# Torah with Onkelos
## Parashat Chayei Sarah — Fourth Aliyah
### Bereshit 24:27 – 24:52
*Lavan's welcome, the servant's account of his mission, and the family's consent, read through Targum Onkelos*
---
## Contents
- [Orientation](#orientation)
- [How this booklet is laid out](#layout)
- [Unit 1 — Bereshit 24:27–35: The servant at Lavan's door](#unit-1)
- [Unit 2 — Bereshit 24:36–44: The servant recounts the oath and the sign](#unit-2)
- [Unit 3 — Bereshit 24:45–52: The servant ends his account, and Lavan and Besueil consent](#unit-3)
- [Conclusion of the aliyah](#conclusion)
- [Aramaic word list for the aliyah](#glossary)
- [Source note](#source-note)
---
## Orientation
**What happens in this aliyah.** Avraham's servant, having found Rivkah at the well, blesses Hashem for leading him to his master's kin, and Rivkah runs home with the news. Her brother Lavan, seeing the nose ring and bracelets, hurries out, brings the man into the house and provides for his camels and his men. Food is set before him, but the servant will not eat until he has spoken. He then retells the whole story: Hashem's blessing of Avraham, the son Sarah bore in her old age, the oath not to take a wife from the Canaanites but from Avraham's family, the sign he asked for at the spring, and its fulfilment when Rivkah came out, gave him to drink and watered his camels. He asks for a plain answer; Lavan and Besueil reply that the matter has come from Hashem and give Rivkah to be a wife for his master's son, and the servant prostrates himself to Hashem.
**What Onkelos is.** Targum Onkelos is the classical Aramaic translation of the Torah, read for centuries alongside the Hebrew; the Talmud speaks of reviewing the weekly portion "twice in the Hebrew and once in the Targum". Because it is a translation, it rarely adds explanation in so many words. Its interpretation lies in its choices: which Aramaic word it uses, where it adds or omits a word, how it handles a difficult phrase, and where it departs from a word-for-word rendering.
**How this booklet reads Onkelos.** The notes compare the Aramaic with the Hebrew and nothing else. No later commentators are brought in. Where a note draws a conclusion about what Onkelos meant, it is stated as an inference from the text, not as established fact.
**What to look out for in this aliyah.**
- **"Before Hashem".** Where the Hebrew joins a preposition to the Name, Onkelos writes *kodam*, 'before': the servant prostrates himself קֳדָם ה׳ (24:48, 24:52), and the matter goes forth 'from before Hashem' (24:50).
- **Language about God.** Hashem has not 'withheld' rather than 'abandoned' His kindness (24:27), Avraham has 'served' rather than 'walked' before Him (24:40), and the servant's prayer becomes 'if there is now will before You' (24:42).
- **Words of speaking and leading.** Onkelos renders the Hebrew noun *davar* by *pitgama* and the verb by the root מלל, so wordplays such as *dibbarti devarai* are not kept; the Aramaic *dabbar* renders 'led' and 'take' instead.
- **Small additions.** The road is 'the right road', בְּאוֹרַח תַּקְנָא (24:27), and the place for the camels is 'a suitable place' (24:31).
- **Verbs reworded by sense.** 'Draw water' becomes 'fill', 'go' and 'come' trade places in 24:39 and 24:41, and 'proved' becomes 'appointed' (24:44).
- **Grammatical smoothings.** Construct chains become phrases with ד, infinitives become clauses with *kad*, the particle *na* becomes 'now', and 'to' becomes 'with' after verbs of speaking.
- **Printed and Yemenite readings.** Several textual notes compare the two texts, marked where they occur; most differences are of form only.
---
## How this booklet is laid out
For each verse:
- **Torah** — the Hebrew verse, with vowels and cantillation, followed by an English **Translation** of the Hebrew (Metsudah Chumash).
- **Onkelos** — the Aramaic of Targum Onkelos, followed by **Onkelos in English**, a close translation of the Aramaic. It uses the same wording as the Torah translation wherever the Aramaic says the same thing, so that the differences from the Hebrew can be seen. Words in square brackets are added for sense.
- **What Onkelos tells us** — editorial notes comparing the Aramaic with the Hebrew: what is translated literally, what is changed or added, and what that suggests about how Onkelos read the verse. Selected Aramaic words are listed with their Hebrew equivalents.
Each unit ends with a short **Unit summary**. The booklet ends with a review of the aliyah and an Aramaic word list.
Divine Names in the Hebrew and Aramaic are printed as ה׳ and אלקים. In English, God's proper Name is rendered *Hashem*, and *Elokim* is rendered *God*.
---
## Unit 1 — Bereshit 24:27–35: The servant at Lavan's door
Avraham's servant blesses Hashem for leading him to his master's kin, while Rivkah runs home with the news. Lavan hurries out to the well, brings the man into the house and sees to his camels and men, but the servant refuses to eat until he has told his errand, which he begins by naming himself and his master's wealth.
---
### Bereshit 24:27
**Torah**
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּר֤וּךְ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־עָזַ֥ב חַסְדּ֛וֹ וַאֲמִתּ֖וֹ מֵעִ֣ם אֲדֹנִ֑י אָנֹכִ֗י בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ נָחַ֣נִי ה׳ בֵּ֖ית אֲחֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי׃
**Translation**
He said, Blessed is Hashem, God of my master, Avraham, Who has not abandoned His kindness and truth [in dealing] with my master. I am still on the road and Hashem has led me to the house of my master's brethren.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר בְּרִיךְ ה׳ אֱלָהָא דְרִבּוֹנִי אַבְרָהָם דִּי לָא מְנַע טִיבוּתֵהּ וְקוּשְׁטֵהּ מִן רִבּוֹנִי אֲנָא בְּאוֹרַח תַּקְנָא דַּבְּרַנִּי ה׳ בֵּית אֲחוֹהִי דְרִבּוֹנִי
**Onkelos in English**
He said, Blessed is Hashem, God of my master, Avraham, Who has not withheld His kindness and truth from my master. I — on the right road Hashem has led me [to] the house of my master's brethren.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Who has not withheld".** The Hebrew says that God has not "abandoned" (*azav*) His kindness; Onkelos uses *mena'*, "withhold, keep back". This may reflect a reluctance to speak of God as abandoning anything, even in a negative sentence, though the change is small.
- **"His kindness and truth".** *Hasdo va-amitto* become *tivuteh ve-kushteh*, Aramaic "goodness" and "truth", each with its own suffix as in the Hebrew. Hebrew *me-im*, "from with", is reduced to the simple *min*, "from".
- **"On the right road".** The Hebrew has only *ba-derekh*, "on the road". Onkelos adds the adjective *takna*, "right, proper": בְּאוֹרַח תַּקְנָא. The servant thus says not merely that he was on a road but that it was the correct one, perhaps to stress that the road itself was Hashem's guidance. The structure of the Hebrew ("I, on the road, Hashem led me") is otherwise kept, with *anokhi* rendered *ana*.
- **"My master's brethren".** Hebrew *bet ahei adoni* is a construct chain. Onkelos writes בֵּית אֲחוֹהִי דְרִבּוֹנִי, literally "the house of his brothers, of my master": the noun carries an anticipatory suffix and the owner follows with ד. The same analytic construction with ד gives "God of my master" earlier in the verse.
- **"Has led me".** Hebrew *nahani* is rendered *dabberanni*, from דבר in its Aramaic sense "lead, guide".
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text reads לְבֵית, "to the house", where the printed text has בֵּית with no preposition, as in the Hebrew. It also has אֱלָקֵיהּ דְּרִבּוֹנִי, "His God, of my master", with the same anticipatory suffix as "his brothers, of my master" at the end of the verse; the sense is unchanged.
**Words to note:** מְנַע *mena'* — withheld (עָזַב) · טִיבוּתֵהּ *tivuteh* — His kindness (חַסְדּוֹ) · וְקוּשְׁטֵהּ *ve-kushteh* — and His truth (וַאֲמִתּוֹ) · תַּקְנָא *takna* — right, proper · דַּבְּרַנִּי *dabberanni* — has led me (נָחַנִי) · אֲחוֹהִי *ahohi* — brethren (lit. his brothers) (אֲחֵי)
---
### Bereshit 24:28
**Torah**
וַתָּ֙רׇץ֙ הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ וַתַּגֵּ֖ד לְבֵ֣ית אִמָּ֑הּ כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
**Translation**
The girl ran and told her mother's household of these these happenings.
