| 17Ephron’s Field of Machpelah, which faced the plains of Mamre—the field, the cave within it, and every tree within its perimeter—was thus confirmed |
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יזוַיָּ֣קָם | שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י מַמְרֵ֑א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְהַמְּעָרָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־הָעֵץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב: |
| וַיָּקָם שְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן - Ephron’s field (lit.) arose. It had a rise in status because it passed from the hands of an ordinary person to the hands of a king. However the straightforward meaning of the verse is: “The field, the cave within it, and every tree…was confirmed (וַיָּקָם) as Abraham’s purchase…” |
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וַיָּקָם שְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן.
תְּקוּמָה הָיְתָה לוֹ, שֶׁיָּצָא מִיַּד הֶדְיוֹט לְיַד מֶלֶךְ; וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא וַיָּקָם הַשָּׂדֶה וְהַמְּעָרָה אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ וְכָל הָעֵץ לְאַבְרָהָם לְמִקְנָה וגו':
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| 18as Abraham’s purchase publicly, in full view of the Hittites and of all who had come to the gate of his city. |
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יחלְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְמִקְנָ֖ה לְעֵינֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת בְּכֹ֖ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־עִירֽוֹ: |
| בְּכֹל בָּאֵי שַֽׁעַר־עִירֽוֹ - In full view of all who had come to the gate of his city. Among them all and in the presence of all of them, Ephron gave Abraham legal possession of it. |
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בְּכֹל בָּאֵי שַֽׁעַר־עִירֽוֹ.
בְּקֶרֶב כֻּלָּם וּבְמַעֲמַד כֻּלָּם הִקְנָהוּ לוֹ:
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| 19Abraham then buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the Field of Machpelah facing the plains of Mamre, which is Hebron, in Canaan. |
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יטוְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן֩ קָבַ֨ר אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֶל־מְעָרַ֞ת שְׂדֵ֧ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א הִ֣וא חֶבְר֑וֹן בְּאֶ֖רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן: |
| 20The field and its cave were thus confirmed as Abraham’s property as a burial ground, purchased from the Hittites through Ephron. |
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כוַיָּ֨קָם הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה וְהַמְּעָרָ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֛וֹ לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם לַֽאֲחֻזַּת־קָ֑בֶר מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵי־חֵֽת: |
| 1Abraham was old. He continued to deeply internalize his experiences. God had blessed Abraham with everything. |
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אוְאַבְרָהָ֣ם זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַֽיהֹוָ֛ה בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּכֹּֽל: |
| בֵּרַךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּֽל - [God] had blessed Abraham with everything. The numerical value of the word בַּכֹּל is the same as בֵּן (“son”), and since he had a son, he had to find him a wife. |
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בֵּרַךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּֽל.
בַּכֹּל עוֹלֶה בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא בֵּן, וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵּן הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַשִּׂיאוֹ אִשָּׁה:
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| 2He said to his servant Eliezer, the elder member of his household who was in charge of all that he owned: “Place your hand under my ‘thigh’ [i.e., reproductive organ], |
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בוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֗ם אֶל־עַבְדּוֹ֙ זְקַ֣ן בֵּית֔וֹ הַמּשֵׁ֖ל בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֑וֹ שִֽׂים־נָ֥א יָֽדְךָ֖ תַּ֥חַת יְרֵכִֽי: |
| זְקַן בֵּיתוֹ - The elder member of his household. Because the word זָקֵן “elder” is in the construct form, it is vocalized זְקַן. |
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זְקַן בֵּיתוֹ.
לְפִי שֶׁהוּא דָּבוּק נָקוּד זְקַן:
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| תַּחַת יְרֵכִֽי - Under my thigh. Since one who makes an oath must hold in his hand an object with which a commandment is performed, such as a Torah scroll, mezuzah or tefilin, and since circumcision was his first commandment and he fulfilled it with pain, it was particularly dear to him and he took it as the object with which to make the oath. |
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תַּחַת יְרֵכִֽי.
לְפִי שֶׁהַנִּשְׁבָּע צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּטֹּל בְּיָדוֹ חֵפֶץ שֶׁל מִצְוָה, כְּגוֹן סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה אוֹ תְּפִלִּין (שבועות ל"ח), וְהַמִּילָה הָיְתָה מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה לוֹ וּבָאָה לוֹ עַל יְדֵי צַעַר וְהָיְתָה חֲבִיבָה עָלָיו וּנְטָלָהּ:
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| 3and I will bind you by an oath to God, God of heaven and God of the earth. Do not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in whose midst I live. |
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גוְאַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲךָ֔ בַּֽיהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִבְּנוֹת֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ: |
| 4Instead, you must go to my former land, to Charan, the place where my family still lives, and take a wife from among them for my son, Isaac.” |
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דכִּ֧י אֶל־אַרְצִ֛י וְאֶל־מֽוֹלַדְתִּ֖י תֵּלֵ֑ךְ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֥ אִשָּׁ֖ה לִבְנִ֥י לְיִצְחָֽק: |
| 5The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not wish to follow me to this land. Should I take your son back to the land from which you departed?” |
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הוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ הָעֶ֔בֶד אוּלַי֙ לֹֽא־תֹאבֶ֣ה הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה לָלֶ֥כֶת אַֽחֲרַ֖י אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את הֶֽהָשֵׁ֤ב אָשִׁיב֙ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֔ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָצָ֥אתָ מִשָּֽׁם: |
| 6Abraham said to him, “Be most careful not to take my son back there. |
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ווַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אַבְרָהָ֑ם הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תָּשִׁ֥יב אֶת־בְּנִ֖י שָֽׁמָּה: |
| 7God, the God of heaven, who took me away from my father’s house in Charan, and from the land of my family, Ur of the Chaldeans, spoke concerning me—and even swore to me—saying, ‘To your offspring will I give this land,’ will send His angel ahead of you to orchestrate events to your advantage. With His help, you will take a wife for my son from there. |
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זיְהֹוָ֣ה | אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר לְקָחַ֜נִי מִבֵּ֣ית אָבִי֘ וּמֵאֶ֣רֶץ מֽוֹלַדְתִּי֒ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּר־לִ֜י וַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע־לִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַ֨רְעֲךָ֔ אֶתֵּ֖ן אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את ה֗וּא יִשְׁלַ֤ח מַלְאָכוֹ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֥ אִשָּׁ֛ה לִבְנִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם: |
| ה' אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי - God, the God of heaven, who took me away from my father’s house. Here he did not say, “and God of the earth,” while before he said, “and I will bind you by God, God of heaven and God of the earth.” He was in effect telling him: Now He is “God of heaven and God of the earth” because I have made His Name familiar among humanity, but when He took me from my father’s house He was known only as “God of heaven” and not “God of the earth,” since humanity did not acknowledge Him, and His Name was not commonly known on earth. |
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ה' אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי.
