| 1And Abram came up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that was his, and Lot with him, to the south. |
|
אוַיַּ֩עַל֩ אַבְרָ֨ם מִמִּצְרַ֜יִם ה֠וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וְל֥וֹט עִמּ֖וֹ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה: |
| And Abram came up, etc., to the south. To come to the south of the Land of Israel, as Scripture stated above (12:9): continually traveling southward to Mount Moriah. And in every case when one goes from Egypt to the land of Canaan, he goes from south to north, for the land of Egypt is south of the Land of Israel, as is evidenced by the travels [of the Jews in the desert] and by the boundaries of the Land. |
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וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם וגו' הַנֶּֽגְבָּה.
לָבֹא לִדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְֹרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּגְבָּה, לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה; וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם כְּשֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, מִדָּרוֹם לְצָפוֹן הוּא מְהַלֵּךְ, שֶׁאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמוֹ שֶׁמּוֹכִיחַ בַּמַּסָּעוֹת וּבִגְבוּלֵי הָאָרֶץ:
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| 2And Abram was very heavy with cattle, with silver, and with gold. |
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בוְאַבְרָ֖ם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד בַּמִּקְנֶ֕ה בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וּבַזָּהָֽב: |
| very heavy. laden with burdens. |
|
כָּבֵד מְאֹד.
טָעוּן מַשָּׂאוֹת:
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| 3And he went on his journeys, from the south and until Beth el, until the place where his tent had been previously, between Beth el and between Ai. |
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גוַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ לְמַסָּעָ֔יו מִנֶּ֖גֶב וְעַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל עַד־הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֤ם אָֽהֳלֹה֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה בֵּ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעָֽי: |
| And he went on his journeys. When he returned from Egypt to the land of Canaan, he went and lodged in the inns where he had lodged on his way to Egypt. This teaches you etiquette, that a person should not change his lodgings (Arachin 16b). Another explanation (Gen. Rabbah 41: 3): On his return, he paid his debts. |
|
וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו.
כְּשֶׁחָזַר מִמִּצְרַיִם לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְלָן בָּאַכְסַנְיוֹת שֶׁלָּן בָּהֶם בַּהֲלִיכָתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, לִמֶּדְךָ דֶּרֶך אֶרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁנֶּה אָדָם מֵאַכְסַנְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר בַּחֲזָרָתוֹ פָּרַע הַקָּפוֹתָיו (בראשית רבה):
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| from the south. The land of Egypt is south of the land of Canaan. |
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מִנֶּגֶב.
אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן:
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| 4To the place of the altar that he had made at first, and Abram called there in the name of the Lord. |
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דאֶל־מְקוֹם֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה שָׁ֖ם בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א שָׁ֛ם אַבְרָ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
| that he had made at first, and Abram called there. And where Abram had called in the name of the Lord. We may also say that it means: and now he called there in the name of the Lord. |
|
אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה שָׁם בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָה.
וַאֲשֶׁר קָרָא שָׁם אַבְרָם בְּשֵׁם ה' וְגַם יֵשׁ לוֹמַר וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם עַכְשָׁו בְּשֵׁם ה':
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| 5And also Lot, who went with Abram, had flocks and cattle and tents. |
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הוְגַ֨ם־לְל֔וֹט הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָ֑ם הָיָ֥ה צֹֽאן־וּבָקָ֖ר וְאֹֽהָלִֽים: |
| who went with Abram. What brought about that he had this [wealth]? His going with Abram. [from B.K. 93a] |
|
הַֽהֹלֵךְ אֶת־אַבְרָם.
מִי גָרַם שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ זֹאת? הֲלִיכָתוֹ עִם אַבְרָם:
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| 6And the land did not bear them to dwell together, for their possessions were many, and they could not dwell together. |
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ווְלֹֽא־נָשָׂ֥א אֹתָ֛ם הָאָ֖רֶץ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה רְכוּשָׁם֙ רָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א יָֽכְל֖וּ לָשֶׁ֥בֶת יַחְדָּֽו: |
| And…did not bear. It was unable to supply enough pasture for their cattle, and this is an abbreviated expression, and an additional word is needed. [It is to be explained] as: “And the pasture of the land could not bear them.” Therefore, וְלֹא נָשָׂא is written in the masculine gender. |
|
וְלֹֽא־נָשָׂא אֹתָם.
