Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 26 (Parashat Toldot)

Bereshit 26:1

וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ מִלְּבַד הָרָעָב הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם וַיֵּלֶךְ יִצְחָק אֶל-אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ-פְּלִשְׁתִּים גְּרָרָה

. . .

Then there was a famine in the land — apart from the first famine which had been in Abraham's time — and Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, to al-Khalus (Gerar).

Bereshit 26:2

וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה וַיֹּאמֶר אַל-תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה שְׁכֹן בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ

. . .

And God appeared to him, and said: 'Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell you.

Bereshit 26:3

גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וְאֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ וַאֲבָרְכֶךָּ כִּי-לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת-כָּל-הָאֲרָצֹת הָאֵל וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת-הַשְּׁבֻעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ

. . . . .

Without delay, settle in this land, and I shall be with you, and bless you; for to you and to your offspring I shall give all these lands; and I shall fulfill the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.

Bereshit 26:4

וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת-זַרְעֲךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנָתַתִּי לְזַרְעֲךָ אֵת כָּל-הָאֲרָצֹת הָאֵל וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ

. . .

And I shall multiply your offspring like the stars of the sky; and I shall give them all these lands; and in them shall all the nations of the earth be blessed —

Bereshit 26:5

עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר-שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי וַיִּשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמַרְתִּי מִצְו‍ֹתַי חֻקּוֹתַי וְתוֹרֹתָי

. .

in recompense for that Abraham accepted My command, and kept what I charged him with — of My charges, My statutes, and My laws.'

Bereshit 26:6

וַיֵּשֶׁב יִצְחָק בִּגְרָר

And Isaac settled in al-Khalus (Gerar).

Bereshit 26:7

וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתִי הִוא כִּי יָרֵא לֵאמֹר אִשְׁתִּי פֶּן-יַהַרְגֻנִי אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם עַל-רִבְקָה כִּי-טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה הִוא

. . . . .

And when the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said: 'She is my sister' — for he was afraid to say, 'She is my wife,' saying within himself: 'Lest the men of the place kill me on her account, for she is beautiful in appearance.'

Bereshit 26:8

וַיְהִי כִּי אָרְכוּ-לוֹ שָׁם הַיָּמִים וַיַּשְׁקֵף אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה יִצְחָק מְצַחֵק אֵת רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ

. . . . .

And when the days of his stay grew long there, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out from a window of his, and saw — and behold, Isaac was jesting with Rebekah his wife.

Bereshit 26:10

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מַה-זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ כִּמְעַט שָׁכַב אַחַד הָעָם אֶת-אִשְׁתֶּךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ עָלֵינוּ אָשָׁם

. . . .

And he said to him: 'What is this you have done to us? Soon, had one of our people lain with her, you would have brought guilt upon us.'

Bereshit 26:11

וַיְצַו אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶת-כָּל-הָעָם לֵאמֹר הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּאִישׁ הַזֶּה וּבְאִשְׁתּוֹ--מוֹת יוּמָת

. . .

And Abimelech proclaimed to all his people, and said: 'Whoever harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.'

Bereshit 26:12

וַיִּזְרַע יִצְחָק בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא וַיִּמְצָא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ יְהוָה

. .

Then Isaac sowed in that land; and he found in that year a hundredfold, by estimate; and God blessed him.

Bereshit 26:13

וַיִּגְדַּל הָאִישׁ וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְגָדֵל עַד כִּי-גָדַל מְאֹד

. .

And the man grew great, and continued — each time time passed, he grew greater — until he was exceedingly great.

Bereshit 26:14

וַיְהִי-לוֹ מִקְנֵה-צֹאן וּמִקְנֵה בָקָר וַעֲבֻדָּה רַבָּה וַיְקַנְאוּ אֹתוֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּים

. .

And he had flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, and a great household; until the Philistines envied him.

Bereshit 26:15

וְכָל-הַבְּאֵרֹת אֲשֶׁר חָפְרוּ עַבְדֵי אָבִיו בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו--סִתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְמַלְאוּם עָפָר

. . .

And all the wells which his father Abraham's servants had dug in his time — the Philistines had stopped them up, and filled them with dust.

Bereshit 26:16

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶל-יִצְחָק לֵךְ מֵעִמָּנוּ כִּי-עָצַמְתָּ מִמֶּנּוּ מְאֹד

. .

And Abimelech said to Isaac: 'Go from us — for you have grown mightier than we, exceedingly.'

Bereshit 26:17

וַיֵּלֶךְ מִשָּׁם יִצְחָק וַיִּחַן בְּנַחַל-גְּרָר וַיֵּשֶׁב שָׁם

.

So Isaac went from there, and encamped in the valley of al-Khalus (Gerar), and settled there.

Bereshit 26:18

וַיָּשָׁב יִצְחָק וַיַּחְפֹּר אֶת-בְּאֵרֹת הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר חָפְרוּ בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיְסַתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקְרָא לָהֶן שֵׁמוֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹת אֲשֶׁר-קָרָא לָהֶן אָבִיו

. . . .