וְלֹא אָמַר "וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ", וּלְמַעְלָה אָמַר וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ וגו'? אָמַר לוֹ עַכְשָׁו הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהִרְגַּלְתִּיו בְּפִי הַבְּרִיּוֹת, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁלְּקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי הָיָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בָּאֵי עוֹלָם מַכִּירִים בּוֹ וּשְׁמוֹ לֹא הָיָה רָגִיל בָּאָרֶץ:
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| מִבֵּית אָבִי - From my father’s house - i.e., from Charan. |
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מִבֵּית אָבִי.
מֵחָרָן:
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| וּמֵאֶרֶץ מֽוֹלַדְתִּי - And from the land of my family - i.e., from Ur of the Chaldeans. |
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וּמֵאֶרֶץ מֽוֹלַדְתִּי.
מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים:
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| וַֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר־לִי - Who spoke (lit.) to me. לִי means here: “for my benefit,” similar to: “which He spoke concerning me (עָלַי).” Likewise, every לִי, לוֹ, and לָהֶם that follows the verb דַבֵּר (“to speak”) is to be explained in the sense of עַל “concerning,” and their translation in Aramaic is עֲלַי, עֲלוֹהִי, and עֲלֵיהוֹן respectively; for when used in the sense of “speaking to,” the verb דַבֵּר does not take לִי, לוֹ, and לָהֶם as the object, but אֵלַי, אֵלָיו, and אֲלֵיהֶם, and their translation in Aramaic is עִמִּי, עִמֵּיהּ, and עִמְּהוֹן. However, in the case of the verb אָמַר (“to say”), לִי, לוֹ, and לָהֶם are used as the object. |
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וַֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר־לִי.
לְצָרְכִּי; כְּמוֹ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלַי (מלכים א' ב'), וְכֵן כָּל לִי וְלוֹ וְלָהֶם הַסְּמוּכִים אֵצֶל דִּבּוּר מְפֹרָשִׁים בִּלְשוֹן עַל, וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁלָּהֶם עֲלַי, עֲלוֹהִי, עֲלֵיהוֹן, שֶׁאֵין נוֹפֵל אֵצֶל דִּבּוּר לְשׁוֹן לִי וְלוֹ וְלָהֶם, אֶלָּא אֵלַי, אֵלָיו, אֲלֵיהֶם, וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁלָּהֶם עִמִּי, עִמֵּיהּ, עִמְּהוֹן, אֲבָל אֵצֶל אֲמִירָה נוֹפֵל לְשׁוֹן לִי וְלוֹ וְלָהֶם:
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| וַֽאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע־לִי - And swore to me - at the covenant between the pieces. |
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וַֽאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע־לִי.
בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים:
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| 8But, despite all this, if the woman does not wish to follow you back here, you will be absolved of this oath of mine. In any event, do not return my son to there.” |
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חוְאִם־לֹ֨א תֹאבֶ֤ה הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת אַֽחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְנִקִּ֕יתָ מִשְּׁבֻֽעָתִ֖י זֹ֑את רַ֣ק אֶת־בְּנִ֔י לֹ֥א תָשֵׁ֖ב שָֽׁמָּה: |
| וְנִקִּיתָ משבועתי וגו' - You will be absolved of this oath of mine…. and then take a wife for him from the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. |
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וְנִקִּיתָ משבועתי וגו'.
וְקַח לוֹ אִשָּׁה מִבְּנוֹת עָנֵר אֶשְׁכּוֹל וּמַמְרֵא:
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| רַק אֶת־בְּנִי וגו' - In any event, [do not return] my son… The word רַק denotes a limitation: my son will not go back there, but Jacob, my grandson, will eventually go back. |
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רַק אֶת־בְּנִי וגו'.
רַק מִעוּט הוּא; בְּנִי אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר, אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב בֶּן בְּנִי סוֹפוֹ לַחֲזֹר:
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| 9So the servant placed his hand under the “thigh” of Abraham, his master, and swore to him regarding this. |
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טוַיָּ֤שֶׂם הָעֶ֨בֶד֙ אֶת־יָד֔וֹ תַּ֛חַת יֶ֥רֶךְ אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׁ֣בַע ל֔וֹ עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה: |
