וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵאתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים לָ֧תֶת לְךָ֛ אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

He said to him: I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, among other reasons, in order to give you this land to inherit it.

וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה׃

He said: My Lord God, how shall I know that I shall inherit it? This statement does not indicate a lack of faith in the fulfillment of God’s promise. However, the promise would come to pass only for Abram’s descendants, none of whom had yet been born, while in the present there was no practical expression of his possession of the land. Hence, Abram requested some sort of assurance or deed that would serve as a confirmation and reinforcement of the covenant.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו קְחָ֥ה לִי֙ עֶגְלָ֣ה מְשֻׁלֶּ֔שֶׁת וְעֵ֥ז מְשֻׁלֶּ֖שֶׁת וְאַ֣יִל מְשֻׁלָּ֑שׁ וְתֹ֖ר וְגוֹזָֽל׃

He said to him: Take Me a triple heifer, and a triple female goat, and a triple ram, and a dove, and a young pigeon.

וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אִישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַצִפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר׃

He took all these for him after they had each been slaughtered, divided them in the middle into approximately equal halves, and placed each half opposite the other, with a gap separating them. But the birds, the dove and young pigeon, he did not divide.

וַיֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יִט עַל־הַפְּגָרִ֑ים וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב אֹתָ֖ם אַבְרָֽם׃

The birds of prey, no specific bird, but birds of prey in general, descended onto the carcasses. These birds represent enemies who attempt to undermine the covenant. And Abram drove them away. He sought to fight these symbolic enemies and expel them. This indicates that the covenant and its fulfillment would encounter many future difficulties and threats, which must be opposed. Some explain that Abram put the pieces back to their initial state and miraculously restored them to life, as a sign of future renewal and resurrection.

וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃

This episode involved three stages: First came the initial prophetic vision, which Abram apparently experienced at night; this was followed by the preparations for the covenantal ritual and the descent of the birds of prey upon the carcasses, which occurred during the day. Then came the third and final stage, which is described in this verse: It was when the sun was setting; a deep sleep fell upon Abram. This was not an ordinary sleep due to tiredness, but an absolute inability to stay awake, as though an external factor put him in a trance. And behold, together with the deep sleep, a dread, a great darkness, a terrible fear devoid of specific content or meaning, fell upon him.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר ׀ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה׃

Here the covenant is formulated as a detailed, defined prophecy. He, God, said to Abram: Know that your descendants shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs. Indeed you will father children and will ultimately inherit the land, but your descendants shall not receive it immediately. The covenant will not be fulfilled in a smooth, straightforward manner. Beforehand, they will be foreigners and nomads like you are. However, in contrast to you, their wanderings will not be in this land that they are destined to inherit, but rather in a foreign place that is not their own. And furthermore, they shall be enslaved to them, the inhabitants of that foreign land; and they shall oppress them for four hundred years. The content of this prophecy fits the dread that Abram felt, but straightaway, God encouraged him with a promise:

וְגַ֧ם אֶת־הַגּ֛וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲבֹ֖דוּ דָּ֣ן אָנֹ֑כִי וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן יֵצְא֖וּ בִּרְכֻ֥שׁ גָּדֽוֹל׃

And also that nation that they shall serve, I will judge. Your descendants will suffer there for reasons of My own, but the nation that enslaves them will be punished for doing so. And afterwards, when the designated hour arrives, they, your children, will emerge with great property.

וְאַתָּ֛ה תָּב֥וֹא אֶל־אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם תִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָֽה׃

But these travails will not affect you personally, and you will not be exiled or suffer, but rather, you shall go to your fathers, you will die and be united with your ancestors in peace, and you shall even be buried at a good old age; you will live a long and peaceful life.

וְד֥וֹר רְבִיעִ֖י יָשׁ֣וּבוּ הֵ֑נָּה כִּ֧י לֹא־שָׁלֵ֛ם עֲוֺ֥ן הָאֱמֹרִ֖י עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃

And the fourth generation of your descendants shall return here to inherit the promised land, for the iniquity of the Emorite is not complete until then.

וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ בָּ֔אָה וַעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֔ר בֵּ֖ין הַגְּזָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

As stated above, the vision started when the sun began to set. It was when the sun had set, and there was extreme darkness, and behold, there was an appearance of a smoking furnace, a thick cloud of smoke, like the smoke that emerges from a furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between those pieces. The smoking furnace and smoking torch represent the Divine Presence passing between the pieces, thereby completing the covenantal ritual.

