Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 25 (Parashat Chayei Sara)

Bereshit 25:1

וַיֹּסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וּשְׁמָהּ קְטוּרָה

.

Then Abraham repeated, and took a wife whose name was Keturah.

Bereshit 25:2

וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת-זִמְרָן וְאֶת-יָקְשָׁן וְאֶת-מְדָן וְאֶת-מִדְיָן--וְאֶת-יִשְׁבָּק וְאֶת-שׁוּחַ

. . .

And she bore him Zimran, and Yokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Yishbaq, and Shuah.

Bereshit 25:3

וְיָקְשָׁן יָלַד אֶת-שְׁבָא וְאֶת-דְּדָן וּבְנֵי דְדָן הָיוּ אַשּׁוּרִם וּלְטוּשִׁם וּלְאֻמִּים

. . .

And Yokshan begot Sheba and Dedan; and the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

Bereshit 25:4

וּבְנֵי מִדְיָן עֵיפָה וָעֵפֶר וַחֲנֹךְ וַאֲבִידָע וְאֶלְדָּעָה כָּל-אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי קְטוּרָה

. . .

And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah — all these were sons of Keturah.

Bereshit 25:5

וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ לְיִצְחָק

.

And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

Bereshit 25:6

וְלִבְנֵי הַפִּילַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לְאַבְרָהָם נָתַן אַבְרָהָם מַתָּנֹת וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם מֵעַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ בְּעוֹדֶנּוּ חַי קֵדְמָה אֶל-אֶרֶץ קֶדֶם

. . . . .

And to the sons of the concubines whom Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he was still alive, eastward — to the land of the east.

Bereshit 25:7

וְאֵלֶּה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי-חַיֵּי אַבְרָהָם--אֲשֶׁר-חָי מְאַת שָׁנָה וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים

.

And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life that he lived — a hundred and seventy-five years.

Bereshit 25:8

וַיִּגְוַע וַיָּמָת אַבְרָהָם בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה זָקֵן וְשָׂבֵעַ וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל-עַמָּיו

. .

Then Abraham expired and died — in a good old age, an old man satisfied with years — and he was gathered to his people.

Bereshit 25:9

וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בָּנָיו אֶל-מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה אֶל-שְׂדֵה עֶפְרֹן בֶּן-צֹחַר הַחִתִּי אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי מַמְרֵא

. . .

And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of the doubled field, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is over against Mamre,

Bereshit 25:10

הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר-קָנָה אַבְרָהָם מֵאֵת בְּנֵי-חֵת--שָׁמָּה קֻבַּר אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ

. .

the field which Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth — there Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.

Bereshit 25:11

וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אַבְרָהָם וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת-יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב יִצְחָק עִם-בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי

. .

And it was after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son; and Isaac settled by the Well of the Living One who Sees.

Bereshit 25:12

וְאֵלֶּה תֹּלְדֹת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן-אַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית שִׁפְחַת שָׂרָה--לְאַבְרָהָם

. .

And this is the exposition of the offspring of Ishmael the son of Abraham — whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maidservant, bore to Abraham.

Bereshit 25:13

וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בִּשְׁמֹתָם לְתוֹלְדֹתָם בְּכֹר יִשְׁמָעֵאל נְבָיֹת וְקֵדָר וְאַדְבְּאֵל וּמִבְשָׂם

. . .

And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their offspring: Nebayot the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

Bereshit 25:14

וּמִשְׁמָע וְדוּמָה וּמַשָּׂא

and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

Bereshit 25:15

חֲדַד וְתֵימָא יְטוּר נָפִישׁ וָקֵדְמָה

Hadad, and Tema, Yetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

Bereshit 25:16

אֵלֶּה הֵם בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמֹתָם בְּחַצְרֵיהֶם וּבְטִירֹתָם--שְׁנֵים-עָשָׂר נְשִׂיאִם לְאֻמֹּתָם

. . .

These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, in their settlements and their citadels — twelve noble ones according to their nations.

Bereshit 25:17

וְאֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל--מְאַת שָׁנָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וַיִּגְוַע וַיָּמָת וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל-עַמָּיו

. . .

And these are the years of Ishmael's life — a hundred and thirty-seven years; and he expired and died, and was gathered to his people.

