| 21And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the souls, and the possessions take for yourself." |
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כאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָֽרְכֻ֖שׁ קַח־לָֽךְ: |
| Give me the souls Of that which was captured that belonged to me, which you rescued, give me back the people only. |
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תֶּן־לִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ
מִן הַשְּׁבִי שֶׁלִּי שֶׁהִצַּלְתָּ, הַחֲזֵר לִי הַגּוּפִים לְבַדָּם:
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| 22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I raise my hand to the Lord, the Most High God, Who possesses heaven and earth. |
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כבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָ֖ם אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֑ם הֲרִמֹ֨תִי יָדִ֤י אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ: |
| I raise my hand Heb. הֲרִימֹתִי, lit. I raised. This is an expression of an oath: “I raise my hand to the Most High God.” And similarly (Gen. 22:16): בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי [means] “I swear by Myself,” and similarly (Gen. 23:13): נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה קַח מִמֶּנִּי [means] “I am giving you the price of the field, take it from me.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 43:9] |
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הרימתי יָדִי
לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה, מֵרִים אֲנִי אֶת יָדִי לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן, וְכֵן בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי (בר' כ"ב), נִשְׁבַּע אֲנִי, וְכֵן נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה קַח מִמֶּנִּי (שם כ"ג), נוֹתֵן אֲנִי לְךָ כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה, קָחֵהוּ מִמֶּנִּי:
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| 23Neither from a thread to a shoe strap, nor will I take from whatever is yours, that you should not say, 'I have made Abram wealthy.' |
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כגאִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֣א תֹאמַ֔ר אֲנִ֖י הֶֽעֱשַׁ֥רְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָֽם: |
| Neither from a thread to a shoe strap will I keep for myself of the captured possessions. |
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אִם־מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַעַל
אַעֲכֵּב לְעַצְמִי מִן הַשְּׁבִי:
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| nor will I take from whatever is yours And if you offer [lit. say] to give me reward from your treasuries, I will not take [it]. |
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וְאִם־אֶקַּח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָךְ
וְאִם תֹּאמַר לָתֵת לִי שָׂכָר מִבֵּית גְּנָזֶיךָ, לֹא אֶקַּח:
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| that you should not say, etc The Holy One, blessed be He, promised to make me rich, as it is said (above 12:2): “and I will bless you, etc.” |
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וְלֹא תֹאמַר וגו'
שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִבְטִיחַנִי לְעַשְּׁרֵנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וְגוֹ':
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| 24Exclusive of what the lads ate, and the share of the men who went with me; Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre they shall take their share." |
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כדבִּלְעָדַ֗י רַ֚ק אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽכְל֣וּ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְחֵ֨לֶק֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָֽלְכ֖וּ אִתִּ֑י עָנֵר֙ אֶשְׁכֹּ֣ל וּמַמְרֵ֔א הֵ֖ם יִקְח֥וּ חֶלְקָֽם: |
| the lads My servants who went with me, and additionally, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre, etc. Although my servants entered the battle, as it is stated (above verse 14): “he and his servants, and smote them,” while Aner and his companions stayed with the luggage to guard [it], nevertheless, “they shall take their share.” And from him, David learned, as he said (I Sam. 30:24): “for as the share of him who goes down into battle, so is the share of him who stays with the luggage; they shall share alike.” Therefore, it says (ibid. verse 25): “And it was so from that day (and had been so) from before, that he made it a statute and an ordinance.” It does not say וָהָלְאָה [and onwards], because that statute had already been enacted in the days of Abram. [from Gen. Rabbah 43:9] |
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הַנְּעָרִים
עֲבָדַי אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ אִתִּי וְעוֹד עָנֵר אֶשְׁכֹּל וּמַמְרֵא וְגוֹ'; אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲבָדַי נִכְנְסוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו וַיַּכֵּם, וְעָנֵר וַחֲבֵרָיו יָשְׁבוּ עַל הַכֵּלִים לִשְׁמֹר, אֲפִלּוּ הָכִי הֵם יִקְחוּ חֶלְקָם. וּמִמֶּנּוּ לָמַד דָּוִד, שֶׁאָמַר כְּחֵלֶק הַיֹּרֵד בַּמִּלְחָמָה וּכְחֵלֶק הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל הַכֵּלִים יַחְדָּו יַחֲלֹקוּ (שמואל א ל'), וּלְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי מֵהַיּוֹם הַהוּא וָמָעְלָה וַיְשִׂמֶהָ לְחֹק וּלְמִשְׁפָּט (שם), וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר וָהָלְאָה, לְפִי שֶׁכְּבָר נִתַּן הַחֹק בִּימֵי אַבְרָם:
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| 1After these incidents, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not, Abram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great." |