**Onkelos**
וּרְהָטַת עוּלֶמְתָּא וְחַוִּיאַת לְבֵית אִמַּהּ כְּפִתְגָּמַיָּא הָאִלֵּין
**Onkelos in English**
The girl ran and told her mother's household of these happenings.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"The girl".** A literal rendering. The Hebrew הַנַּעֲרָ is written without a final ה but vocalized as feminine; Onkelos uses the plainly feminine noun *ulemta*, "girl, young woman".
- **"Told".** Hebrew *va-taggeid* becomes *ve-havvi'at*, from the Aramaic חוי, "tell, declare". *Ka-devarim*, "of these happenings", is rendered *ke-fitgamayya*, with *pitgama*, Onkelos's word for the Hebrew noun *davar* throughout this unit.
**Words to note:** וּרְהָטַת *u-rehatat* — ran (וַתָּרׇץ) · עוּלֶמְתָּא *ulemta* — the girl (הַנַּעֲרָ) · וְחַוִּיאַת *ve-havvi'at* — and told (וַתַּגֵּד) · כְּפִתְגָּמַיָּא *ke-fitgamayya* — of the happenings (כַּדְּבָרִים)
---
### Bereshit 24:29
**Torah**
וּלְרִבְקָ֥ה אָ֖ח וּשְׁמ֣וֹ לָבָ֑ן וַיָּ֨רׇץ לָבָ֧ן אֶל־הָאִ֛ישׁ הַח֖וּצָה אֶל־הָעָֽיִן׃
**Translation**
Rivkah had a brother whose name was Lavan, and Lavan ran outside to the man [standing] at the well.
**Onkelos**
וּלְרִבְקָה אָחָא וּשְׁמֵהּ לָבָן וּרְהַט לָבָן לְוַת גַּבְרָא לְבָרָא לְוַת עֵינָא
**Onkelos in English**
Rivkah had a brother whose name was Lavan, and Lavan ran outside to the man, to the well.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Outside to the man, to the well".** A literal rendering, word for word. Both occurrences of Hebrew *el* ("to") are rendered *levat*, "toward", and *ha-hutzah*, "outside", is *levara*. *Ha-ish* becomes *gavra*, the standard Aramaic for "man", as through the rest of the unit.
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text reads לְעֵינָא, "to the well", with a prefixed preposition in place of the printed לְוַת עֵינָא. The meaning is the same.
**Words to note:** וּרְהַט *u-rehat* — ran (וַיָּרׇץ) · לְוַת *levat* — to, toward (אֶל) · גַּבְרָא *gavra* — the man (הָאִישׁ) · לְבָרָא *levara* — outside (הַחוּצָה)
---
### Bereshit 24:30
**Torah**
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־הַנֶּ֗זֶם וְֽאֶת־הַצְּמִדִים֮ עַל־יְדֵ֣י אֲחֹתוֹ֒ וּכְשׇׁמְע֗וֹ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֞י רִבְקָ֤ה אֲחֹתוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּֽה־דִבֶּ֥ר אֵלַ֖י הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים עַל־הָעָֽיִן׃
**Translation**
When he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and heard the words of his sister, Rivkah saying, this is what the man spoke to me, that he [then] came to the man, who was still standing beside the camels at the well.
**Onkelos**
וַהֲוָה כַּד חָזָא יָת קָדָשָׁא וְיָת שֵׁירַיָּא עַל יְדֵי אֲחָתֵהּ וְכַד שְׁמַע יָת פִּתְגָּמֵי רִבְקָה אֲחָתֵהּ לְמֵימַר כְּדֵין מַלֵּיל עִמִּי גַּבְרָא וַאֲתָא לְוַת גַּבְרָא וְהָא קָאֵם עִלַּוֵּי גַּמְלַיָּא עַל עֵינָא
**Onkelos in English**
And it was, when he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rivkah his sister, saying, This is what the man spoke with me, he came to the man, and behold, [he was] standing beside the camels at the well.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"When he had seen ... and when he heard".** The Hebrew uses two infinitives with a prefix, *kir'ot* and *ukh-shom'o*. Onkelos turns both into finite clauses with *kad*, "when": כַּד חָזָא and וְכַד שְׁמַע. This is a grammatical smoothing; the sense is unchanged.
- **"The nose ring and the bracelets".** Onkelos has his own words for the jewellery: *kadasha* for *nezem* and *sherayya* for *tzemidim*.
- **"Spoke with me".** The Hebrew says the man spoke "to me" (*elai*). Onkelos has *mallel immi*, "spoke with me", pairing the verb מלל with עם rather than with a preposition of direction.
- **"He came to the man".** Here Hebrew *va-yavo* is rendered *va-ata*, "he came", the ordinary verb of approach. Compare 24:31 and 24:32, where forms of the same Hebrew verb are rendered *ul* and *al*, "enter".
- **"Standing beside the camels".** *Omed* becomes the participle *ka'em*, and the first *al* ("beside") becomes *illavvei*, while the second ("at the well") stays *al*.
**Words to note:** כַּד *kad* — when · קָדָשָׁא *kadasha* — the nose ring (הַנֶּזֶם) · שֵׁירַיָּא *sherayya* — the bracelets (הַצְּמִדִים) · עִמִּי *immi* — with me (אֵלַי) · וַאֲתָא *va-ata* — he came (וַיָּבֹא) · עִלַּוֵּי *illavvei* — beside (עַל)
---
### Bereshit 24:31
**Torah**
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בּ֖וֹא בְּר֣וּךְ ה׳ לָ֤מָּה תַעֲמֹד֙ בַּח֔וּץ וְאָנֹכִי֙ פִּנִּ֣יתִי הַבַּ֔יִת וּמָק֖וֹם לַגְּמַלִּֽים׃
**Translation**
He [Lavan] said, Come, you who are blessed of Hashem, why are you standing outside? I have emptied the house and [prepared] a place for the camels.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר עוּל בְּרִיכָא דַּה׳ לְמָא אַתְּ קָאֵם בְּבָרָא וַאֲנָא פַּנֵּיתִי בֵיתָא וַאֲתַר כָּשַׁר לְגַמְלַיָּא
**Onkelos in English**
He said, Come in, blessed one of Hashem, why are you standing outside? And I have emptied the house and a suitable place for the camels.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Come in".** Hebrew *bo* is rendered *ul*, "enter". The Hebrew uses one verb, בוא, three times in 24:30–32; Onkelos renders it *va-ata*, "he came", when Lavan comes to the man outside (24:30), but with the verb "enter" in Lavan's invitation (*ul*) and when the man goes into the house (*al*, 24:32). The distinction suggests that he read the invitation as an invitation indoors.
- **"Blessed one of Hashem".** The Hebrew distinguishes this phrase from the blessing of 24:27 by vocalization alone: *barukh Hashem* there, *berukh Hashem* ("blessed of Hashem") here. Onkelos distinguishes them by form: בְּרִיךְ there, but the emphatic noun בְּרִיכָא דַּה׳, "the blessed one of Hashem", here, a form addressed to a person.
- **"Why are you standing".** The Hebrew imperfect *ta'amod* becomes the pronoun *at* with the participle *ka'em*, "you are standing". *Ba-hutz*, "outside", is *be-vara*.
- **"A suitable place".** The Hebrew is elliptical: "I have emptied the house, and a place for the camels", with no verb for the second object. Onkelos keeps the ellipsis but adds an adjective, *atar kashar*, "a suitable place". The addition may be meant to make the second half say something about the place even without a verb of its own.
**Words to note:** עוּל *ul* — come in (בּוֹא) · בְּרִיכָא *berikha* — blessed one (בְּרוּךְ) · קָאֵם *ka'em* — standing (תַעֲמֹד) · פַּנֵּיתִי *panneiti* — I have emptied (פִּנִּיתִי) · וַאֲתַר *va-atar* — and a place (וּמָקוֹם) · כָּשַׁר *kashar* — suitable
---
### Bereshit 24:32
**Torah**
וַיָּבֹ֤א הָאִישׁ֙ הַבַּ֔יְתָה וַיְפַתַּ֖ח הַגְּמַלִּ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֨ן תֶּ֤בֶן וּמִסְפּוֹא֙ לַגְּמַלִּ֔ים וּמַ֙יִם֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ רַגְלָ֔יו וְרַגְלֵ֥י הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃
**Translation**
The man came into the house and unmuzzled the camels. [Lavan] gave the camels straw and fodder, and water to wash his [the man's] feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
**Onkelos**
וְעַל גַּבְרָא לְבֵיתָא וּשְׁרָא גַּמְלַיָּא וִיהַב תִּבְנָא וְכִסָּתָא לְגַמְלַיָּא וּמַיָּא לְאַסְחָאָה רַגְלוֹהִי וְרַגְלֵי גֻּבְרַיָּא דְּעִמֵּהּ
**Onkelos in English**
The man came into the house and untied the camels. He gave the camels straw and fodder, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Came into the house".** Hebrew *va-yavo ... ha-baytah* becomes וְעַל גַּבְרָא לְבֵיתָא, with *al*, "entered", the verb of Lavan's invitation *ul* in 24:31, and the Hebrew directional ending replaced by the preposition ל.