Bereshit 25:18

וַיִּשְׁכְּנוּ מֵחֲוִילָה עַד-שׁוּר אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי מִצְרַיִם בֹּאֲכָה אַשּׁוּרָה עַל-פְּנֵי כָל-אֶחָיו נָפָל

. . .

And they dwelt from Zawila (Havilah) to al-Ghafar (Shur), which is over against Egypt, as you come to Mosul (Asshur); in the presence of all his brothers did he settle.

Bereshit 25:19

וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן-אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת-יִצְחָק

.

And this is the exposition of the offspring of Isaac son of Abraham — after Abraham had singled out Isaac from his children.

Bereshit 25:20

וַיְהִי יִצְחָק בֶּן-אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּקַחְתּוֹ אֶת-רִבְקָה בַּת-בְּתוּאֵל הָאֲרַמִּי מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם--אֲחוֹת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה

. . . . .

And when Isaac was a son of forty years, he took Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean, from Paddan-Aram, sister of Laban the Aramean — and she became his wife.

Bereshit 25:21

וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַיהוָה לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְהוָה וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ

. .

Then Isaac entreated God concerning his wife, for she was barren; and God granted his entreaty, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Bereshit 25:22

וַיִּתְרֹצְצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אִם-כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת-יְהוָה

. . .

And the children jostled in her womb; and she said: 'If I had known the matter were thus, I would not have sought it.' And she went to seek knowledge from God.

Bereshit 25:23

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לָהּ שְׁנֵי גֹיִים בְּבִטְנֵךְ וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר

. . . .

And God said to her: 'Behold, the fathers of two nations are in your womb; and two factions from your bowels shall be separated; and the one shall be stronger than the other; and the elder shall serve the younger.'

Bereshit 25:24

וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ לָלֶדֶת וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם בְּבִטְנָהּ

.

And when her days were completed for bearing — behold, there were twins in her womb.

Bereshit 25:25

וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר וַיִּקְרְאוּ שְׁמוֹ עֵשָׂו

. .

And the first came forth ruddy, all of him like a mantle of hair; and they named him Esau.

Bereshit 25:26

וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב וְיִצְחָק בֶּן-שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה בְּלֶדֶת אֹתָם

. . . . .

And after that came forth his brother, and his hand was grasping Esau's heel; and he named him Jacob. And Isaac was a son of sixty years when they were born.

Bereshit 25:27

וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים

. . . .

And when the two youths grew up, Esau was a man knowing of hunting, a man of the wilderness; and Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents.

Bereshit 25:28

וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת-עֵשָׂו כִּי-צַיִד בְּפִיו וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת-יַעֲקֹב

.

And Isaac loved Esau for his knowing of hunting; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Bereshit 25:29

וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד וַיָּבֹא עֵשָׂו מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה וְהוּא עָיֵף

.

Then Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the wilderness, and he was faint.

Bereshit 25:30

וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו אֶל-יַעֲקֹב הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא מִן-הָאָדֹם הָאָדֹם הַזֶּה--כִּי עָיֵף אָנֹכִי עַל-כֵּן קָרָא-שְׁמוֹ אֱדוֹם

. . .

And he said to Jacob: 'Feed me of this red [stuff] — for I am faint.' Therefore he was called The Red One (Edom).

Bereshit 25:31

וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב מִכְרָה כַיּוֹם אֶת-בְּכֹרָתְךָ לִי

.

And Jacob said: 'Sell to me today your birthright.'

Bereshit 25:32

וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת וְלָמָּה-זֶּה לִי בְּכֹרָה

. .

Esau said: 'Behold, I am going to die — and what is a birthright to me?'

Bereshit 25:33

וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי כַּיּוֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ וַיִּמְכֹּר אֶת-בְּכֹרָתוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב

. .

He said to him: 'Swear to me.' And he swore to him, and sold him his birthright.

Bereshit 25:34

וְיַעֲקֹב נָתַן לְעֵשָׂו לֶחֶם וּנְזִיד עֲדָשִׁים וַיֹּאכַל וַיֵּשְׁתְּ וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלַךְ וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת-הַבְּכֹרָה

. . . .

And Jacob gave him bread and a stew of lentils; and he ate, and drank, and rose, and went away. And Esau despised the birthright.