Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 21 (Parashat Vayera)

Bereshit 21:1

וַיהוָה פָּקַד אֶת-שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה לְשָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר

.

Then God remembered Sarah, as He had said; and He did for her as He had promised.

Bereshit 21:2

וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד שָׂרָה לְאַבְרָהָם בֵּן לִזְקֻנָיו לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים

. .

And she conceived, and bore to Abraham a son in his old age — at the time which God had spoken.

Bereshit 21:3

וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם אֶת-שֶׁם-בְּנוֹ הַנּוֹלַד-לוֹ אֲשֶׁר-יָלְדָה-לּוֹ שָׂרָה--יִצְחָק

. .

And Abraham named his son who was born to him — whom Sarah bore to him — Isaac.

Bereshit 21:4

וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם אֶת-יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ בֶּן-שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים

.

And he circumcised him at eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Bereshit 21:5

וְאַבְרָהָם בֶּן-מְאַת שָׁנָה בְּהִוָּלֶד לוֹ אֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ

.

And Abraham was a son of a hundred years when Isaac his son was born to him.

Bereshit 21:6

וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרָה--צְחֹק עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹהִים כָּל-הַשֹּׁמֵעַ יִצְחַק-לִי

. .

And Sarah said: 'God has made joy for me — everyone who hears will rejoice with me.'

Bereshit 21:7

וַתֹּאמֶר מִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה כִּי-יָלַדְתִּי בֵן לִזְקֻנָיו

. .

Then she said: 'Whoever said to Abraham that Sarah should nurse children — has spoken true; for I have borne him a son in his old age.'

Bereshit 21:8

וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַיִּגָּמַל וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְרָהָם מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל בְּיוֹם הִגָּמֵל אֶת-יִצְחָק

. ]] .

Then the boy grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.

Bereshit 21:9

וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה אֶת-בֶּן-הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית אֲשֶׁר-יָלְדָה לְאַבְרָהָם--מְצַחֵק

.

Then Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing.

Bereshit 21:11

וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי אַבְרָהָם עַל אוֹדֹת בְּנוֹ

. .

And the matter was very hard on Abraham, on account of his son.

Bereshit 21:12

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-אַבְרָהָם אַל-יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עַל-הַנַּעַר וְעַל-אֲמָתֶךָ--כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵלֶיךָ שָׂרָה שְׁמַע בְּקֹלָהּ כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע

. . . .

And God said to him: 'Let not the matter be hard upon you concerning the boy and your maidservant. Everything that Sarah says to you — accept it from her; for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

Bereshit 21:13

וְגַם אֶת-בֶּן-הָאָמָה לְגוֹי אֲשִׂימֶנּוּ כִּי זַרְעֲךָ הוּא

.

And the son of the maidservant also — I shall make of him a nation, for he is your offspring.'

Bereshit 21:14

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח-לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם וַיִּתֵּן אֶל-הָגָר שָׂם עַל-שִׁכְמָהּ וְאֶת-הַיֶּלֶד--וַיְשַׁלְּחֶהָ וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּתַע בְּמִדְבַּר בְּאֵר שָׁבַע

. . . . . .

And Abraham rose early in the morning; and he took food and a waterskin, and gave it to Hagar, setting it upon her shoulder; and he gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she went, and wandered, in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba.

Bereshit 21:15

וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם מִן-הַחֵמֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת-הַיֶּלֶד תַּחַת אַחַד הַשִּׂיחִם

. .

And the water in the skin was used up; and she cast the boy under one of the trees.

Bereshit 21:16

וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּשֶׁב לָהּ מִנֶּגֶד הַרְחֵק כִּמְטַחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת כִּי אָמְרָה אַל-אֶרְאֶה בְּמוֹת הַיָּלֶד וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד וַתִּשָּׂא אֶת-קֹלָהּ וַתֵּבְךְּ

. . . . .

And she went, and sat opposite him, at a distance as far as a bowshot — for she said: 'Let me not see the death of the boy.' And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.

Bereshit 21:17

וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת-קוֹל הַנַּעַר וַיִּקְרָא מַלְאַךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶל-הָגָר מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מַה-לָּךְ הָגָר אַל-תִּירְאִי כִּי-שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶל-קוֹל הַנַּעַר בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא-שָׁם

. . . .

And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from the sky, and said to her: 'What troubles you, O Hagar? Fear not — for God has heard the voice of the boy, where he is.

Bereshit 21:18

קוּמִי שְׂאִי אֶת-הַנַּעַר וְהַחֲזִיקִי אֶת-יָדֵךְ בּוֹ כִּי-לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשִׂימֶנּוּ

. .