- **"Untied the camels".** Hebrew *va-yefattah*, from פתח, "open", is rendered *u-shera*, "loosen, release", the Aramaic verb for untying. Onkelos translates by sense rather than using the cognate of "open".
- **"Straw and fodder".** *Teven* is *tivna*; *mispo* is *kissata*. *Lirhotz*, "to wash", becomes *le-asha'ah*, and *ha-anashim asher itto* becomes *guvrayya de-immeh*, "the men who were with him".
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text reads וּשְׁרָא מִן גַּמְלַיָּא, "and he loosed from the camels", that is, he took the loads or harness off the camels. The printed text, without מִן, has the camels themselves as the object.
**Words to note:** וְעַל *ve-al* — came into (וַיָּבֹא) · וּשְׁרָא *u-shera* — and untied (וַיְפַתַּח) · תִּבְנָא *tivna* — straw (תֶּבֶן) · וְכִסָּתָא *ve-khissata* — and fodder (וּמִסְפּוֹא) · לְאַסְחָאָה *le-asha'ah* — to wash (לִרְחֹץ)
---
### Bereshit 24:33
**Torah**
(ויישם) [וַיּוּשַׂ֤ם] לְפָנָיו֙ לֶאֱכֹ֔ל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֹכַ֔ל עַ֥ד אִם־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי דְּבָרָ֑י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר דַּבֵּֽר׃
**Translation**
Food was set before him, but he said, I will not eat until I have spoken my words. He replied, Speak.
**Onkelos**
וְשַׁוִּיאוּ קֳדָמוֹהִי לְמֵיכָל וַאֲמַר לָא אֵיכוּל עַד דַּאֲמַלֵּל פִּתְגָּמָי וַאֲמַר מַלֵּיל
**Onkelos in English**
They set [food] before him to eat, but he said, I will not eat until I speak my words. He replied, Speak.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"They set".** The Hebrew reads *va-yusam*, a passive, "it was set" (written ויישם). Onkelos has the active plural *ve-shavvi'u*, "they set", with no subject named: an Aramaic way of expressing an indefinite subject. The object is the infinitive *le-meikhal*, "to eat", as in the Hebrew.
- **"Until I speak".** Hebrew *ad im dibbarti*, with a perfect verb, becomes *ad da-amallel*, ד with the imperfect, "until I speak".
- **"My words ... Speak".** The Hebrew plays on one root: *dibbarti devarai* ("I have spoken my words") and *dabber* ("speak"). Onkelos uses מלל for the verb (*da-amallel*, *mallel*) and *pitgamai* for the noun, so the echo between verb and object is not kept.
**Words to note:** קֳדָמוֹהִי *kodamohi* — before him (לְפָנָיו) · לְמֵיכָל *le-meikhal* — to eat (לֶאֱכֹל) · דַּאֲמַלֵּל *da-amallel* — until I speak (lit. that I speak) (דִּבַּרְתִּי) · פִּתְגָּמָי *pitgamai* — my words (דְּבָרָי) · מַלֵּיל *mallel* — speak (דַּבֵּר)
---
### Bereshit 24:34
**Torah**
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם אָנֹֽכִי׃
**Translation**
He said, I am the servant of Avraham.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר עַבְדָּא דְאַבְרָהָם אֲנָא
**Onkelos in English**
He said, I am the servant of Avraham.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"The servant of Avraham".** A literal rendering. The Hebrew construct *eved Avraham* becomes *avda de-Avraham*, with ד, and *anokhi* is *ana*.
**Words to note:** עַבְדָּא *avda* — the servant (עֶבֶד)
---
### Bereshit 24:35
**Torah**
וַה׳ בֵּרַ֧ךְ אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֛י מְאֹ֖ד וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיִּתֶּן־ל֞וֹ צֹ֤אן וּבָקָר֙ וְכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וַעֲבָדִם֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וּגְמַלִּ֖ים וַחֲמֹרִֽים׃
**Translation**
Hashem blessed my master greatly and he prospered. He gave him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, male slaves, female slaves, camels and donkeys.
**Onkelos**
וַה׳ בְּרִיךְ יָת רִבּוֹנִי לַחֲדָא וּרְבָא וִיהַב לֵהּ עָאן וְתוֹרִין וּכְסַף וּדְהַב וְעַבְדִּין וְאַמְהָן וְגַמְלִין וְחַמָרִין
**Onkelos in English**
Hashem blessed my master greatly and he prospered. He gave him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, male slaves, female slaves, camels and donkeys.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Blessed my master greatly and he prospered".** *Me'od* is *lahada*, "greatly", and *va-yigdal*, "he became great", is *u-reva*, from רבא, "grow great".
- **"Sheep, cattle ... female slaves".** A literal list. The collective Hebrew noun *bakar* is matched by an Aramaic plural, *torin* ("oxen, cattle"), and *shefahot* is rendered *amhan*, "maidservants".
- **Textual note.** For וּרְבָא, "and he grew great", the Yemenite text reads וּסְגִי, "and he increased", a different verb with much the same sense. It also vocalizes the first verb בָּרֵיךְ, the active form "blessed", which suits the object marker that follows; the printed בְּרִיךְ has the vowels of the passive "blessed is" of 24:27.
**Words to note:** לַחֲדָא *lahada* — greatly (מְאֹד) · וּרְבָא *u-reva* — and he prospered (lit. grew great) (וַיִּגְדָּל) · וְתוֹרִין *ve-torin* — cattle (וּבָקָר) · וְאַמְהָן *ve-amhan* — female slaves (וּשְׁפָחֹת)
---
### Unit 1 summary
Through most of the unit Onkelos is close and literal, using his standard equivalents: gavra for ish, pitgama for the noun davar and the root מלל for the verb, levat for el, levara for ha-hutzah. His departures are mostly small and grammatical. Hebrew construct chains become phrases with ד, at times with an anticipatory suffix (ahohi de-ribboni); infinitives with a prefix become finite clauses with kad; an imperfect becomes a pronoun with a participle; a passive becomes an impersonal plural. A few choices of word are more telling. The servant's God has not 'withheld' rather than 'abandoned' His kindness, and the road on which he was led is 'the right road'. The one Hebrew verb בוא is split between 'come' when Lavan approaches the man and 'enter' when the house is in view. The servant speaks 'with' rather than 'to', and Lavan's elliptical 'and a place for the camels' gains the adjective 'suitable'. The Hebrew pairing of dibbarti and devarai is not kept, since Onkelos uses separate roots for the verb and the noun.
---
## Unit 2 — Bereshit 24:36–44: The servant recounts the oath and the sign
Avraham's servant continues his account to his hosts: Sarah bore his master a son in her old age, Avraham bound him by oath to take a wife from his family and not from the Canaanites, and at the spring he asked for a sign by which he would know the woman.
---
### Bereshit 24:36
**Torah**
וַתֵּ֡לֶד שָׂרָה֩ אֵ֨שֶׁת אֲדֹנִ֥י בֵן֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י אַחֲרֵ֖י זִקְנָתָ֑הּ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֖וֹ אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ׃
**Translation**
Sarah, the wife of my master gave birth to a son to my master, after she had grown old, and he has given him all that he possesses.
**Onkelos**
וִילֵידַת שָׂרָה אִתַּת רִבּוֹנִי בַר לְרִבּוֹנִי בָּתַר דְּסֵיבָת וִיהַב לֵהּ יָת כָּל דִּילֵהּ
**Onkelos in English**
Sarah, the wife of my master gave birth to a son to my master, after she had grown old, and he has given him all that he possesses.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"My master".** The servant's אֲדֹנִי is rendered רִבּוֹנִי (*ribboni*), here and in every occurrence in these verses (twice in this verse, and in 24:37, 24:39, 24:42 and 24:44).