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֙תִּי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת׃

As befitting a formal covenant, its content is summarized in clear terms. On that day, the Lord established a covenant with Abram, saying: To your descendants I have given this land according to its greatest and fullest scope, from the river of Egypt, a name referring to the eastern branch of the Nile, often called the ravine of Egypt, which serves as the southwestern border of Canaan, until the great river, the Euphrates River, at its northeastern edge.

אֶת־הַקֵּינִי֙ וְאֶת־הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וְאֵ֖ת הַקַּדְמֹנִֽי׃

The promise of the inheritance of the land includes the removal of the nations currently living there: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites. The identity of these peoples is unknown, but it can be assumed that they dwelled outside the standard area known as Canaan.

וְאֶת־הַחִתִּ֥י וְאֶת־הַפְּרִזִּ֖י וְאֶת־הָרְפָאִֽים׃

And the Hitites, the Perizites, Canaanite nations; and the Refaim, the Anakim, mentioned above (14:5), and on several occasions in Deuteronomy (2:11, 20–21);

וְאֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְאֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וְאֶת־הַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י וְאֶת־הַיְבוּסִֽי׃ (ס)

the Emorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Yevusites .

וְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃

And Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children, despite the fact that they had been married for many years. According to some traditions, Abram was twenty-five years old, or even younger, when he married Sarai. And she had an Egyptian maidservant, and her name was Hagar. Hagar was apparently Sarai’s personal maidservant.

וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי׃

Sarai said to Abram: Please, behold, the Lord has kept me from bearing children; I cannot give birth. Please, consort with my maidservant; perhaps I shall be built and have children through her. Sarai may have felt that she was nearing the end of her years of fertility, and she hoped that this act would cause her to give birth as well. Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. He did not initiate the matter or act for his own reasons, but cooperated with his wife, and complied for her sake alone.

וַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her maidservant, at the conclusion of ten years of Abram’s residence in the land of Canaan. Sarai’s suggestion came after she and Abram had experienced many long journeys together. Ten years had passed since they had arrived in Canaan and they were still childless. And she gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. Hagar was apparently a full-fledged wife, not merely a maidservant or concubine. However, this change of status caused problems afterwards.

וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃

He, Abram, consorted with Hagar, and in a short time she conceived; she saw that she conceived, and her mistress was diminished in her eyes. Hagar saw her pregnancy as a sign of a new status. According to some Sages, she considered her conception an indication of moral superiority over her mistress. However, the change in her attitude toward Sarai can also be explained in a different manner. According to the laws and customs of several nations in ancient times, if a woman married to a man who has more than one wife bears him a child, especially a son, she becomes the primary wife. According to this, Hagar’s pregnancy strengthened her position, and even if she did not openly disparage her mistress, her self-esteem would increase.

וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֮ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶיךָ֒ אָנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יְהוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיׄךָ׃

The situation was very delicate for Sarai, and her emotional response to Hagar’s pregnancy was ambivalent. Sarai said to Abram: The villainy done to me [ h · ] is on you; you have done me wrong. In this context ḥamas does not bear its usual meaning of theft or robbery, but merely indicates an illegal or improper act. Sarai said: Of my own volition, I gave my maidservant into your bosom. And then she saw that she conceived and I was diminished in her eyes. Therefore, the Lord shall judge between me and you. This was not an outright accusation that Abram had harmed her, but a demand that he stand by her side in a more conspicuous manner.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ שָׂרַ֔י וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃

Abram said to Sarai: Behold, your maid is in your hand. Although she is pregnant with my child, I will not defend her; you can take her back as a maidservant. Apparently, Abram had not developed close ties with Hagar, or even if he had, he was willing to give her up for Sarai. Do to her that which is favorable in your eyes. So Sarai treated her harshly. The verse does not specify whether this harassment was mental or physical, if it involved reprimands, curses, the imposition of hard labor, or some other form of persecution. And she, Hagar, fled from her.

וַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה עַל־עֵ֥ין הַמַּ֖יִם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַל־הָעַ֖יִן בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ שֽׁוּר׃

The angel of the Lord found her in the wilderness at, or next to, the spring of water on the way to Shur, in the Negev.

וַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת׃

He said: Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant. The angel addressed her by name; he knew who she was. From where did you come, and where will you go? She said: From my mistress Sarai I flee.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה שׁ֖וּבִי אֶל־גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י תַּ֥חַת יָדֶֽיהָ׃

The angel of the Lord said to her: Return to your mistress, and suffer under her hands. So it has been decreed upon you, and this is the best thing for you.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה הַרְבָּ֥ה אַרְבֶּ֖ה אֶת־זַרְעֵ֑ךְ וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃

The angel of the Lord said to her: I will multiply your descendants; the child in your womb will grow into a great nation. And they shall not be counted due to their great number. Hagar’s child would also receive the blessing of fertility and strength granted to Abram.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־עָנְיֵֽךְ׃

The angel of the Lord said to her: Behold, as you already know, you are with child, and I am hereby informing you that you shall bear a son, not a daughter. You shall call his name Ishmael, as the Lord has heard [ shama ] your suffering.

וְה֤וּא יִהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃

He shall be a wild man. He will have a reputation as a wild, uncontrolled, and unsettled figure. His hand shall be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him; he will be continually involved in fights, quarrels, and wars. Perhaps the angel was alluding to the tendency of Ishmael and his descendants to choose the life of the nomad. As is typical of the nomadic existence, they would be drawn to banditry and suffer from endless conflicts. And yet, he shall dwell among all his brethren. He will achieve greatness in the eyes of his brothers and the members of his family.

וַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־יְהוָה֙ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי׃

Realizing that that the angel was no more than a messenger, she called, described, the name of the Lord who spoke to her as: You are the God of my vision, the God who is seen, the God who reveals Himself. It is hard to ascertain much about the character of the quiet Hagar, but as one who came from the house of Abram, she must have absorbed something of his worldview. She was therefore aware that the angel was not a god, but a mouthpiece of God. For she said: Have I seen a revelation here too, after my vision, in addition to those I saw in Abram’s house? Hagar had some prior familiarity with angels, as she had lived in a spiritual environment. She exclaimed in surprise that even here, in a distant wilderness, the God she had seen and known in her home had revealed Himself to her.

עַל־כֵּן֙ קָרָ֣א לַבְּאֵ֔ר בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י הִנֵּ֥ה בֵין־קָדֵ֖שׁ וּבֵ֥ין בָּֽרֶד׃

Therefore, one called the cistern Be’er Lahai Roi, meaning the well [ be’er ] of the living [ ḥai ] God of my vision [ ro’i ]. Behold, this well is still known, and is mentioned several times later (24:62; 25:11); it is located between Kadesh and Bered, to the south of Canaan.

וַתֵּ֧לֶד הָגָ֛ר לְאַבְרָ֖ם בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָ֧ם שֶׁם־בְּנ֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה הָגָ֖ר יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃

After returning home as instructed by the angel, Hagar ultimately bore to Abram a son; Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. It is possible that he had not heard from Hagar that this was the name recommended by the angel, and yet he selected it of his own accord, as the Lord had heard [ shama ] him and his misery as well, and had given him his firstborn son.

וְאַבְרָ֕ם בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים בְּלֶֽדֶת־הָגָ֥ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל לְאַבְרָֽם׃ (ס)

And Abram was eighty-six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃

Abram was ninety-nine years old, and the Lord appeared to Abram; He said to him: I am God Almighty. According to the majority of commentaries, this name denotes God’s might and involvement in reality, as the One who destroys and rebuilds new systems in the world. Walk before Me, serve Me, and be wholehearted, perfect. God had already established the Covenant between the Parts with Abram, a covenant that consisted of the eternal acquisition of the land of Canaan, and the continuation of his lineage. The covenant established here was a more personal one.

וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃

I shall establish My covenant between Me and you. This covenant was established with Abram as a private individual, and also with each of his descendants personally. And I will multiply you exceedingly.

וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃

Abram fell upon his face, in awe, due to the prophecy, and as an expression of his complete submission to whatever God was about to tell him, as the promise would no doubt include an obligation as well. And God spoke with him, saying:

אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃

I, My covenant is hereby being established with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃

This is a new status, and therefore your name shall no longer be called Abram, with its simple meaning of lofty [ ram ] father [ av ]. But rather, your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. As part of the covenant, the name given to him by his parents was exchanged for a name chosen by God. The meaning of this name is far more complex, and the verse itself explains it: The father of a multitude [ av hamon ], or the lofty father of a multitude.

וְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃

God promised Abraham: As the father of a multitude of nations, I will make you exceedingly fruitful, I will make you into the progenitor of various nations, and kings shall emerge from you and rule, each in his own realm.