Arise, lift him up, and strengthen your hand upon him — for I shall make of him a great nation.'

Bereshit 21:19

וַיִּפְקַח אֱלֹהִים אֶת-עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא בְּאֵר מָיִם וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּא אֶת-הַחֵמֶת מַיִם וַתַּשְׁקְ אֶת-הַנָּעַר

. . .

And God uncovered her sight, and she saw a well of water. And she went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy to drink.

Bereshit 21:20

וַיְהִי אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הַנַּעַר וַיִּגְדָּל וַיֵּשֶׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיְהִי רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת

. .

And God was with him until he grew up; and he settled in the wilderness, and was a youth, an archer.

Bereshit 21:21

וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָן וַתִּקַּח-לוֹ אִמּוֹ אִשָּׁה מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

. .

And he settled in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.

Bereshit 21:22

וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִוא וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וּפִיכֹל שַׂר-צְבָאוֹ אֶל-אַבְרָהָם לֵאמֹר אֱלֹהִים עִמְּךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה

. . . . .

And it was at that time that Abimelech, and Phicol the chief of his army, said to Abraham: 'God is with you in all that you do.

Bereshit 21:23

וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי בֵאלֹהִים הֵנָּה אִם-תִּשְׁקֹר לִי וּלְנִינִי וּלְנֶכְדִּי כַּחֶסֶד אֲשֶׁר-עָשִׂיתִי עִמְּךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה עִמָּדִי וְעִם-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-גַּרְתָּה בָּהּ

. . . . .

Now swear to me here by God, that you shall not betray me, nor my offspring, nor my posterity. According to the kindness which I have done with you — shall you do with me, and with the land in which you have sojourned.'

Bereshit 21:24

וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אָנֹכִי אִשָּׁבֵעַ

.

Abraham said: 'I shall swear.'

Bereshit 21:25

וְהוֹכִחַ אַבְרָהָם אֶת-אֲבִימֶלֶךְ עַל-אֹדוֹת בְּאֵר הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר גָּזְלוּ עַבְדֵי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ

. .

And Abraham reproved Abimelech, on account of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized by force.

Bereshit 21:26

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ--לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מִי עָשָׂה אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְגַם-אַתָּה לֹא-הִגַּדְתָּ לִּי וְגַם אָנֹכִי לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי--בִּלְתִּי הַיּוֹם

. . .

Abimelech said: 'I do not know who did this thing; and you did not tell me; and I, too, have not heard of it — except today.'

Bereshit 21:27

וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם צֹאן וּבָקָר וַיִּתֵּן לַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ וַיִּכְרְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּרִית

. .

And Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech; and the two of them made a covenant.

Bereshit 21:28

וַיַּצֵּב אַבְרָהָם אֶת-שֶׁבַע כִּבְשֹׂת הַצֹּאן--לְבַדְּהֶן

.

And Abraham set aside seven ewes of the flock by themselves.

Bereshit 21:29

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶל-אַבְרָהָם מָה הֵנָּה שֶׁבַע כְּבָשֹׂת הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר הִצַּבְתָּ לְבַדָּנָה

. .

Abimelech said to him: 'What are these seven ewes which you have set apart by themselves?'

Bereshit 21:30

וַיֹּאמֶר--כִּי אֶת-שֶׁבַע כְּבָשֹׂת תִּקַּח מִיָּדִי בַּעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה-לִּי לְעֵדָה כִּי חָפַרְתִּי אֶת-הַבְּאֵר הַזֹּאת

. . .

He said: 'That you shall take them from my hand — that they may be a witness for me that I have dug this well.'

Bereshit 21:31

עַל-כֵּן קָרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא--בְּאֵר שָׁבַע כִּי שָׁם נִשְׁבְּעוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם

. .

Therefore the place was called Beer-Sheba — for there the two of them swore.

Bereshit 21:32

וַיִּכְרְתוּ בְרִית בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע וַיָּקָם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וּפִיכֹל שַׂר-צְבָאוֹ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ אֶל-אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים

. . .

And when they had made the covenant in Beer-Sheba, Abimelech and Phicol the chief of his army arose, and returned to the land of the Philistines.

Bereshit 21:33

וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע וַיִּקְרָא-שָׁם--בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה אֵל עוֹלָם

. .

And he set up a marker in Beer-Sheba, and called there upon the name of God, the Lord of the World.

Bereshit 21:34

וַיָּגָר אַבְרָהָם בְּאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים יָמִים רַבִּים

.

Then Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for a long time.