- **"After she had grown old".** The Hebrew אַחֲרֵי זִקְנָתָהּ is literally 'after her old age', a preposition with a noun. Onkelos turns the noun into a clause with a finite verb: בָּתַר דְּסֵיבָת (*batar de-seivat*), 'after [that] she grew old', from the root סיב. The sense is unchanged.
- **"All that he possesses".** A literal rendering: כָּל דִּילֵהּ (*kol dileh*), 'all that is his', matches כׇּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ.
**Words to note:** רִבּוֹנִי *ribboni* — my master (אֲדֹנִי) · בָּתַר *batar* — after (אַחֲרֵי) · דְּסֵיבָת *de-seivat* — she had grown old (זִקְנָתָהּ) · וִיהַב *vi-hav* — he has given (וַיִּתֶּן) · דִּילֵהּ *dileh* — that is his, that he possesses
---
### Bereshit 24:37
**Torah**
וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵ֥נִי אֲדֹנִ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹא־תִקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִבְּנוֹת֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י יֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּאַרְצֽוֹ׃
**Translation**
My master placed me under oath, saying, Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live.
**Onkelos**
וְקַיֵּם עָלַי רִבּוֹנִי לְמֵימָר לָא תִסַבּ אִתְּתָא לִבְרִי מִבְּנַת כְּנַעֲנָאֵי דִי אֲנָא יָתֵב בְּאַרְעֵהּ
**Onkelos in English**
My master established [an oath] upon me, saying, Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Established [an oath] upon me".** The Hebrew וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי is a single causative verb from שבע, 'he made me swear'. Onkelos uses an idiom, וְקַיֵּם עָלַי (*ve-kayyem alai*), literally 'he established upon me', with a verb from the root קום and no word for 'oath'. The causative verb with an object suffix becomes a verb with a preposition.
- **"The Canaanites".** The Hebrew הַכְּנַעֲנִי is a collective singular, 'the Canaanite'; Onkelos has the plural כְּנַעֲנָאֵי (*kena'ana'ei*). The closing 'in whose land', בְּאַרְעֵהּ (*be-areh*, 'in his land'), nevertheless keeps the singular suffix of the Hebrew בְּאַרְצוֹ.
- **"Take a wife".** For תִקַּח אִשָּׁה Onkelos uses the verb סב with אִתְּתָא (*itteta*), 'a wife'. The same verb renders וְלָקַחְתָּ in 24:38 and 24:40 (וְתִסַּב).
- **Textual note.** For printed בְּאַרְעֵהּ, 'in his land', the Yemenite text reads בַּאֲרַעְהוֹן, 'in their land', agreeing in number with the plural 'Canaanites'. The observation that Onkelos keeps the singular suffix of the Hebrew holds for the printed text only.
**Words to note:** וְקַיֵּם *ve-kayyem* — established [an oath] (וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי) · עָלַי *alai* — upon me · אִתְּתָא *itteta* — a wife (אִשָּׁה) · כְּנַעֲנָאֵי *kena'ana'ei* — Canaanites (הַכְּנַעֲנִי) · יָתֵב *yatev* — live (יֹשֵׁב) · בְּאַרְעֵהּ *be-areh* — in his land (בְּאַרְצוֹ)
---
### Bereshit 24:38
**Torah**
אִם־לֹ֧א אֶל־בֵּית־אָבִ֛י תֵּלֵ֖ךְ וְאֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתִּ֑י וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ אִשָּׁ֖ה לִבְנִֽי׃
**Translation**
Instead, you must go to my father's house, and to my family. Take a wife for my son.
**Onkelos**
אֶלָהֵן לְבֵית אַבָּא תֵּזִיל וּלְזַרְעִיתִי וְתִסַּב אִתְּתָא לִבְרִי
**Onkelos in English**
Instead, you must go to my father's house, and to my family. Take a wife for my son.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Instead".** The Hebrew אִם לֹא, literally 'if not', here introduces the positive demand of the oath. Onkelos renders the sense with the single adversative אֶלָהֵן (*elahen*), 'but rather', so the Aramaic has no 'if'.
- **"My father's house".** For בֵּית אָבִי Onkelos writes לְבֵית אַבָּא (*le-veit abba*); the form אַבָּא serves for 'my father' without a suffix. It renders אָבִי the same way in 24:40.
- **"My family".** For מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי Onkelos uses וּלְזַרְעִיתִי (*u-le-zariti*), a noun from the root זרע, 'seed', meaning kin or clan. The same noun renders מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּי in 24:40 (מִזְּרְעִיתִי) and מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי in 24:41 (לְזַרְעִיתִי).
- **"You must go".** תֵּזִיל (*tezil*), from the Aramaic verb of going, renders תֵּלֵךְ; a literal rendering.
**Words to note:** אֶלָהֵן *elahen* — instead, but rather · אַבָּא *abba* — my father (אָבִי) · תֵּזִיל *tezil* — you must go (תֵּלֵךְ) · וּלְזַרְעִיתִי *u-le-zariti* — and to my family (מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי) · וְתִסַּב *ve-tissav* — take (וְלָקַחְתָּ)
---
### Bereshit 24:39
**Torah**
וָאֹמַ֖ר אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֑י אֻלַ֛י לֹא־תֵלֵ֥ךְ הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אַחֲרָֽי׃
**Translation**
I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not come back with me?
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמָרִית לְרִבּוֹנִי מָאִים לָא תֵיתֵי אִתְּתָא בַּתְרָי
**Onkelos in English**
I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not come after me?
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Will not come".** The Hebrew says the woman will not 'go' (תֵלֵךְ) after me; Onkelos writes תֵיתֵי (*teitei*), 'come'. The reverse happens in 24:41, where the Hebrew 'come' becomes 'go'. In both places the Aramaic verb may reflect the standpoint of Avraham's home: the woman 'comes' there, and the servant 'goes' out from it.
- **"Perhaps".** מָאִים (*ma'im*) renders אֻלַי; otherwise a literal rendering, with בַּתְרָי (*batrai*), 'after me', for אַחֲרָי.
**Words to note:** וַאֲמָרִית *va-amarit* — I said (וָאֹמַר) · מָאִים *ma'im* — perhaps (אֻלַי) · תֵיתֵי *teitei* — will come (תֵלֵךְ) · בַּתְרָי *batrai* — after me (אַחֲרָי)
---
### Bereshit 24:40
**Torah**
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י ה׳ אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לְפָנָ֗יו יִשְׁלַ֨ח מַלְאָכ֤וֹ אִתָּךְ֙ וְהִצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכֶּ֔ךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּ֖י וּמִבֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃
**Translation**
He said to me, Hashem, before Whom I have walked, will send His angel with you, and make your journey successful. You will then take a wife for my son from my family and from my fathers house.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר לִי ה׳ דִּי פְלָחִית קֳדָמוֹהִי יִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכֵהּ עִמָּךְ וְיַצְלַח אָרְחָךְ וְתִסַּב אִתְּתָא לִבְרִי מִזְּרְעִיתִי וּמִבֵּית אַבָּא
**Onkelos in English**
He said to me, Hashem, before Whom I have served, will send His angel with you, and make your journey successful. You will then take a wife for my son from my family and from my fathers house.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Before Whom I have served".** The Hebrew הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנָיו, 'I have walked before Him', is a figure of speech. Onkelos gives its sense: דִּי פְלָחִית קֳדָמוֹהִי (*di felahit kodamohi*), 'that I have served before Him'. This may reflect a preference for stating the meaning of the image rather than speaking of walking before God.
- **"Make your journey successful".** The Hebrew perfect with vav-consecutive, וְהִצְלִיחַ, becomes the ordinary future וְיַצְלַח (*ve-yatzlah*), 'and He will make successful'; the meaning is the same.
- **"His angel".** Otherwise a literal rendering: מַלְאָכֵהּ for מַלְאָכוֹ, and עִמָּךְ for אִתָּךְ, 'with you'.
**Words to note:** פְלָחִית *felahit* — I have served (הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי) · קֳדָמוֹהִי *kodamohi* — before Him (לְפָנָיו) · מַלְאָכֵהּ *malakheh* — His angel (מַלְאָכוֹ) · וְיַצְלַח *ve-yatzlah* — and make successful (וְהִצְלִיחַ) · מִזְּרְעִיתִי *mi-zeriti* — from my family (מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּי)
---
### Bereshit 24:41
**Torah**
אָ֤ז תִּנָּקֶה֙ מֵאָ֣לָתִ֔י כִּ֥י תָב֖וֹא אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתִּ֑י וְאִם־לֹ֤א יִתְּנוּ֙ לָ֔ךְ וְהָיִ֥יתָ נָקִ֖י מֵאָלָתִֽי׃
**Translation**
You will then be absolved from my oath, if when you come to my family, and they will not give her to you. You will be absolved from my oath.