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אאַחַ֣ר | הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּמַּֽחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָֽנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָֽרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד: |
| After these incidents Wherever the term אַחַר is used, it signifies immediately afterwards; אַחֲרֵי signifies a long time afterwards (Gen. Rabbah 44:5). After this miracle had been wrought for him, that he slew the kings, he was worried and said, “Perhaps I have received reward for all my righteous deeds.” Therefore, the Omnipresent said to him, “Fear not Abram, I am your Shield” from punishment, that you will not be punished for all those souls that you have slain, and as far as your being worried about receiving reward, your reward is exceedingly great. [from Aggadath Bereishith 16:2; Tan. Buber, Lech Lecha 15; Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 27] |
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אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה
כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶאֱמַר אַחַר – סָמוּךְ, אַחֲרֵי – מֻפְלָג (בראשית רבה). אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אַחַר שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לוֹ נֵס זֶה, שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַמְּלָכִים וְהָיָה דוֹאֵג וְאוֹמֵר, שֶׁמָּא קִבַּלְתִּי שָׂכָר עַל כָּל צִדְקוֹתַי, לְכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ, מִן הָעֹנֶשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא תֵּעָנֵשׁ עַל כָּל אוֹתָן נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁהָרַגְתָּ; וּמַה שֶּׁאַתָּה דוֹאֵג עַל קִבּוּל שְׂכָרְךָ, שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד (בראשית רבה):
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| 2And Abram said, "O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am going childless, and the steward of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?" |
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בוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר: |
| since I am going childless Heb. עֲרִירִי. Menachem ben Saruk (Machbereth p. 137) explained it as meaning an heir, and a similar instance is (Mal. 2:12): “a son (עֵר) and a grandson (וְעֹנֶה).” Hence, עֲרִירִי would mean without an heir, as you would say (Job 31:12): “and it will uproot (תְשָׁרֵשׁ) all my crops,” [meaning] it will tear out its roots. Similarly עֲרִירִי means childless; in Old French, desenfantez. It appears to me, however, that עֵר וְעֹנֶה is derived from the same root as (Song of Songs 5:2): “but my heart is awake (עֵר),” whereas עֲרִירִי is an expression of destruction, as in (Ps. 137:7): “Raze it, raze it (עָרוּ עָרוּ)” and as in (Hab. 3:13): “destroying (עָרוֹת) the foundation,” and as in (Jer. 51:58): “shall be completely destroyed (עַרְעֵר תִּתְעַרְעַר),” and as in (Zeph. 2:14): “for the cedarwork will be destroyed (עֵרָה).” |
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הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי
מְנַחֵם בֶּן סָרוּק פֵּרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן יוֹרֵשׁ, וְחָבֵר לוֹ עֵר וְעֹנֶה (מלאכי ב'), עֲרִירִי, בְלֹא יוֹרֵשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר וּבְכָל תְּבוּאָתִי תְשָׁרֵשׁ (איוב ל"א), תְּעַקֵּר שָׁרָשֶׁיהָ, כָּךְ לְשׁוֹן עֲרִירִי חֲסַר בָּנִים, ובלע"ז דישאנפנטיש. וְלִי נִרְאֶה עֵר וְעֹנֶה מִגִּזְרַת וְלִבִּי עֵר (שיר השירים ה'), וַעֲרִירִי לְשׁוֹן חֻרְבָּן, וְכֵן עָרוּ עָרוּ (תה' קל"ז), וְכֵן עָרוֹת יְסוֹד (חבקוק ג'), וְכֵן עַרְעֵר תִּתְעַרְעָר (ירמ' נ"א), וְכֵן כִּי אַרְזָה עֵרָה (צפניה ב'):
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| and the steward of my household וּבֶן מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי, to be interpreted like the Aramaic translation, (וּבַר פַּרְנָסָה הָדֵין דִי בְּבֵיתִי): and this sustainer who is in my house). My entire household is sustained by his orders, as (below 41:40): “and by your orders they will be sustained (יִשַּׁק).” [בֶּן מֶשֶׁק means] “my administrator,” but if I had a son, my son would be appointed over my possessions. |
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וּבֶן־מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שֶׁכָּל בֵּיתִי נִזּוֹן עַל פִּיו, כְּמוֹ וְעַל פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק (בר' מלכים א), אַפּוֹטְרוֹפּוֹס שֶׁלִּי, וְאִלּוּ הָיָה לִי בֵן, הָיָה בְנִי מְמֻנֶּה עַל שֶׁלִּי:
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| Damascus Heb. דַּמֶּשֶׂק. According to the Targum, he was from Damascus, but according to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 44:9) [the meaning is] that he pursued the kings until Damascus. And in our Talmud (Yoma 28b), it (the word דַּמֶּשֶׂק) is interpreted as a notarikon [acrostic for דּוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה]: he drew and gave to drink from his master’s teachings to others. |
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דַּמֶּשֶׂק
לְפִי הַתַּרְגּוּם מִדַּמֶּשֶׂק הָיָה, וּלְפִי מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁרָדַף הַמְּלָכִים עַד דַּמֶּשֶׂק. וּבַתַּלְמוּד דָרְשׁוּ נוֹטָרִיקוֹן דּוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה מִתּוֹרַת רַבּוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים:
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| 3And Abram said, "Behold, You have given me no seed, and behold, one of my household will inherit me." |
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גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֔ם הֵ֣ן לִ֔י לֹ֥א נָתַ֖תָּה זָ֑רַע וְהִנֵּ֥ה בֶן־בֵּיתִ֖י יוֹרֵ֥שׁ אֹתִֽי: |
| Behold, You have given me no seed So of what avail is all that You will give me? |
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הֵן לִי לֹא נתת זָרַע
וּמַה תּוֹעֶלֶת בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תִּתֵּן לִי?
