Uncategorized

A Modern Biblical Translation

www.kabbalahwisdom.org

Chapter 26

1. There was a hunger in the land, aside from the previous hunger in the days of Avrohom; and Yitzchok went to Avimelech the king of the Pelishtim, to Gerar.

2. And God appeared to him and he told him – “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land that I will tell you.

3. Live in this land, and I will be with you and I will bless you, for, to you and your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will keep my promise that I swore to Avrohom your father.

4. And I will increase your children like the stars of the sky, and I will give your children all these lands, and through your children, all the nations of the world will be blessed.

5. Because Avrohom listened to my voice, and he safeguarded (to do) my commands and instructions.”

6. And Yitzchok dwelled in Gerar.

7. And the people of the locale, asked about his wife, and he said “She is my sister” – for he was afraid to say, ‘she is my wife – lest the people of the locale kill me over Rivka’ for she was beautiful.

8. And as he dwelled there a while, and Avimelech the king of the Pelishtim gazed in the window, and he saw Yitzchok jesting with Rivka his wife.

9. And Avimelech called Yitzchok and said, “But she is your wife” – “How is it you said ‘She is my sister’?” and Yitzchok said to him, “For I thought, lest I die over her.”

10 And Avimelech said, “What have you done to us, the king almost slept with your wife?! and you would have brought upon us sin.”

11 And Avimelech commanded his entire nation saying – “Whoever touches this man or his wife, will surely be put to death.”

12. And Yitzchok planted in the land, and his produce was a hundredfold (more than expected) and God blessed him.

13. And the man prospered continually to the extent of exceptionally.

14. He had much sheep and cattle, and great enterprises, and the Pelishtim became jealous of him.

15. And all the wells that the servants of his father, dug, in the days of Avrohom, the Pelishstim stuffed up, and filled them with dirt.

16. And Avimelech said to Yitzchok, “Leave us, for you have far exceeded us.”

17. And Yitzchok left there and he dwelled in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

18. And once again, Yitzchok dug the wells which were dug in the days of Avrohom his father, and the Pelishtim stuffed them after Avrohom passed on, and he called them with the same names as his father called them.

19. And the servants of Yitzchok dug in the valley, and they found a well of spring-water.

20. And the shepherds of Gerar fought with the the shepherds of Yitzchok, saying, the water belongs to us, and they called the name of the well Eisek, for they fought over it.

21 And they dug another well and again there was a quarrel over it, and they called it Sitnah (Hate.)

22. And he left that area and he dug another well, and there was no quarrel on it, and he called its name Richoivois (expansion) and he said, “Now God has benefited us, and we have multiplied in the land.”

23. And he went from there to Beer-Sheva.

24. And God appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of Avrohom your father, fear-not, for I am with you, and I will bless you, and multiply your offspring for the sake of Avrohom my servant.”

25. And he built there an altar and he called in the name of God, and he pitched there his tent and the servants of Yitzchok dug there a well.

26 And Avimelech came to him from Gerar and Achuzas his friend and Phichol his general (came with.)

27. And Yitzchok said, “Why have you come to me?” – “and you hate me, and you sent me from you(r land!)”

28. And they said – “We have clearly seen that God is with you, and we desire that there should be a pact between us, and we wish to form a covenant with you.

29 If you shall do to us evil – as we have not molested, but only did kindness to you, and sent you in peace… – so too should you do to us.”

30. And he made for them a feast, and they ate and drank

31 And they woke up in the morning and they swore to each other, and Yitzchok bade them farewell and they went from him in peace.

32 And that very day, the servants of Yitzchok came to him and they told him about the well they dug, and they told him, “We found water.”

33 And he called it Shivah, which is why the name of the city was called Beer-Sheva (the well of Sheva) to this very day.

34. Now Eisav was forty years old and he took a wife Yehudis, the daughter of Beiri, the Chiti, and Basmas, the daughter of Eiloin the Chiti.

35. And they were a source of misery for Yitzchok and Rivka.