**Onkelos**
בְּכֵן תְּהֵי זַכַּי (נ''י זַכָּא) מִמּוּמָתִי אֲרֵי תְהַךְ לְזַרְעִיתִי וְאִם לָא יִתְּנוּן לָךְ וּתְהֵי זַכַּי מִמּוּמָתִי
**Onkelos in English**
You will then be absolved (another reading: absolved) from my oath, when you go to my family; and if they will not give [her] to you, you will be absolved from my oath.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"You will be absolved" (twice).** The Hebrew varies its wording: first a verb, תִּנָּקֶה, 'you will be cleared', then a phrase, וְהָיִיתָ נָקִי, 'you will be clear'. Onkelos uses the same phrase both times, תְּהֵי זַכַּי (*tehei zakkai*), 'you will be clear', so the first clause takes the form of the second.
- **"My oath".** For מֵאָלָתִי (both times) Onkelos has מִמּוּמָתִי (*mi-mumati*), from the noun for 'oath'.
- **"When you go".** The Hebrew כִּי תָבוֹא, 'when you come', becomes אֲרֵי תְהַךְ (*arei tehakh*), 'when you go'. Compare 24:39, where the Hebrew 'go' became 'come'.
- **"And if they will not give [her]".** A literal rendering; neither the Hebrew nor the Aramaic names the object.
- **Textual note.** The printed text adds in parentheses an alternative form of the first adjective, זַכָּא (*zakka*); the Yemenite text has only this form, in both places. The meaning, 'clear, absolved', is the same, and the two clauses remain identical in both texts.
**Words to note:** בְּכֵן *be-khen* — then (אָז) · תְּהֵי *tehei* — you will be · זַכַּי *zakkai* — absolved, clear (נָקִי) · מִמּוּמָתִי *mi-mumati* — from my oath (מֵאָלָתִי) · תְהַךְ *tehakh* — you go (תָבוֹא) · יִתְּנוּן *yittenun* — they will give (יִתְּנוּ)
---
### Bereshit 24:42
**Torah**
וָאָבֹ֥א הַיּ֖וֹם אֶל־הָעָ֑יִן וָאֹמַ֗ר ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אִם־יֶשְׁךָ־נָּא֙ מַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י הֹלֵ֥ךְ עָלֶֽיהָ׃
**Translation**
I came this day to the well, and I said, Hashem, God of my master, Avraham, if You will grant success to my journey on which I am going.
**Onkelos**
וְאָתִית (נ''י וַאֲתֵיתִי) יוֹמָא דֵּין לְעֵינָא וַאֲמָרִית ה׳ אֱלָהָא דְּרִבּוֹנִי אַבְרָהָם אִם אִית כְּעַן רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ לְאַצְלָחָא אָרְחִי דִּי אֲנָא אָזֵיל עֲלַהּ
**Onkelos in English**
I came (another reading: I came) this day to the well, and I said, Hashem, God of my master, Avraham, if there is now [the] will before You to grant success to my journey on which I am going.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"If there is now [the] will before You".** The Hebrew addresses God directly: אִם יֶשְׁךָ נָּא מַצְלִיחַ, 'if You are now making successful'. Onkelos recasts the clause: אִם אִית כְּעַן רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ לְאַצְלָחָא (*im it ke'an ra'ava kodamakh le-atzlaha*), 'if there is now will before You to grant success'. God is no longer the subject of the participle; instead a 'will' exists 'before You'. This may reflect a reverent indirection in speaking of God's actions.
- **"Now".** The Hebrew particle נָּא becomes כְּעַן (*ke'an*), 'now', as נָא does in 24:43 and 24:45.
- **"This day".** יוֹמָא דֵּין (*yoma dein*), 'this day', for הַיּוֹם; and לְעֵינָא (*le-eina*), 'to the well', for אֶל הָעָיִן. Literal renderings.
- **Textual note.** For the opening verb the printed text gives וְאָתִית (*ve-atit*) with an alternative in parentheses, וַאֲתֵיתִי (*va-ateiti*); the Yemenite text has only the latter. Both mean 'I came'.
**Words to note:** יוֹמָא *yoma* — day (הַיּוֹם) · דֵּין *dein* — this · כְּעַן *ke'an* — now (נָּא) · רַעֲוָא *ra'ava* — will · קֳדָמָךְ *kodamakh* — before You · לְאַצְלָחָא *le-atzlaha* — to grant success (מַצְלִיחַ)
---
### Bereshit 24:43
**Torah**
הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֵ֣ין הַמָּ֑יִם וְהָיָ֤ה הָֽעַלְמָה֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣את לִשְׁאֹ֔ב וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י אֵלֶ֔יהָ הַשְׁקִֽינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃
**Translation**
Behold, here I stand at the well of water. When a girl comes out to draw water, I will say to her, Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.
**Onkelos**
הָא אֲנָא קָאֵם עַל עֵינָא דְמַיָּא וִיהֵי עוּלֶמְתָּא דְּתִפּוֹק לְמִמְלֵי וְאֵימַר לַהּ אַשְׁקִינִי כְעַן זְעֵיר מַיָּא מִקּוּלְתִיךְ
**Onkelos in English**
Behold, here I stand at the well of water. When a girl comes out to fill [water], I will say to her, Now let me drink a little water from your pitcher.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"To fill [water]".** For לִשְׁאֹב, 'to draw', Onkelos writes לְמִמְלֵי (*le-mimlei*), 'to fill'. He does the same in 24:44, where אֶשְׁאָב becomes אַמְלִי, 'I will fill', and in 24:45, where 'and drew water' becomes u-melat, 'and filled'.
- **"Now let me drink".** As in 24:42, the Hebrew particle נָא becomes כְעַן (*khe'an*), 'now'. The verb אַשְׁקִינִי (*ashkini*), 'let me drink', renders הַשְׁקִינִי.
- **"A girl".** עוּלֶמְתָּא (*ulemta*) is from the same root as the Hebrew הָעַלְמָה.
- **"From your pitcher".** מִקּוּלְתִיךְ (*mi-kultikh*) renders מִכַּדֵּךְ with the Aramaic word for a jug.
- **Textual note.** For printed וִיהֵי עוּלֶמְתָּא the Yemenite text reads וּתְהֵי עוּלֵימְתָא (*u-tehei uleimta*), with a feminine verb, 'and [it] shall be' agreeing with 'the girl'. The printed masculine form matches the Hebrew וְהָיָה.
**Words to note:** קָאֵם *ka'em* — standing (נִצָּב) · עוּלֶמְתָּא *ulemta* — girl (הָעַלְמָה) · דְּתִפּוֹק *de-tipok* — comes out (הַיֹּצֵאת) · לְמִמְלֵי *le-mimlei* — to fill (לִשְׁאֹב) · כְעַן *khe'an* — now (נָא) · מִקּוּלְתִיךְ *mi-kultikh* — from your pitcher (מִכַּדֵּךְ)
---
### Bereshit 24:44
**Torah**
וְאָמְרָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַ֥ם לִגְמַלֶּ֖יךָ אֶשְׁאָ֑ב הִ֣וא הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֹכִ֥יחַ ה׳ לְבֶן־אֲדֹנִֽי׃
**Translation**
If she says to me, You too may drink, and I will also draw water for your camels, then she is the one whom Hashem has determined for the son of my master.
**Onkelos**
וְתֵימַר לִי אַף אַתְּ אֵשְׁתְּ וְאַף לְגַמְלָיךְ אַמְלִי הִיא אִתְּתָא דְּזַמִּין ה׳ לְבַר רִבּוֹנִי
**Onkelos in English**
If she says to me, You too may drink, and I will also fill [water] for your camels, then she is the one whom Hashem has appointed for the son of my master.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Whom Hashem has appointed".** The Hebrew הֹכִיחַ is a verb of proving or deciding. Onkelos uses דְּזַמִּין (*de-zammin*), 'whom [He] has appointed', from the root זמן. The Aramaic perhaps puts the stress on the woman as designated rather than on the sign as proof.
- **"I will also fill [water]".** As in 24:43, the verb of drawing, אֶשְׁאָב, becomes the verb of filling, אַמְלִי (*amli*).
- **"Too".** Both occurrences of גַּם are rendered אַף (*af*); otherwise a literal rendering.