לֹא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לְהַסְפִּיק מִרְעֶה לְמִקְנֵיהֶם, וְלָשׁוֹן קָצָר הוּא, וְצָרִיךְ לְהוֹסִיף עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ וְלֹא נָשָׂא אוֹתָם מִרְעֵה הָאָרֶץ, לְפִיכָךְ כָּתַב וְלֹא נָשָׂא בִּלְשׁוֹן זָכָר:
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| 7And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and between the herdsmen of Lot's cattle, and the Canaanites and the Perizzites were then dwelling in the land. |
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זוַֽיְהִי־רִ֗יב בֵּ֚ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵֽה־אַבְרָ֔ם וּבֵ֖ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵה־ל֑וֹט וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י אָ֖ז ישֵׁ֥ב בָּאָֽרֶץ: |
| And there was a quarrel. Since Lot’s herdsmen were wicked, and they pastured their animals in fields belonging to others, Abram’s herdsmen rebuked them for committing robbery, but they responded, “The land was given to Abram, who has no heir; so Lot will inherit him, and therefore this is not robbery.” But Scripture states: “And the Canaanites and the Perizzites were then dwelling in the land,” and Abram had not yet been awarded its possession. [from Gen. Rabbah 41:5] |
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וַֽיְהִי־רִיב.
לְפִי שְׁהָיוּ רוֹעִים שֶׁל לוֹט רְשָׁעִים וּמַרְעִים בְּהֶמְתָּם בִּשְׂדוֹת אֲחֵרִים, וְרוֹעֵי אַבְרָם מוֹכִיחִים אוֹתָם עַל הַגֶּזֶל, וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים נִתְּנָה הָאָרֶץ לְאַבְרָם, וְלוֹ אֵין יוֹרֵשׁ, וְלוֹט יוֹרְשׁוֹ, וְאֵין זֶה גֶּזֶל, וְהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי אָז יֹשֵׁב בָּאָרֶץ, וְלֹא זָכָה בָהּ אַבְרָם עֲדַיִן (ב"ר):
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| 8And Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no quarrel between me and between you and between my herdsmen and between your herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. |
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חוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־ל֗וֹט אַל־נָ֨א תְהִ֤י מְרִיבָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ וּבֵ֥ין רֹעַ֖י וּבֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים אַחִ֖ים אֲנָֽחְנוּ: |
| kinsmen. meaning relatives, and according to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 41:6), they resembled each other in their facial features. |
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אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים.
קְרוֹבִים, וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה דּוֹמִין בִּקְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים:
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| 9Is not all the land before you? Please part from me; if [you go] left, I will go right, and if [you go] right, I will go left." |
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טהֲלֹ֤א כָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הִפָּ֥רֶד נָ֖א מֵֽעָלָ֑י אִם־הַשְּׂמֹ֣אל וְאֵימִ֔נָה וְאִם־הַיָּמִ֖ין וְאַשְׂמְאִֽילָה: |
| if [you go] left, I will go right. Wherever you dwell, I will not distance myself from you, and I will stand by you as a protector and a helper. And he ultimately needed him, as it is said (below 14:14): “And Abram heard that his kinsman had been captured, etc.” |
|
אִם־הַשְּׂמֹאל וְאֵימִנָה.
בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תֵּשֵׁב, לֹא אֶתְרַחֵק מִמְּךָ וְאֶעֱמֹד לְךָ לְמָגֵן וּלְעֵזֶר, וְסוֹף דָּבָר הֻצְרַךְ לוֹ, שְׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגוֹ':
|
| I will go right. [Grammatically, this means] “I will go towards the right,” like וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה, “and I will go towards the left.” Now if you say that it should have been vowelized וְאַיְמִינָה, we find the same in another place (viz., II Sam. 14:19): “if anyone can turn to the right (לַהֵמִין),” and it is not vowelized לְהַיְמִין. |
|
וְאֵימִנָה.
אַיְמִין אֶת עַצְמִי, כְּמוֹ וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה אַשְׂמְאִיל אֶת עַצְמִי. וְאִם תֹּאמַר הָיָה לוֹ לִנָּקֵד וְאַיְמִינָה, כָּךְ מָצִינוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר אִם יֵשׁ לְהֵמִין (שמואל ב י"ד) וְאֵין נָקוּד לְהַיְמִין:
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| 10And Lot raised his eyes, and he saw the entire plain of the Jordan, that it was entirely watered; before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you come to Zoar. |
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יוַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י | שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהֹוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּֽאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר: |
| that it was entirely watered. A land with streams of water. |
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כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה.
אֶרֶץ נַחֲלֵי מַיִם:
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| before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. that plain was: |
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לִפְנֵי שַׁחֵת ה' אֶת־סדום וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָה.
הָיָה אוֹתוֹ מִישׁוֹר:
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| like the garden of the Lord. for [growing] trees. |
|
כְּגַן־ה'.
לָאִילָנוֹת:
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| like the land of Egypt. for [growing] seeds
(Gen. Rabbah 41:7). |
|
כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.
לַזְּרָעִים (בראשית רבה):
|
| as you come to Zoar. Until Zoar. And the Midrash Aggadah interprets it unfavorably: it was because they were lascivious that Lot chose their region for himself (Tractate Horioth 10b). |
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בֹּֽאֲכָה צֹֽעַר.
