The Book of Genesis, Chapter 26בְּרֵאשִׁית כ״ו

וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִלְּבַד֙ הָרָעָ֣ב הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה

And it happened that there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had been in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.

וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל תֵּרֵ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה שְׁכֹ֣ן בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ

And YHWH appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land that I shall tell you."

גּ֚וּר בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי לְךָ֣ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת כָּל הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ

"Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your seed I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father."

וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י אֶֽת זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְזַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כָּל הָאֲרָצֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑ל וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ

And I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and I will give to your seed all these lands, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your seed,

עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָהָ֖ם בְּקֹלִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֔י מִצְוֺתַ֖י חֻקּוֹתַ֥י וְתוֹרֹתָֽי

because Abraham listened to my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."

וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar.

וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י פֶּן יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל רִבְקָ֔ה כִּֽי טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא

And the men of the place asked about his wife, and he said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife," lest the men of the place should kill me on account of Rebekah, because she was good in appearance.

וַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֨לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ

And it happened, when the days there had become long for him, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out through the window and saw, and behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah his wife.

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ

And Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Surely, behold, she is your wife. And how did you say, 'She is my sister'?" And Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die on account of her.'"

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם

And 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 upon us."

וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת כָּל הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת

And Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, "The one who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death."

וַיִּזְרַ֤ע יִצְחָק֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיִּמְצָ֛א בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַהִ֖וא מֵאָ֣ה שְׁעָרִ֑ים וַֽיְבָרֲכֵ֖הוּ יְהוָֽה

And Isaac sowed in that land and found in that year a hundredfold, and YHWH blessed him.

וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְגָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד

And the man grew great, and he went on, going and growing, until he had grown very great.

וַֽיְהִי ל֤וֹ מִקְנֵה צֹאן֙ וּמִקְנֵ֣ה בָקָ֔ר וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיְקַנְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים

And he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and great service, and the Philistines envied him.

וְכָל הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר

And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped them and filled them with earth.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל יִצְחָ֑ק לֵ֚ךְ מֵֽעִמָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי עָצַֽמְתָּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד

And Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go from us, for you have become much mightier than we."

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם יִצְחָ֑ק וַיִּ֥חַן בְּנַֽחַל גְּרָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב שָֽׁם

And Isaac went from there and camped in the valley of Gerar and dwelt there.

וַיָּ֨שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר אֶת בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו

And Isaac returned and dug again the wells of water that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham; and he called for them names according to the names that his father had called for them.

וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים

And Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living water.

וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק כִּ֥י הִֽתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ

And the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, "The water is ours." And he called the name of the well Esek, because they had contended with him.

וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה

And they dug another well, and they quarreled also over it, and he called its name Sitnah.

וַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב יְהוָ֛ה לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ

And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; and he called its name Rehoboth, and said, "For now YHWH has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land."

וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע

And he went up from there to Beer-sheba.

וַיֵּרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָה֙ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֕י אֱלֹהֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יךָ אַל תִּירָא֙ כִּֽי אִתְּךָ֣ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֨יךָ֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֶֽת זַרְעֲךָ֔ בַּעֲב֖וּר אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדִּֽי

And YHWH appeared to him in that night and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father; do not fear, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed for the sake of Abraham my servant."

וַיִּ֧בֶן שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה וַיֶּט שָׁ֖ם אָהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּכְרוּ שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵי יִצְחָ֖ק בְּאֵֽר

And he built there an altar and called on the name of YHWH, and he pitched there his tent, and Isaac's servants dug there a well.

וַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ הָלַ֥ךְ אֵלָ֖יו מִגְּרָ֑ר וַאֲחֻזַּת֙ מֵֽרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּפִיכֹ֖ל שַׂר צְבָאֽוֹ

And Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his companion and Phicol the commander of his army.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יִצְחָ֔ק מַדּ֖וּעַ בָּאתֶ֣ם אֵלָ֑י וְאַתֶּם֙ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם אֹתִ֔י וַתְּשַׁלְּח֖וּנִי מֵאִתְּכֶֽם

And Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, when you hate me and have sent me away from with you?"

וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ רָא֣וֹ רָאִינוּ֮ כִּֽי הָיָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה עִמָּךְ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ

And they said, "Seeing, we have seen that YHWH was with you, and we said, 'Let there please be an oath between us, between us and between you, and let us cut a covenant with you,'

אִם תַּעֲשֵׂ֨ה עִמָּ֜נוּ רָעָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א נְגַֽעֲנ֔וּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤ינוּ עִמְּךָ֙ רַק ט֔וֹב וַנְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֖ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם אַתָּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה בְּר֥וּךְ יְהוָֽה

if you will do us evil, just as we have not touched you, and just as we have done with you only good and have sent you away in peace. You are now blessed of YHWH.'"

וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ

And he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.

וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ לְאָחִ֑יו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֣ם יִצְחָ֔ק וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ מֵאִתּ֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם

And they rose early in the morning and swore, each man to his brother; and Isaac sent them away, and they went from him in peace.

וַיְהִ֣י בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י יִצְחָ֔ק וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ עַל אֹד֥וֹת הַבְּאֵ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑רוּ וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ מָצָ֥אנוּ מָֽיִם

And it happened in that day that Isaac's servants came and told him concerning the well that they had dug, and said to him, "We have found water."

וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁבְעָ֑ה עַל כֵּ֤ן שֵׁם הָעִיר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

And he called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba to this day.

וַיְהִ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ בֶּן אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ אֶת יְהוּדִ֔ית בַּת בְּאֵרִ֖י הַֽחִתִּ֑י וְאֶת בָּ֣שְׂמַ֔ת בַּת אֵילֹ֖ן הַֽחִתִּֽי

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

וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ מֹ֣רַת ר֑וּחַ לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְרִבְקָֽה

And they became bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.