- **Textual note.** For printed דְּזַמִּין the Yemenite text vocalizes דְּזָמֵין, which may be read as a participle, 'whom Hashem appoints'. The verb and root are the same.
**Words to note:** אַף *af* — too, also (גַּם) · אֵשְׁתְּ *eshte* — drink (שְׁתֵה) · אַמְלִי *amli* — I will fill (אֶשְׁאָב) · דְּזַמִּין *de-zammin* — whom has appointed (הֹכִיחַ) · לְבַר *le-var* — for the son of (לְבֶן)
---
### Unit 2 summary
Onkelos follows the servant's retelling closely, rendering adoni consistently as ribboni and the Hebrew mishpahti, 'my family', each time by zariti, a word from the root of 'seed'. The most notable changes concern language about God. Avraham's 'walking before' Hashem becomes 'serving before' Him (24:40), and the servant's prayer, which in the Hebrew addresses God directly as the one 'making successful', is recast as 'if there is now will before You to grant success' (24:42), perhaps a reverent indirection. In the closing verse the Hebrew hokhiah, a verb of proving or deciding, becomes zammin, 'appointed' (24:44). Smaller choices recur: the particle na is twice rendered 'now' (ke'an, khe'an), the verb of drawing water twice becomes the verb of filling (24:43, 24:44), and the verbs of going and coming are reversed in two places (24:39, 24:41), possibly to fit each speaker's standpoint. Onkelos also turns the Hebrew pair 'you will be cleared ... you will be clear' into one repeated phrase (24:41), and renders the oath-formula 'if not' by a single word, 'but rather' (24:38).
---
## Unit 3 — Bereshit 24:45–52: The servant ends his account, and Lavan and Besueil consent
The servant finishes retelling his meeting with Rivkah at the well and the gifts he gave her, and asks the family for a straight answer. Lavan and Besueil reply that the matter comes from Hashem and give Rivkah to be a wife for his master's son; the servant prostrates himself to Hashem.
---
### Bereshit 24:45
**Torah**
אֲנִי֩ טֶ֨רֶם אֲכַלֶּ֜ה לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־לִבִּ֗י וְהִנֵּ֨ה רִבְקָ֤ה יֹצֵאת֙ וְכַדָּ֣הּ עַל־שִׁכְמָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יְנָה וַתִּשְׁאָ֑ב וָאֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יהָ הַשְׁקִ֥ינִי נָֽא׃
**Translation**
Before I had finished speaking thus in my heart, when suddenly Rivkah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the well and drew water; and I said to her, Please give me a drink,
**Onkelos**
אֲנָא עַד לָא שֵׁיצִיתִי לְמַלָּלָא בְלִבִּי וְהָא רִבְקָה נְפָקַת וְקוּלְתַהּ עַל כַּתְפַּהּ וּנְחָתַת לְעֵינָא וּמְלָת וַאֲמָרִית לַהּ אַשְׁקִינִי כְעָן
**Onkelos in English**
I, before I had finished speaking in my heart, when suddenly Rivkah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the well and filled [it]; and I said to her, Give me a drink now,
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Before I had finished".** The Hebrew terem, 'before', is rendered 'ad la, literally 'until not', the Aramaic idiom for 'before'; the verb 'finish' is sheitziti. The opening pronoun 'I' (ana) stands at the head of the sentence as it does in the Hebrew (ani).
- **"Speaking in my heart".** The Hebrew says le-dabber el libbi, 'to speak to my heart'; Onkelos writes le-mallala ve-libbi, 'to speak in my heart', replacing 'to' with 'in'. This perhaps smooths the image of addressing one's own heart into plain inward speech.
- **"Came out".** The Hebrew yotzet is a participle, 'coming out', after ve-hinneh. Onkelos uses the past nefakat, 'came out', in line with the past verbs that follow.
- **"And filled [it]".** As in 24:43 and 24:44, the verb of drawing becomes a verb of filling: for va-tishav, 'and drew water', Onkelos writes u-melat, 'and filled', perhaps describing the act by its result, the filled pitcher.
- **"Give me a drink now".** As in 24:42 and 24:43, the Hebrew particle na, often 'please', is rendered khe'an, 'now'. The request itself, ashkini, 'give me a drink', keeps the causative form of the Hebrew hashkini.
**Words to note:** שֵׁיצִיתִי *sheitziti* — I had finished (אֲכַלֶּה) · וְקוּלְתַהּ *ve-kultah* — with her pitcher (וְכַדָּהּ) · כַּתְפַּהּ *katpah* — her shoulder (שִׁכְמָהּ) · נְפָקַת *nefakat* — came out (יֹצֵאת) · וּמְלָת *u-melat* — and filled (וַתִּשְׁאָב) · כְעָן *khe'an* — now (נָא)
---
### Bereshit 24:46
**Torah**
וַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתּ֤וֹרֶד כַּדָּהּ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יהָ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַם־גְּמַלֶּ֖יךָ אַשְׁקֶ֑ה וָאֵ֕שְׁתְּ וְגַ֥ם הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים הִשְׁקָֽתָה׃
**Translation**
She quickly lowered her pitcher and said, Drink, and I will also give your camels to drink. I drank and she also gave the camels to drink.
**Onkelos**
וְאוֹחִיאַת וַאֲחִיתַת קוּלְתַהּ מִנַּהּ וַאֲמֶרֶת אֵשְׁתְּ וְאַף גַּמְלָךְ אַשְׁקִי וּשְׁתֵיתִי וְאַף גַּמְלַיָּא אַשְׁקִיאַת
**Onkelos in English**
She quickly lowered her pitcher from her and said, Drink, and I will also give your camels to drink. I drank and she also gave the camels to drink.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"She quickly lowered".** Like the Hebrew, Onkelos has two verbs, ve-ohi'at, 'she hurried', and va-ahitat, 'and lowered'; the English joins them as 'quickly lowered' for both texts.
- **"From her".** The Hebrew me-aleha, 'from upon her', becomes minnah, 'from her', a simpler preposition with the same sense.
- **Drinking and giving to drink.** The Hebrew alternates two roots, 'drink' (shete, va-eshte) and 'give to drink' (ashkeh, hishkatah). Onkelos keeps the alternation exactly: eshte and u-sheteiti for drinking, ashki and ashki'at for giving to drink. Hebrew ve-gam, 'and also', is rendered ve-af both times.
**Words to note:** וְאוֹחִיאַת *ve-ohi'at* — quickly (lit. she hurried) (וַתְּמַהֵר) · וַאֲחִיתַת *va-ahitat* — lowered (וַתּוֹרֶד) · מִנַּהּ *minnah* — from her (מֵעָלֶיהָ) · וְאַף *ve-af* — also (וְגַם) · אַשְׁקִיאַת *ashki'at* — she gave to drink (הִשְׁקָתָה)
---
### Bereshit 24:47
**Torah**
וָאֶשְׁאַ֣ל אֹתָ֗הּ וָאֹמַר֮ בַּת־מִ֣י אַתְּ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל֙ בֶּן־נָח֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽלְדָה־לּ֖וֹ מִלְכָּ֑ה וָאָשִׂ֤ם הַנֶּ֙זֶם֙ עַל־אַפָּ֔הּ וְהַצְּמִידִ֖ים עַל־יָדֶֽיהָ׃
**Translation**
I asked her and said, Whose daughter are you? She replied, The daughter of Besueil, son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore unto him. I [then] placed a nose ring on her face and bracelets upon her hands.
**Onkelos**
וּשְׁאֵילִית יָתַהּ וַאֲמָרִית בַּת מָן אַתְּ וַאֲמֶרֶת בַּת בְּתוּאֵל בַּר נָחוֹר דִּילֵידַת לֵהּ מִלְכָּה וְשַׁוֵּיתִי קָדָשָׁא עַל אַפַּהּ וְשִׁירַיָּא עַל יְדָהָא
**Onkelos in English**
I asked her and said, Whose daughter are you? She replied, The daughter of Besueil, son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore unto him. I placed a nose ring on her face and bracelets upon her hands.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **A literal rendering.** The question and answer follow the Hebrew word for word, with the Aramaic equivalents man for 'who' and bar for 'son'.
- **"A nose ring ... and bracelets".** The jewellery receives Aramaic names: nezem becomes kadasha and tzemidim becomes shirayya. The verb 'placed' (Hebrew va-asim) is ve-shavveiti, 'I set'.
**Words to note:** מָן *man* — who (מִי) · דִּילֵידַת *di-leidat* — whom [she] bore (יָלְדָה) · וְשַׁוֵּיתִי *ve-shavveiti* — I placed (וָאָשִׂם) · קָדָשָׁא *kadasha* — a nose ring (הַנֶּזֶם) · וְשִׁירַיָּא *ve-shirayya* — and bracelets (וְהַצְּמִידִים)
---
### Bereshit 24:48
**Torah**
וָאֶקֹּ֥ד וָֽאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה לַה׳ וָאֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִנְחַ֙נִי֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֱמֶ֔ת לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־בַּת־אֲחִ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י לִבְנֽוֹ׃
**Translation**
I bowed and prostrated myself to Hashem, and I blessed Hashem, God of my master Avraham, Who led me on the true path [in order] to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
**Onkelos**
וּכְרָעִית וּסְגָדִית קֳדָם ה׳ וּבָרֵכִית יָת ה׳ אֱלָהֵהּ דְּרִבּוֹנִי אַבְרָהָם דְּדַבְּרַנִּי בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט לְמִיסַב יָת בַּת אֲחוּהִי דְּרִבּוֹנִי לִבְרֵהּ
**Onkelos in English**
I bowed and prostrated myself before Hashem, and I blessed Hashem, God of my master Avraham, Who led me on the true path to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Prostrated myself before Hashem".** The Hebrew la-Hashem, 'to Hashem', becomes kodam Hashem, 'before Hashem'. Yet the blessing that follows keeps the Name as a direct object (yat Hashem). The change therefore touches only the preposition joined to the Name, which may suggest a reluctance to phrase worship as directed 'to' God.
- **"Bowed and prostrated".** The two Hebrew verbs of worship become u-khera'it, 'I bowed', and u-segadit, 'I prostrated myself'.
- **"God of my master Avraham".** Where the Hebrew uses a construct ('God of my master'), Onkelos writes Elokim with a possessive suffix followed by de-ribboni, literally 'his God, of my master'. He does the same with 'my master's brother' (ahuhi de-ribboni, 'his brother, of my master'). This is ordinary Aramaic idiom and does not change the meaning.
- **"Who led me on the true path".** Hinhani, 'led me', becomes de-dabberanni, from the Aramaic verb dabbar, 'lead'. Derekh emet becomes orah keshot.
- **"To take".** Lakahat is rendered le-misav, the verb of taking a woman in marriage.
**Words to note:** וּכְרָעִית *u-khera'it* — I bowed (וָאֶקֹּד) · וּסְגָדִית *u-segadit* — and prostrated myself (וָאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה) · קֳדָם *kodam* — before · דְּדַבְּרַנִּי *de-dabberanni* — Who led me (הִנְחַנִי) · קְשׁוֹט *keshot* — true (lit. truth) (אֱמֶת) · לְמִיסַב *le-misav* — to take (לָקַחַת)
---
### Bereshit 24:49
**Torah**
וְ֠עַתָּ֠ה אִם־יֶשְׁכֶ֨ם עֹשִׂ֜ים חֶ֧סֶד וֶֽאֱמֶ֛ת אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֑י וְאִם־לֹ֕א הַגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י וְאֶפְנֶ֥ה עַל־יָמִ֖ין א֥וֹ עַל־שְׂמֹֽאל׃
**Translation**
Now if you want to do what is kind and true to my master, tell me. If not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left.
**Onkelos**
וּכְעַן אִם אִיתֵיכוֹן עָבְדִין טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט עִם רִבּוֹנִי חַוּוֹ לִי וְאִם לָא חַוּוֹ לִי וְאִתְפְּנֵי עַל יַמִּינָא אוֹ עַל שְׂמָאלָא
**Onkelos in English**
Now if you are doing kindness and truth to my master, tell me. If not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"If you are doing".** The Hebrew yeshkhem osim, 'you are doing', is matched by itekhon avdin, the Aramaic existential particle with a participle.
- **"Kindness and truth".** Hesed is rendered tivu, 'goodness, kindness', and emet is u-keshot, the same word that rendered emet in 'the true path' in 24:48.
- **"To my master".** The Hebrew et adoni uses et, which can be either the object marker or the preposition 'with'. Onkelos writes 'im, 'with', reading it as the preposition; elsewhere in this passage he renders the object marker with yat.
- **"I will turn".** The Hebrew ve-efneh is a simple active verb; Onkelos uses the reflexive ve-itpenei, 'I will turn myself', the natural Aramaic form for this sense. Hebrew haggidu, 'tell', is havvo.
**Words to note:** וּכְעַן *u-khe'an* — now (וְעַתָּה) · אִיתֵיכוֹן *itekhon* — you are (יֶשְׁכֶם) · טִיבוּ *tivu* — kindness (חֶסֶד) · וּקְשׁוֹט *u-keshot* — and truth (וֶאֱמֶת) · חַוּוֹ *havvo* — tell (הַגִּידוּ) · וְאִתְפְּנֵי *ve-itpenei* — and I will turn (וְאֶפְנֶה)
---
### Bereshit 24:50
**Torah**
וַיַּ֨עַן לָבָ֤ן וּבְתוּאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵה׳ יָצָ֣א הַדָּבָ֑ר לֹ֥א נוּכַ֛ל דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ רַ֥ע אוֹ־טֽוֹב׃
**Translation**
Lavan and Besueil answered and said, This is from Hashem, we cannot say anything to you, bad or good.
**Onkelos**
וְאָתֵיב לָבָן וּבְתוּאֵל וַאֲמָרוּ מִן קֳדָם ה׳ נְפַק פִּתְגָּמָא לֵית אֲנַחְנָא יָכְלִין לְמַלָּלָא עִמָּךְ בִּישׁ אוֹ טָב
**Onkelos in English**
Lavan and Besueil answered and said, From before Hashem the matter has gone forth; we are not able to speak with you, bad or good.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"From before Hashem".** The Hebrew me-Hashem, 'from Hashem', becomes min kodam Hashem, 'from before Hashem', the same kodam used for the prostrations in 24:48 and 24:52. Perhaps the effect is to avoid describing the matter as issuing directly out of God.
- **"The matter ... to speak".** The Hebrew uses one root for the noun ha-davar, 'the matter', and the verb dabber, 'speak'. Onkelos uses two unrelated words, pitgama and le-mallala, so the echo between them is lost in the Aramaic.
- **"We are not able".** The Hebrew lo nukhal is recast as leit anahna yakhlin, 'not are we able', a negative particle with a pronoun and participle; the meaning is unchanged.
- **"With you".** The Hebrew eleikha, 'to you', becomes 'immakh, 'with you'. Ra' o tov, 'bad or good', is rendered bish o tav.
**Words to note:** וְאָתֵיב *ve-atev* — answered (וַיַּעַן) · נְפַק *nefak* — has gone forth (יָצָא) · פִּתְגָּמָא *pitgama* — the matter (הַדָּבָר) · לֵית *leit* — not (לֹא) · יָכְלִין *yakhlin* — able (נוּכַל) · בִּישׁ *bish* — bad (רַע)
---
### Bereshit 24:51
**Torah**
הִנֵּֽה־רִבְקָ֥ה לְפָנֶ֖יךָ קַ֣ח וָלֵ֑ךְ וּתְהִ֤י אִשָּׁה֙ לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה׳׃
**Translation**
Here, Rivkah is before you, take her and go. Let her be a wife to your master's son, as Hashem has spoken.
**Onkelos**
הָא רִבְקָה קֳדָמָךְ דְּבַר וְאֵיזִיל וּתְהֵי אִתְּתָא לְבַר רִבּוֹנָךְ כְּמָא דִּי מַלֵּל ה׳
**Onkelos in English**
Here, Rivkah is before you, take [her] and go. Let her be a wife to your master's son, as Hashem has spoken.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Take [her]".** The Hebrew kah, 'take', is rendered devar, from the same Aramaic verb dabbar that rendered 'led me' in 24:48, rather than le-misav, which rendered 'to take' in that verse. The choice may reflect the sense: there the taking is in marriage, here it is leading her away with him.
- **"Before you".** Lefanekha becomes kodamakh, the same word that stands before the Name elsewhere in this passage, here in its plain spatial sense.
- **"As Hashem has spoken".** A literal rendering, with mallel for dibber and kema di for ka-asher. Unlike the prepositional phrases, the Name as subject of the verb is left without kodam.