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| 4And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This one will not inherit you, but the one who will spring from your innards-he will inherit you." |
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דוְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א יִירָֽשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ: |
| 5And He took him outside, and He said, "Please look heavenward and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So will be your seed." |
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הוַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ: |
| And He took him outside According to its simple meaning: He took him out of his tent, outdoors, to see the stars. But according to its midrashic interpretation, He said to him, “Go out of your astrology,” for you have seen in the signs of the zodiac that you are not destined to have a son. Indeed, Abram will have no son, but Abraham will have a son. Similarly, Sarai will not give birth, but Sarah will give birth. I will give you another name, and your destiny will change (Ned. 32a, Gen. Rabbah 44:10). Another explanation: He took him out of the terrestrial sphere and lifted him above the stars. This explains the expression of הַבָּטָה, looking down from above (Gen. Rabbah 44:12). |
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וַיּוֹצֵא אֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה
לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ הוֹצִיאוֹ מֵאָהֳלוֹ לַחוּץ לִרְאוֹת הַכּוֹכָבִים, וּלְפִי מִדְרָשׁוֹ אָמַר לוֹ צֵא מֵאִצְטַגְנִינוּת שֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁרָאִיתָ בַּמַּזָּלוֹת שֶׁאֵינְךָ עָתִיד לְהַעֲמִיד בֵּן, אַבְרָם אֵין לוֹ בֵן, אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם יֵשׁ לוֹ בֵן, שָׂרַי לֹא תֵלֵד, אֲבָל שָׂרָה תֵלֵד; אֲנִי קוֹרֵא לָכֶם שֵׁם אַחֵר וְיִשְׁתַּנֶּה הַמַּזָּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר הוֹצִיאוֹ מֵחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וְהִגְבִּיהוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִן הַכּוֹכָבִים, וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן הַבָּטָה מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה:
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| 6And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him as righteousness. |
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ווְהֶֽאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה: |
| And he believed in the Lord He did not request of Him a sign regarding this, but regarding the inheritance of the land, he did request of Him a sign, and he said to Him, “How will I know?” [from Ned. 32a] |
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והאמין בה'
לֹא שָׁאַל לוֹ אוֹת עַל זֹאת; אֲבָל עַל יְרֻשַּׁת הָאָרֶץ שָׁאַל לוֹ אוֹת וְאָמַר לוֹ בַּמָּה אֵדַע.
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| and He accounted it to him as righteousness The Holy One, blessed be He, accounted it to Abram as a merit and as righteousness for the faith that he believed in Him (Targum Jonathan). Another explanation for: “How will I know?” He did not ask Him for a sign, but he said before Him, “Let me know with what merit will they [my descendants] remain therein [in the Land]?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, “With the merit of the sacrifices.” |
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וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָֽה
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חֲשָׁבָהּ לאַבְרָם לִזְכוּת וְלִצְדָקָה עַל הַאֲמָנָה שֶׁהֶאֱמִין בּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר בַּמָּה אֵדַע, לֹא שָׁאַל לוֹ אוֹת אֶלָּא אָמַר לְפָנָיו, הוֹדִיעֵנִי בְּאֵיזֶה זְכוּת יִתְקַיְּמוּ בָּהּ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בִּזְכוּת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת:
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