Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 26:20/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״ו:כ׳

אוַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַבְּאֵר עֵשֶׂק יְסַפֵּר הַכָּתוּב וְיַאֲרִיךְ בְּעִנְיַן הַבְּאֵרוֹת, וְאֵין בִּפְשׁוּטֵי הַסִּפּוּר תּוֹעֶלֶת וְלֹא כָּבוֹד גָּדוֹל לְיִצְחָק, וְהוּא וְאָבִיו עָשׂוּ אוֹתָם בְּשָׁוֶה. אֲבָל יֵשׁ בַּדָּבָר עִנְיָן נִסְתָּר בְּתוֹכוֹ, כִּי בָּא לְהוֹדִיעַ דָּבָר עָתִיד, כִּי "בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים" יִרְמֹז לְבֵית אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל יִצְחָק, וְלָכֵן הִזְכִּיר "בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים", כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (ירמיהו יז יג) "מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים אֶת ה'". וְקָרָא הָרִאשׁוֹן עֵשֶׂק, יִרְמֹז לַבַּיִת הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ עִמָּנוּ וְעָשׂוּ אוֹתָנוּ כַּמָּה מַחְלוֹקוֹת וְכַמָּה מִלְחָמוֹת עַד שֶׁהֶחְרִיבוּהוּ. וְהַשֵּׁנִי קְרָא שְׁמָהּ שִׂטְנָה, שֵׁם קָשֶׁה מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְהוּא הַבַּיִת הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁקָּרָא אוֹתוֹ כִּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (עזרא ד ו) "וּבְמַלְכוּת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ בִּתְחִלַּת מַלְכוּתוֹ כָּתְבוּ שִׂטְנָה עַל יֹשְׁבֵי יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם", וְכָל יָמָיו הָיוּ לָנוּ לְשִׂטְנָה עַד שֶׁהֶחְרִיבוּהוּ וְגָלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ גָּלוּת רָעָה. וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי קָרָא רְחוֹבוֹת, הוּא הַבַּיִת הֶעָתִיד שֶׁיִּבְנֶה בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, וְהוּא יֵעָשֶׂה בְּלֹא רִיב וּמַצָּה, וְהָאֵל יַרְחִיב אֶת גְּבוּלֵנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יט ח) "וְאִם יַרְחִיב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת גְּבוּלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר" וְגוֹ', שֶׁהוּא לֶעָתִיד, וּכְתִיב בַּבַּיִת הַשְּׁלִישִׁי (יחזקאל מא ז) "וְרָחֲבָה וְנָסְבָה לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה", וּפָרִינוּ בָּאָרֶץ, שֶׁכָּל הָעַמִּים יַעַבְדוּהוּ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד:

1AND HE CALLED THE NAME OF THE WELL ESEK. Scripture gives a lengthy account of the matter of the wells when in the literal interpretation of the story there would seem to be no benefit nor any great honor to Isaac in that he and his father did the identical thing.¹⁷⁴ However, there is a hidden matter involved here since Scripture’s purpose is to make known a future matter. A well of living water alludes to the House of G-d which the children of Isaac will build. This is why Scripture mentions a well of living waters, even as it says, A fountain of living waters, the Eternal.¹⁷⁵, which is the house of the Eternal. He called the first well Esek (Contention), which is an allusion to the First House,¹⁷⁶ concerning which the nations contended with us and instigated quarrels and wars with us until they destroyed it. The second well he called Sitnah (Enmity),¹⁷⁷ a name harsher than the first. This alludes to the Second House,¹⁷⁸ which has indeed been referred to by this very name, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote ‘sitnah’¹⁷⁹ appears in connection with the Second Sanctuary. against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.¹⁸⁰ And during its entire existence they¹⁸¹ were a source of enmity unto us until they destroyed it and drove us from it into bitter exile. The third well he called Rechovoth (Spacious). This is a reference to the Future House, which will be speedily built in our days, and it will be done without quarrel and feud, and G-d will enlarge our borders, even as it says, And if the Eternal thy G-d enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn, etc.,¹⁸² which refers to the future. And concerning the Third House of the future it is written, Broader¹⁸³, from the same root as the name of the third well, Rechovoth. The connection between the third well and the Third Temple of the future, concerning which Ezekiel prophesied, is thus established. and winding about higher and higher.¹⁸⁴ [The concluding statement in the present narrative, concerning the naming of the third well], And we shall be fruitful in the land,¹⁸⁵ signifies that all peoples will come to worship G-d with one consent.¹⁸⁶