And Isaac returned, and dug the wells which had been dug in the time of Abraham his father — which the Philistines had stopped after his death — and he named them by names, as his father had named them.

Bereshit 26:19

וַיַּחְפְּרוּ עַבְדֵי-יִצְחָק בַּנָּחַל וַיִּמְצְאוּ-שָׁם--בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים

. .

And when Isaac's servants dug in the valley, they found there a well of flowing water.

Bereshit 26:20

וַיָּרִיבוּ רֹעֵי גְרָר עִם-רֹעֵי יִצְחָק לֵאמֹר--לָנוּ הַמָּיִם וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם-הַבְּאֵר עֵשֶׂק כִּי הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ עִמּוֹ

. . .

And the herdsmen of al-Khalus (Gerar) quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, saying: 'The water is ours.' And he named it Strife — for they had quarreled with him.

Bereshit 26:21

וַיַּחְפְּרוּ בְּאֵר אַחֶרֶת וַיָּרִיבוּ גַּם-עָלֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ שִׂטְנָה

. .

And they dug another well, and they quarreled also over it; and he named it Obstinacy.

Bereshit 26:22

וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם וַיַּחְפֹּר בְּאֵר אַחֶרֶת וְלֹא רָבוּ עָלֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רְחֹבוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי-עַתָּה הִרְחִיב יְהוָה לָנוּ וּפָרִינוּ בָאָרֶץ

. . . . . .

Then he moved on from there, and dug another well; and they did not quarrel over it. And he named it Spaciousness — for he said: 'Now God has made spacious for us, and shall make us grow in the land.'

Bereshit 26:23

וַיַּעַל מִשָּׁם בְּאֵר שָׁבַע

Then he went up from there to Beer-Sheba.

Bereshit 26:24

וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ אַל-תִּירָא כִּי-אִתְּךָ אָנֹכִי וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת-זַרְעֲךָ בַּעֲבוּר אַבְרָהָם עַבְדִּי

. . . . .

And God appeared to him in that night, and said: 'I am the God of Abraham your father; fear not, for I am with you; I shall bless you, and multiply your offspring, on account of Abraham My servant.'

Bereshit 26:25

וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה וַיֶּט-שָׁם אָהֳלוֹ וַיִּכְרוּ-שָׁם עַבְדֵי-יִצְחָק בְּאֵר

. . .

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

Bereshit 26:26

וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ הָלַךְ אֵלָיו מִגְּרָר וַאֲחֻזַּת מֵרֵעֵהוּ וּפִיכֹל שַׂר-צְבָאוֹ

. . .

And Abimelech went to him from al-Khalus (Gerar) — and Ahuzzath his companion, and Phicol the chief of his army.

Bereshit 26:27

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יִצְחָק מַדּוּעַ בָּאתֶם אֵלָי וְאַתֶּם שְׂנֵאתֶם אֹתִי וַתְּשַׁלְּחוּנִי מֵאִתְּכֶם

. .

And Isaac said to them: 'Why have you come to me? You have hated me, and sent me away from you.'

Bereshit 26:28

וַיֹּאמְרוּ רָאוֹ רָאִינוּ כִּי-הָיָה יְהוָה עִמָּךְ וַנֹּאמֶר תְּהִי נָא אָלָה בֵּינוֹתֵינוּ בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֶךָ וְנִכְרְתָה בְרִית עִמָּךְ

. . . .

They said: 'We have indeed seen that God is with you, and we said, "Let there be an oath between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you:

Bereshit 26:29

אִם-תַּעֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ רָעָה כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא נְגַעֲנוּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂינוּ עִמְּךָ רַק-טוֹב וַנְּשַׁלֵּחֲךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם אַתָּה עַתָּה בְּרוּךְ יְהוָה

. . . .

that you shall not do us evil, as we have not harmed you, and as we have done with you only good, and have sent you away in peace; you are now the blessed of God."'

Bereshit 26:30

וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ

.

And he made them a feast; and they ate and drank there.

Bereshit 26:31

וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ אִישׁ לְאָחִיו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם יִצְחָק וַיֵּלְכוּ מֵאִתּוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם

. . .

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

Bereshit 26:32

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיָּבֹאוּ עַבְדֵי יִצְחָק וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ עַל-אֹדוֹת הַבְּאֵר אֲשֶׁר חָפָרוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ מָצָאנוּ מָיִם

. .

And it was on 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.'

Bereshit 26:33

וַיִּקְרָא אֹתָהּ שִׁבְעָה עַל-כֵּן שֵׁם-הָעִיר בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

. .

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

Bereshit 26:34

וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו בֶּן-אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה אֶת-יְהוּדִית בַּת-בְּאֵרִי הַחִתִּי--וְאֶת-בָּשְׂמַת בַּת-אֵילֹן הַחִתִּי

. . . .

And when Esau was a son of forty years, he took as a wife a woman whose name was Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite — and Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite.

Bereshit 26:35

וַתִּהְיֶיןָ מֹרַת רוּחַ לְיִצְחָק וּלְרִבְקָה

.

And they were a vexation of spirit to Isaac and Rebekah.