עַד צֹעַר. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה דוֹרְשָׁהּ לִגְנַאי, עַל שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּפֵי זִמָּה בָּחַר לוֹ לוֹט בִּשְׁכוּנָתָם:
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| 11And Lot chose for himself the entire plain of the Jordan, and Lot traveled from the east, and they parted from one another. |
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יאוַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ ל֗וֹט אֵ֚ת כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּסַּ֥ע ל֖וֹט מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיִּפָּ֣רְד֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו: |
| plain. Heb. כִּכָּר, the plain, as the Targum renders it. Note that according to Rashi, כִּכָּר is not the generic term for a plain, but the proper name of the Plain of the Jordan. See below (14:5). |
|
כִּכַּר.
מִישׁוֹר, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
|
| from the east. He traveled from beside Abram and went away to the west of Abram; hence, he travelled from east to west (Targum Jonathan). According to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 41:7), he distanced himself from the Ancient One (מִקַּדְמוֹנוֹ) of the world. He said, “I care neither for Abram nor for his God.” |
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מִקֶּדֶם.
נָסַע מֵאֵצֶל אַבְרָם וְהָלַך לוֹ לְמַעֲרָבוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָם; נִמְצָא נוֹסֵעַ מִמִּזְרָח לְמַעֲרָב. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הִסִּיעַ עַצְמוֹ מִקַּדְמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם; אָמַר אִי אֶפְשִׁי לֹא בְּאַבְרָם וְלֹא בֵאלֹהָיו:
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| 12Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and he pitched his tents until Sodom. |
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יבאַבְרָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן וְל֗וֹט יָשַׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיֶּֽאֱהַ֖ל עַד־סְדֹֽם: |
| and he pitched his tents. He pitched tents for his herdsmen and his cattle until Sodom. |
|
וַיֶּֽאֱהַל.
נָטָה אֳהָלִים לְרוֹעָיו וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עַד סְדוֹם:
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| 13And the people of Sodom were very evil and sinful against the Lord. |
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יגוְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סְדֹ֔ם רָעִ֖ים וְחַטָּאִ֑ים לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד: |
| And the people of Sodom were…evil. Nevertheless, Lot did not hesitate to sojourn with them. And our Rabbis (Yoma 38b) learned from here that (Prov. 10:7) “the name of the wicked shall rot.” [Having mentioned them, the Torah speaks of their evil.] |
|
וְאַנְשֵׁי סדום רָעִים.
וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא נִמְנַע לוֹט מִלִּשְׁכֹּן עִמָּהֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן (יומא ל"ח) וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב (משלי י'):
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| evil. with their bodies. |
|
רָעִים.
בְּגוּפָם:
|
| and sinful. with their money. [from Sanh. 109a] |
|
וְחַטָּאִים.
בְּמָמוֹנָם (סנה' ק"ט):
|
| very… against the Lord. They recognized their Master and intended to rebel against Him. [from Sifra, Bechukkothai 2] |
|
לה' מְאֹֽד.
יוֹדְעִים רִבּוֹנָם, וּמִתְכַּוְּנִים לִמְרֹד בּוֹ:
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| 14And the Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Please raise your eyes and see, from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward. |
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ידוַֽיהֹוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הִפָּֽרֶד־ל֣וֹט מֵֽעִמּ֔וֹ שָׂ֣א נָ֤א עֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ וּרְאֵ֔ה מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה שָׁ֑ם צָפֹ֥נָה וָנֶ֖גְבָּה וָקֵ֥דְמָה וָיָֽמָּה: |
| after Lot had parted. As long as the wicked man was with him, the Divine speech withdrew from him (and above, when Lot was with him, and it is written (12:7): “And the Lord appeared to Abram,” [we must assume that] at that time, he was righteous, and this is easy to understand). [from Tan. Vayeze 10] |
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אַֽחֲרֵי הִפָּֽרֶד־לוֹט.
כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָרָשָׁע עִמּוֹ הָיָה הַדִּבּוּר פּוֹרֵשׁ מִמֵֶּנּוּ:
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| 15For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your seed to eternity. |
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טוכִּ֧י אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם: |
| 16And I will make your seed like the dust of the earth, so that if a man will be able to count the dust of the earth, so will your seed be counted. |
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טזוְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּֽעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר | אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה: |
| that if a man will be able. Just as it is impossible for the dust to be counted, so will your seed not be counted. [from Targum Onkelos] |
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אֲשֶׁר אִם־יוּכַל אִישׁ.
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לֶעָפָר לְהִמָּנוֹת כָּךְ זַרְעֲךָ לֹא יִמָּנֶה:
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| 17Rise, walk in the land, to its length and to its breadth, for I will give it to you." |
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יזק֚וּם הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בָּאָ֔רֶץ לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י לְךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה: |
| 18And Abram pitched his tents, and he came, and he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. |
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יחוַיֶּֽאֱהַ֣ל אַבְרָ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֛א וַיֵּ֛שֶׁב בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה: |
| Mamre. the name of a man. [from Gen. Rabbah 42:8] |
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מַמְרֵא.
שֵׁם אָדָם:
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