וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְגָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי־גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד׃

The man grew wealthy, and continued to grow until he became very wealthy. Since Isaac grew more crops than he required, he sold the surplus and became wealthy as a result.

וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ מִקְנֵה־צֹאן֙ וּמִקְנֵ֣ה בָקָ֔ר וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיְקַנְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

He had livestock of flocks, and livestock of cattle, and a great household, a general term covering slaves, maidservants, and all his household staff; the Philistines envied him, as his neighbors were not similarly blessed in their fields.

וְכָל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר׃

Here the chapter inserts a comment that will be important for the continuation of the story: All the cisterns that his father’s servants dug in the days of Abraham, his father, the Philistines sealed them after Abraham left Gerar, and filled them with earth. Isaac was uncomfortable in Gerar not only due to his great wealth, which aroused envy among his neighbors, but also because his father’s wells had been filled with earth.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־יִצְחָ֑ק לֵ֚ךְ מֵֽעִמָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי־עָצַֽמְתָּ־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד׃

The envy and general resentment of the residents of Gerar toward Isaac also finds expression in a statement of the king, which represents the overall feeling of the public. Avimelekh said to Isaac: Leave us, for you have grown much mightier than we. You are too strong for us; one who grows wealthy in such an irregular manner is liable to upset the social and political balance in our community.

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם יִצְחָ֑ק וַיִּ֥חַן בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב שָֽׁם׃

Isaac left there, probably southward, and he encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there.

וַיָּ֨שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו׃

As he required water in his new place, Isaac again dug the cisterns of water that they had dug in the days of Abraham, his father, and that the Philistines had sealed after the death of Abraham. There were certainly sufficient markers by which he could locate the wells. He called them names like the names that his father called them. Due to their importance, the serviceable wells were given names.

וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃

Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, as it is easy to find ground water in the channels of streams, and they found there a well of fresh water.

וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם־רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק כִּ֥י הִֽתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃

The herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying: The water is ours. Since you are residing near our city of Gerar, in our territory, the water belongs to us. He called the name of the well Esek, because they involved themselves [hitasseku], fought, with him.

וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם־עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה׃

They, Isaac’s servants, dug another well, and they, the Philistines, quarreled over it as well. He called it Sitna, accusation.

וַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב יְהוָ֛ה לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ׃

Again he, Isaac, moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He called its name Rehovot, and he said: As now the Lord has expanded space [hirh] · for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land; now we can dwell in our place in peace. Isaac assumed that the herdsmen of Gerar would likely leave this particular well alone, as they preferred to tend their flocks nearer to their city, and the well was situated far from their territory.