26:1
וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ
Now there was a famine in the land,
מִלְּבַד֙ הָרָעָ֣ב הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן
besides the first famine,
אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם
that which had occurred in the days of Abraham;
וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק
and Isaac went
אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים
to Abimelech king of the Philistines,
גְּרָֽרָה׃
to Gerar.
26:2
וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה
And the LORD appeared to him,
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תֵּרֵ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה
and He said, “Do not go down to Egypt;
שְׁכֹ֣ן בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
Dwell in the land, that which I shall say to you;”
26:3
גּ֚וּר בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ
“Sojourn,— in this land,
then I shall be with you, and I will bless you;
כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל
For to you and to your Seed,
I shall give all these lands,
וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה
and I will establish the pledge,
אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ׃
That I pledged Myself to Abraham your father;”
26:4
וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם
“And I will multiply your Seed,
as the stars of Heaven,
וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְזַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָאֲרָצֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑ל
And to your Seed will I give all these lands;
וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Then all the nations of Earth
shall bless themselves through your Seed.”
26:5
עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָהָ֖ם בְּקֹלִ֑י
“The end result of the fact
that Abraham had complied with my voice;
וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֔י מִצְוֺתַ֖י חֻקּוֹתַ֥י וְתוֹרֹתָֽי׃
And so he kept my obligatory observances,
my commandments, my statutes and my teachings.”
26:6
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר׃
So Isaac dwelt in Gerar (dragging/sweeping away).
26:7
וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ
…Now the men of the place,
they asked about his wife,
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא
And he said “My sister she is”;
כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י
For he had been afraid to say “My wife”,—
פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה
— “Lest the men of that place should kill me for Rebecca,
כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא׃
for she is of good appearance .”
26:8
וַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים
And it eventuated that the time for him there
had become long;
וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים
Now Abimelech, the king of the Philistines,
he looked down,
בְּעַ֖ד הֽ͏ַחַלּ֑וֹן
through the window;
וַיַּ֗רְא
And he observed,
וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃
and behold Isaac is caressing Rebecca his wife!
26:9
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק
And Abimelech summoned Isaac,
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא
And he said, “of a surety behold your wife she is!
וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא
So how did you dare say, ‘My sister she is!?’”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק
Then Isaac said to him,
כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ׃
“Because I had thought,
‘Lest I should die on account of her.’”
26:10
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ
And Abimelech said:
“What is this you have done to us!
כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ
One of the people had almost laid with your wife;
וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם׃
Then you would have brought guilt upon us”;
26:11
וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר
And Abimelech charged all the people, saying:
הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ
“One who touches this man, or his wife,
מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ ס
shall be executed.”
26:12
וַיִּזְרַ֤ע יִצְחָק֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא
Then Isaac sowed in that land,
וַיִּמְצָ֛א בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַהִ֖וא מֵאָ֣ה שְׁעָרִ֑ים
And in the same year he obtained a hundredfold;
וֽ͏ַיְבָרֲכֵ֖הוּ יְהוָֽה׃
And the LORD blessed him:
26:13
וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ
And the man was wealthy;
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְגָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי־גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד׃
And he proceeded continually even becoming wealthy
to the extent that he had become exceedingly rich;
26:14
וֽ͏ַיְהִי־ל֤וֹ מִקְנֵה־צֹאן֙ וּמִקְנֵ֣ה בָקָ֔ר
And he had possessions of flocks
and possessions of herds,
וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֑ה
and a sizeable body of servants;
וַיְקַנְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
Now the Philistines, they envied him;
26:15
וְכָל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו
And all of the wells
that the servants of his father had dug,—
בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו
during the times of Abraham his father,—
סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר׃
The Philistines had blocked them,
then they filled them with dry soil.
26:16
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־יִצְחָ֑ק
Moreover Abimelech said to Isaac:
לֵ֚ךְ מֽ͏ֵעִמָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי־עָצַֽמְתָּ־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד׃
“Go Away From Us!
for compared to us you have become mighty, excessively!”
26:17
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם יִצְחָ֑ק
So Isaac moved out from there;
וַיִּ֥חַן בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב שָֽׁם׃
And he encamped in the Gerar river valley,
and there he remained;
26:18
וַיָּ֨שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם
Then Isaac backtracked,
and he dug out the water wells,
אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו
Those which they had dug in his father Abraham’s days,—
וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם
Namely them that the Philistines had stopped up;
וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת
And he called them according to the names,
אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו׃
those that his father had called them.
26:19
וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל
Then Isaac’s servants dug in the river valley,
וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃
And there they found a well of living water;
26:20
וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר
But the shepherds of Gerar strove
עִם־רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר
with Isaacs shepherds, saying:
לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם
“The water belongs to us!”
וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק
So he called the name of that well Esek (Contention)
כִּ֥י הִֽתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃
Because they had contended with him.
