26

1 וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ מִלְּבַד הָרָעָב הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם וַיֵּלֶךְ יִצְחָק אֶל־אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּים גְּרָֽרָה׃

There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

2 וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה שְׁכֹן בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

Yahweh appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about.

3 גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וְאֶֽהְיֶה עִמְּךָ וַאֲבָרְכֶךָּ כִּֽי־לְךָ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת־כׇּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹת הָאֵל וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִֽיךָ׃

Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your offspring, all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

4 וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנָתַתִּי לְזַרְעֲךָ אֵת כׇּל־הָאֲרָצֹת הָאֵל וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָֽרֶץ׃

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed,

5 עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי וַיִּשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמַרְתִּי מִצְוֺתַי חֻקּוֹתַי וְתוֹרֹתָֽי׃

because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

6 וַיֵּשֶׁב יִצְחָק בִּגְרָֽר׃

Isaac lived in Gerar.

7 וַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתִי הִוא כִּי יָרֵא לֵאמֹר אִשְׁתִּי פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻנִי אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם עַל־רִבְקָה כִּֽי־טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה הִֽוא׃

The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”

8 וַיְהִי כִּי אָֽרְכוּ־לוֹ שָׁם הַיָּמִים וַיַּשְׁקֵף אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּעַד הַֽחַלּוֹן וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה יִצְחָק מְצַחֵק אֵת רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.

9 וַיִּקְרָא אֲבִימֶלֶךְ לְיִצְחָק וַיֹּאמֶר אַךְ הִנֵּה אִשְׁתְּךָ הִוא וְאֵיךְ אָמַרְתָּ אֲחֹתִי הִוא וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יִצְחָק כִּי אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן־אָמוּת עָלֶֽיהָ׃

Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

10 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מַה־זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ כִּמְעַט שָׁכַב אַחַד הָעָם אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ עָלֵינוּ אָשָֽׁם׃

Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”

11 וַיְצַו אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶת־כׇּל־הָעָם לֵאמֹר הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּאִישׁ הַזֶּה וּבְאִשְׁתּוֹ מוֹת יוּמָֽת׃

Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”

12 וַיִּזְרַע יִצְחָק בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא וַיִּמְצָא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים וַֽיְבָרְכֵהוּ יְהֹוָֽה׃

Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.

13 וַיִּגְדַּל הָאִישׁ וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְגָדֵל עַד כִּֽי־גָדַל מְאֹֽד׃

The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.

14 וַֽיְהִי־לוֹ מִקְנֵה־צֹאן וּמִקְנֵה בָקָר וַעֲבֻדָּה רַבָּה וַיְקַנְאוּ אֹתוֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.

15 וְכׇל־הַבְּאֵרֹת אֲשֶׁר חָֽפְרוּ עַבְדֵי אָבִיו בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו סִתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְמַלְאוּם עָפָֽר׃

Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.

16 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶל־יִצְחָק לֵךְ מֵֽעִמָּנוּ כִּֽי־עָצַמְתָּ מִמֶּנּוּ מְאֹֽד׃

Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

17 וַיֵּלֶךְ מִשָּׁם יִצְחָק וַיִּחַן בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָר וַיֵּשֶׁב שָֽׁם׃

Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

18 וַיָּשׇׁב יִצְחָק וַיַּחְפֹּר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹת הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר חָֽפְרוּ בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיְסַתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקְרָא לָהֶן שֵׁמוֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָא לָהֶן אָבִֽיו׃

Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19 וַיַּחְפְּרוּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָק בַּנָּחַל וַיִּמְצְאוּ־שָׁם בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּֽים׃

Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing water.

20 וַיָּרִיבוּ רֹעֵי גְרָר עִם־רֹעֵי יִצְחָק לֵאמֹר לָנוּ הַמָּיִם וַיִּקְרָא שֵֽׁם־הַבְּאֵר עֵשֶׂק כִּי הִֽתְעַשְּׂקוּ עִמּֽוֹ׃

The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.

21 וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ בְּאֵר אַחֶרֶת וַיָּרִיבוּ גַּם־עָלֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ שִׂטְנָֽה׃

They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. So he called its name Sitnah.

22 וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם וַיַּחְפֹּר בְּאֵר אַחֶרֶת וְלֹא רָבוּ עָלֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רְחֹבוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר כִּֽי־עַתָּה הִרְחִיב יְהֹוָה לָנוּ וּפָרִינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ׃

He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. So he called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23 וַיַּעַל מִשָּׁם בְּאֵר שָֽׁבַע׃

He went up from there to Beersheba.

24 וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהֹוָה בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ אַל־תִּירָא כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ אָנֹכִי וּבֵֽרַכְתִּיךָ וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ בַּעֲבוּר אַבְרָהָם עַבְדִּֽי׃

Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”

25 וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה וַיֶּט־שָׁם אׇהֳלוֹ וַיִּכְרוּ־שָׁם עַבְדֵי־יִצְחָק בְּאֵֽר׃

He built an altar there, and called on Yahweh’s name, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.

26 וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ הָלַךְ אֵלָיו מִגְּרָר וַאֲחֻזַּת מֵֽרֵעֵהוּ וּפִיכֹל שַׂר־צְבָאֽוֹ׃

Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army.

27 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יִצְחָק מַדּוּעַ בָּאתֶם אֵלָי וְאַתֶּם שְׂנֵאתֶם אֹתִי וַתְּשַׁלְּחוּנִי מֵאִתְּכֶֽם׃

Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?”

28 וַיֹּאמְרוּ רָאוֹ רָאִינוּ כִּֽי־הָיָה יְהֹוָה ׀ עִמָּךְ וַנֹּאמֶר תְּהִי נָא אָלָה בֵּינוֹתֵינוּ בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֶךָ וְנִכְרְתָה בְרִית עִמָּֽךְ׃

They said, “We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let’s make a covenant with you,

29 אִם־תַּעֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ רָעָה כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא נְגַֽעֲנוּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂינוּ עִמְּךָ רַק־טוֹב וַנְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם אַתָּה עַתָּה בְּרוּךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃

that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.’ You are now the blessed of Yahweh.”

30 וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃

He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.

31 וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ אִישׁ לְאָחִיו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם יִצְחָק וַיֵּלְכוּ מֵאִתּוֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃

They rose up some time in the morning, and swore an oath to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.

32 וַיְהִי ׀ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיָּבֹאוּ עַבְדֵי יִצְחָק וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ עַל־אֹדוֹת הַבְּאֵר אֲשֶׁר חָפָרוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ מָצָאנוּ מָֽיִם׃

The same day, Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”

33 וַיִּקְרָא אֹתָהּ שִׁבְעָה עַל־כֵּן שֵׁם־הָעִיר בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.

34 וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה אֶת־יְהוּדִית בַּת־בְּאֵרִי הַֽחִתִּי וְאֶת־בָּשְׂמַת בַּת־אֵילֹן הַֽחִתִּֽי׃

When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

35 וַתִּהְיֶיןָ מֹרַת רוּחַ לְיִצְחָק וּלְרִבְקָֽה׃

They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits.