Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 16:14/אבן עזרא על בראשית ט״ז:י״ד
אבאר לחי לאשר יהיה חי לשנה האחרת, כטעם "כה לחי" (ש"א כה ו), כי בבל שנה הי' חוגגים הישמעאלים אל הבאר הזאת, גם היום יקרא באר זמום:
1BEER-LAHAI. Beer lahai means the well of him who will be alive next year.23 as meaning the well (be’er) that he who is alive next year (la-chai) shall see me there (ro’i). Since the Ishmaelites met yearly at this well, they referred to it by this name. Compare, ko le-chai (so to life next year) (I Sam. 25:6).24 (Netter). The well was so called because the Ishmaelites held annual festivities at this well. It is still in existence and is called the well of zamum.