וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִלְּבַד֙ הָרָעָ֣ב הָרִאשֹׁ֔ון אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל־אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה׃
Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Avraham, and Yitsḥaq went to Avimelekh, king of the Pelishtim, in Gerar.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֤י (Vayhi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal, wayyiqtol (past narrative), 3ms; Translation: “Now there was”; Notes: Introduces the narrative of the famine.
- רָעָב֙ (Raʿav) – Root: רעב (r-ʿ-v); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “Famine”; Notes: The subject of the clause.
- בָּאָ֔רֶץ (Baʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Noun, fs with definite article and preposition; Translation: “In the land”; Notes: Specifies the location of the famine.
- מִלְּבַד֙ (Milvad) – Root: לבד (l-v-d); Form: Preposition with prefix; Translation: “Besides”; Notes: Introduces a comparison to the earlier famine.
- הָרָעָ֣ב (Haraʿav) – Root: רעב (r-ʿ-v); Form: Noun, ms with definite article; Translation: “The famine”; Notes: Refers to the previous famine.
- הָרִאשֹׁ֔ון (Harishon) – Root: ראש (r-ʾ-sh); Form: Adjective, ms with definite article; Translation: “The former”; Notes: Describes the earlier famine.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (Asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- הָיָ֖ה (Hayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal, perfect, 3ms; Translation: “Had occurred”; Notes: Refers to the time of the first famine.
- בִּימֵ֣י (Biymei) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Noun, mp in construct with preposition; Translation: “In the days of”; Notes: Indicates the time period.
- אַבְרָהָ֑ם (Avraham) – Root: אברהם (ʾ-v-r-h-m); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Avraham”; Notes: Refers to the patriarch.
- וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ (Vayyelekh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Qal, wayyiqtol (past narrative), 3ms; Translation: “And he went”; Notes: Action taken by Yitsḥaq in response to the famine.
- יִצְחָ֛ק (Yitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (ṣ-ḥ-q); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yitsḥaq”; Notes: Subject of the action “went.”
- אֶל־אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ (El-Avimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾ-v-y-m-l-k); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “To Avimelekh”; Notes: Destination of Yitsḥaq’s journey.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (Melekh-Pelishtim) – Root: מלך (m-l-k) / פלשתי (p-l-sh-t-y); Form: Noun, ms construct with gentilic; Translation: “King of the Pelishtim”; Notes: Title and nationality of Avimelekh.
- גְּרָֽרָה (Gerarah) – Root: גרר (g-r-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gerar”; Notes: The city where Avimelekh resided.
Morphological Analysis
וַיְהִ֤י (wayhî)
- Root: היה (hyh)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “Now there was”
רָעָב֙ (rāʿāḇ)
- Root: רעב (rʿb)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “famine”
בָּאָ֔רֶץ (bāʾāreṣ)
- Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition
- Translation: “in the land”
מִלְּבַד֙ (milləḇaḏ)
- Root: לבד (lbd)
- Form: Preposition
- Translation: “besides”
הָרָעָ֣ב (hārāʿāḇ)
- Root: רעב (rʿb)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article
- Translation: “the famine”
הָרִאשֹׁ֔ון (hāriʾšōn)
- Root: ראשון (rʾšwn)
- Form: Adjective, masculine singular
- Translation: “the first” or “former”
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾăšer)
- Form: Relative pronoun
- Translation: “that”
הָיָ֖ה (hāyāh)
- Root: היה (hyh)
- Form: Qal Perfect 3ms
- Translation: “had been”
בִּימֵ֣י (bîmê)
- Root: יום (ywm)
- Form: Noun, masculine plural construct
- Translation: “in the days of”
אַבְרָהָ֑ם (ʾaḇrāhām)
- Root: אברהם (ʾbrhm)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Abraham”
וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ (wayyēleḵ)
- Root: הלך (hlk)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “And he went”
יִצְחָ֛ק (yiṣḥāq)
- Root: יצחק (yṣḥq)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Isaac”
אֶל־אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ (ʾel-ʾaḇîmeleḵ)
- Root: אבימלך (ʾbymlk)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular with preposition
- Translation: “to Abimelech”
מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (meleḵ-pəlištîm)
- Root: מלך (mlk), פלשתים (plštm)
- Form: Noun construct, masculine singular + proper noun, masculine plural
- Translation: “king of the Philistines”
גְּרָֽרָה (gəṯārāh)
- Root: גרר (grr)
- Form: Proper noun, feminine singular
- Translation: “to Gerar”
Syntax Analysis
The verse begins with וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ (“Now there was a famine”), setting the stage for the narrative. The prepositional phrase מִלְּבַד֙ הָרָעָ֣ב הָרִאשֹׁ֔ון (“besides the former famine”) provides context by referring to an earlier event. The main action וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק (“And Isaac went”) introduces the movement of the protagonist, and the prepositional phrase אֶל־אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה (“to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar”) specifies his destination.
Grammatical Analysis
The imperfect verb וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ (\”and he went\”) with a conversive vav indicates a past completed action in the narrative. The use of מִלְּבַד (“besides”) introduces a comparative aspect, emphasizing that this famine is different from the previous one. The construct בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם (“in the days of Abraham”) serves as a temporal marker, connecting the current event to a prior historical context. The proper noun אֶל־אֲבִימֶּ֥לֶךְ (“to Abimelech”) with the preposition introduces the figure Isaac approaches, adding specificity to the narrative setting.
Lexical Semantics and Word Study
- רעב (rāʿāḇ): Refers to a severe shortage of food, often leading to hardship and migration, as seen in other biblical contexts.
- הלך (hlk): To go or walk, denoting movement or a journey, which in this context indicates Isaac’s proactive step in response to the famine.
- גרר (Gerar): A significant location associated with the Philistines, often appearing in narratives involving the patriarchs and serving as a place of refuge or encounter.
Textual Criticism
The text is consistent across the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and other ancient sources. The mention of a famine occurring “besides the former famine” aligns with earlier references in Genesis, reinforcing the historical continuity between Abraham’s and Isaac’s experiences. This consistency underscores the thematic parallel of challenges faced by the patriarchs.