26:21
וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם־עָלֶ֑יהָ
Then they dug another well,
but they strove over it too;
וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה׃
And so he called the name of it—
“Sitnah” (Accusation).
26:22
וַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת
So he moved out from there,
and he dug a remote well,
וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ
and they did not strive over that;
וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת
And he called the name of it Rehoboth (open places),
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר
and he said:
כִּֽי־עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב יְהוָ֛ה לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ׃
“Because now, the LORD did create room for us,
and we shall flourish in the land”.
26:23
וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃
Then he went up to Be’er Sheva.
26:24
וַיֵּרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָה֙ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא
And the LORD appeared to him in the same night,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֕י אֱלֹהֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יךָ
And he said, “I AM the God of Abraham you father:
אַל־תִּירָא֙ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֣ אָנֹ֔כִי
Do not fear, for I AM with you,
וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יךָ֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֔
And I will bless you, and I will make your Seed abundant,
בַּעֲב֖וּר אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדִּֽי׃
For the sake of Abraham My servant.”
26:25
וַיִּ֧בֶן שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ
Then there he built an altar,
וַיִּקְרָא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה וַיֶּט־שָׁ֖ם אָהֳל֑וֹ
and he called on the name of the LORD,
and there he spread out his tent;
וַיִּכְרוּ־שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵי־יִצְחָ֖ק בְּאֵֽר׃
And there Isaac’s servants hollowed out a well.
26:26
וַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ הָלַ֥ךְ אֵלָ֖יו מִגְּרָ֑ר
Now Abimelech, he had gone to him from Gerar,
וַאֲחֻזַּת֙ מֵֽרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּפִיכֹ֖ל שַׂר־צְבָאֽוֹ׃
Together with his property confidante,
and Phichol, the commander of his army.
26:27
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יִצְחָ֔ק מַדּ֖וּעַ בָּאתֶ֣ם אֵלָ֑י
And Isaac said to them,
“For what reason did ye come to me?
וְאַתֶּם֙ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם אֹתִ֔י וַתְּשַׁלְּח֖וּנִי מֵאִתְּכֶֽם׃
When ye did hate me, and ye sent me away from you?”
26:28
וַֽיֹּאמְר֗וּ
Then they said,
רָא֣וֹ רָאִינוּ֮ כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה ׀ עִמָּךְ֒
“We had surely seen that the LORD was with you,
וַנֹּ֗אמֶר
So we thought,
תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ
‘Let there now be a curse-based oath,
between ourselves, between us and between you;
וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ׃
And let us cut an agreement with you.'”
26:29
אִם־תַּעֲשֵׂ֨ה עִמָּ֜נוּ רָעָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א נְגַֽעֲנ֔וּךָ
“That you shall not do us evil,
as we did not touch you
וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤ינוּ עִמְּךָ֙ רַק־ט֔וֹב
and as we did do you only good,
וַנְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֖ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם
and we sent you away in peace;
אַתָּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה בְּר֥וּךְ יְהוָֽה׃
Now you are blessed of the LORD!”
26:30
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃
Then he made them a banquet,
and they ate, and they drank.
26:31
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ לְאָחִ֑יו
And they rose early in the morning,
and they pledged themselves,
one to the other;
וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֣ם יִצְחָ֔ק וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ מֵאִתּ֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃
And Isaac sent them away,
and they departed from him in peace.
26:32
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא
Now it happened on that same day
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י יִצְחָ֔ק וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ
that Isaac’s servants came and informed him
עַל־אֹד֥וֹת הַבְּאֵ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑רוּ
concerning the well that they had dug out;
וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ מָצָ֥אנוּ מָֽיִם׃
And they said to him, “We found water.”
26:33
וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁבְעָ֑ה
So he named it “Sheva” (pledge);
עַל־כֵּ֤ן שֵׁם־הָעִיר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע
Therefore the name of the city
is Be’er Sheva (well of pledge),
עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ ס
Up to this very day.
26:34
וַיְהִ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה
Now Esau became a son of forty years,
וַיִּקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ אֶת־יְהוּדִ֔ית בַּת־בְּאֵרִ֖י הַֽחִתִּ֑י
then he took a wife, Judith (praised),
the daughter of Be’eri (my well) the Hittite,
וְאֶת־בָּ֣שְׂמַ֔ת בַּת־אֵילֹ֖ן הֽ͏ַחִתִּֽי׃
And also Bosmath (sweet/fragrant),
the daughter of Eilon (mighty tree/oak/terebinth) the Hittite:
26:35
וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ מֹ֣רַת ר֑וּחַ
But they were a grief of spirit,
לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְרִבְקָֽה׃ ס
For Isaac, and for Rebecca.
Website translation into English by E.G. Van Gent
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Dramatized Modern Hebrew Audio Version, Genesis 26
Copyright to Hebrew Audio of Old Testament
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