Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 24:62/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״ד:ס״ב

אבָּא מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי יֹאמַר כִּי יִצְחָק בָּא עַתָּה מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, שֶׁשָּׁב מִבְּאֵר לַחַי שֶׁבָּא שָׁמָּה, שֶׁאִלּוּ אָמַר "בָּא מִבְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי" הָיָה נִרְאֶה שֶׁהָיָה דָּר שָׁם, וּלְכָךְ הֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵשׁ כִּי הוּא שָׁב לְעִירוֹ מִבִּיאָתוֹ שֶׁבָּא אֶל בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי לְפִי שָׁעָה, כִּי הוּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב וְחוֹזֵר לְעִירוֹ. וְיִתָּכֵן בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת "מִבּוֹא" מָקוֹר, שֶׁהָיָה יִצְחָק הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִיד אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, כִּי הוּא לוֹ מְקוֹם תְּפִלָּה בַּעֲבוּר הֵרָאוֹת שָׁם הַמַּלְאָךְ, וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב קָרוֹב מִשָּׁם, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית כ"ד:ס"ב) אֲתָא מִמֵּתוֹהִי, וְעַל דַּעְתּוֹ הוּא בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם "בֵּין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר" (בראשית כ':א') וּ"בֵין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין בָּרֶד" (בראשית ט"ז:י"ד) "רְקַם וְחַגְרָא", וְאִם כֵּן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מְקוֹם אֵשֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, רָאוּי לִתְפִלָּה. וְהִנֵּה יִצְחָק בָּא מִן הַבְּאֵר הַהִיא אֶל עִיר אַחֶרֶת אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בְּדֶרֶךְ עִירוֹ, וְיָצָא לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה עִם רֵעָיו וְאוֹהֲבָיו אֲשֶׁר שָׁם, וּמָצָא אֶת הָעֶבֶד וְרִבְקָה, וְהָלְכוּ כֻּלָּם יַחְדָּו אֶל עִירוֹ וַיְבִיאֶהָ הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ:

1AND ISAAC ‘BA MIBO’ (HAD JUST COME) FROM THE WELL LAHAI-ROI. Scripture states that Isaac had just now come from the well Lahai-roi, having returned from the well of Lahai-roi to which he had previously come. Had the verse stated, “Ba (he came) from the well of Lahai,” it would have appeared as if he lived there. Therefore, it was necessary to explain ba mibo as meaning that he returned to his city from the temporary visit that he had made to the well of Lahai-roi, for he abode in the south country and he was returning to his city.It is possible that since the word mibo is an infinitive, it indicates that Isaac constantly went to that place since it was a place of prayer for him because of the revelation of the angel there,¹³³ and he abode in the south country near there. And so did Onkelos translate it, “He came from his coming,” [thus indicating that he was in the habit of so doing].In Onkelos’ opinion this was Beer-sheba for he translated both between Kadesh and Shur¹³⁴ and between Kadesh and Bered¹³⁵, 16:14. as “Rekem and Chagra.”¹³⁶ If so, that place — the place of the tamarisk-tree of Abraham¹³⁷ — was suitable for prayer. Now Isaac came from that well while he was on his way to another city which was on the same road as his city, and he went out towards eventide to converse in the field with his companions and friends who were there. He met the servant and Rebekah, whereupon they all walked together to the city, and Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent.¹³⁸