**Words to note:** קֳדָמָךְ *kodamakh* — before you (לְפָנֶיךָ) · דְּבַר *devar* — take (קַח) · וְאֵיזִיל *ve-eizil* — and go (וָלֵךְ) · אִתְּתָא *itteta* — a wife (אִשָּׁה) · מַלֵּל *mallel* — has spoken (דִּבֶּר)
---
### Bereshit 24:52
**Torah**
וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֛ע עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַ֖רְצָה לַֽה׳׃
**Translation**
When Avraham's servant heard their words, he prostrated himself to the ground to Hashem.
**Onkelos**
וַהֲוָה כַּד שְׁמַע עַבְדָּא דְאַבְרָהָם יָת פִּתְגָּמֵיהוֹן וּסְגֵד עַל אַרְעָא קֳדָם ה׳
**Onkelos in English**
And it was, when Avraham's servant heard their words, he prostrated himself on the ground before Hashem.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Before Hashem".** As in 24:48, la-Hashem, 'to Hashem', becomes kodam Hashem, 'before Hashem', and the verb of prostration is again from the root of u-segadit, here u-seged.
- **"On the ground".** The Hebrew artzah, 'to the ground', with its suffix of direction, becomes 'al ar'a, 'on the ground'.
- **"Their words".** Divreihem is rendered pitgameihon, the plural of pitgama, 'matter', of 24:50.
**Words to note:** כַּד *kad* — when (כַּאֲשֶׁר) · פִּתְגָּמֵיהוֹן *pitgameihon* — their words (דִּבְרֵיהֶם) · וּסְגֵד *u-seged* — he prostrated himself (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ) · אַרְעָא *ar'a* — the ground (אַרְצָה)
---
### Unit 3 summary
Onkelos follows the servant's speech closely, keeping its verb pairs (drink / give to drink, bow / prostrate) and its order. The changes cluster in three places. First, wherever the Hebrew joins a preposition to the Name, Onkelos writes kodam, 'before': the servant prostrates himself 'before Hashem' (24:48, 24:52), and the matter goes forth 'from before Hashem' (24:50); where Hashem is the object of blessing (24:48) or the subject of speech (24:51), the Name stands without it. This may suggest a reverential reluctance to describe worship as directed 'to' God or a matter as coming directly 'from' Him. Second, the vocabulary of speech and leading is redistributed: the Hebrew root of 'speak' and 'matter' is rendered by mallel for the verb and pitgam for the noun, while the Aramaic verb dabbar, which looks like that Hebrew root, renders 'led' (hinhani) and 'take' (kah) instead. Third, small grammatical smoothings: the particle na becomes khe'an, 'now'; the participle 'coming out' becomes a past verb; 'cannot' becomes leit ... yakhlin; and the ambiguous et in 'kindness and truth with my master' is read as the preposition 'im, 'with'.
---
## Conclusion of the aliyah
### The movement of the aliyah
The aliyah moves from arrival to welcome to speech to answer. In its first verses the servant gives thanks, Rivkah's family is alerted and Lavan brings him in; the long central section is the servant's own retelling of his mission, from Avraham's wealth and oath to the sign at the spring; and it closes with the family's consent and the servant's prostration. Onkelos follows the speech closely, keeping its order, its verb pairs and much of its wording. His more telling choices gather where the text speaks of God: in the servant's blessing at the start, in Avraham's 'walking before' Hashem and the prayer at the spring in the middle, and in the language of prostration and of the matter coming from Hashem at the end.
### What Onkelos tells us in this aliyah
1. **"Who has not withheld" (24:27).** *Mena'* replaces *azav*, 'abandoned', which may reflect a reluctance to speak of God as abandoning anything, even in a negative sentence.
2. **"On the right road" (24:27).** The added *takna* makes the road itself the correct one, perhaps to stress that it was Hashem's guidance.
3. **"Come in" (24:31).** The one Hebrew verb בוא is rendered 'came' when Lavan approaches the man outside (24:30) and 'enter' in the invitation and the entry into the house (24:31, 24:32).
4. **"Blessed one of Hashem" (24:31).** The emphatic noun *berikha* distinguishes this address to a person from the blessing of Hashem in 24:27, a distinction the Hebrew makes by vocalization alone.
5. **"A suitable place" (24:31).** וַאֲתַר כָּשַׁר keeps the elliptical Hebrew but adds an adjective to the second object.
6. **"My words ... Speak" (24:33).** With מלל for the verb and *pitgamai* for the noun, the Hebrew echo of *dibbarti devarai* is not kept.
7. **"Before Whom I have served" (24:40).** *Felahit* gives the sense of the image of walking before God, which may reflect a preference for stating its meaning.
8. **"If there is now will before You" (24:42).** אִם אִית כְּעַן רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ לְאַצְלָחָא recasts the Hebrew so that God is no longer the subject of the participle, perhaps a reverent indirection.
9. **"Whom Hashem has appointed" (24:44).** *De-zammin* for *hokhiah* perhaps puts the stress on the woman as designated rather than on the sign as proof.
10. **"Speaking in my heart" (24:45).** 'To my heart' becomes 'in my heart', perhaps smoothing the image into plain inward speech.
11. **"Before Hashem" (24:48).** Only the preposition joined to the Name is changed; the blessing in the same verse keeps the Name as a direct object, which may suggest a reluctance to phrase worship as directed 'to' God.
12. **"Take [her]" (24:51).** *Devar*, from the verb that rendered 'led me' in 24:48, is used rather than the verb of taking in marriage, which may reflect the sense of leading her away.
### Recurring features
- **Kodam with the Name.** All three places where the Hebrew joins a preposition to the Name (24:48, 24:50, 24:52) have *kodam*, 'before'; where the Name is the object of blessing or the subject of a verb, it stands without it.
- **Speaking and things spoken.** Every Hebrew noun *davar* in the aliyah is rendered by *pitgama* and every form of the verb by the root מלל, while *dabbar* renders 'led' (24:27, 24:48) and 'take' (24:51).
- **Standard equivalents.** *Ribboni* for *adoni*, *gavra* for *ish*, *zariti* for *mishpahti* in all three occurrences (24:38, 24:40, 24:41), *kadasha* and *sherayya* for the jewellery, and *tivu* and *keshot* for kindness and truth.
- **Verbs reworded by sense.** All three Hebrew verbs of drawing water (24:43, 24:44, 24:45) become verbs of filling, the verb of opening becomes 'untied' (24:32), and 'go' and 'come' are reversed in 24:39 and 24:41, possibly to fit the speaker's standpoint.
- **'Now' for na, 'with' for 'to'.** All three occurrences of the particle *na* (24:42, 24:43, 24:45) become *ke'an*, 'now', and speech 'to' someone becomes speech 'with' him (24:30, 24:50).
- **Grammatical smoothings.** Construct chains become phrases with ד, at times with an anticipatory suffix; infinitives become clauses with *kad*; a passive becomes an impersonal plural (24:33). These are marked where they occur and leave the sense unchanged.
### Aliyah takeaway
Through most of this long aliyah Onkelos is a faithful and literal guide, and the reader can follow Lavan's welcome and the servant's careful retelling almost word for word in the Aramaic. What stands out is how consistently he handles a few things: words of speech are kept apart from the verb of leading, and wherever the servant or the family speak of worship directed to Hashem, or of the matter coming from Him, the Name is preceded by 'before'. Alongside a handful of small additions and rewordings, such as the 'right road', the 'suitable place' and the 'will before You', these choices show the translation reading the servant's story with attention to how Hashem's guidance is described.
---
## Aramaic word list for the aliyah
| Aramaic | Transliteration | Meaning | Hebrew in the verse |
|---|---|---|---|
| מְנַע | *mena'* | withheld | עָזַב |
| טִיבוּתֵהּ | *tivuteh* | His kindness | חַסְדּוֹ |
| וְקוּשְׁטֵהּ | *ve-kushteh* | and His truth | וַאֲמִתּוֹ |
| תַּקְנָא | *takna* | right, proper | — |
| דַּבְּרַנִּי | *dabberanni* | has led me | נָחַנִי |
| עוּלֶמְתָּא | *ulemta* | the girl | הַנַּעֲרָ |
| וְחַוִּיאַת | *ve-havvi'at* | and told | וַתַּגֵּד |
| כְּפִתְגָּמַיָּא | *ke-fitgamayya* | of the happenings | כַּדְּבָרִים |
| לְוַת | *levat* | to, toward | אֶל |
| גַּבְרָא | *gavra* | the man | הָאִישׁ |
| לְבָרָא | *levara* | outside | הַחוּצָה |
| כַּד | *kad* | when | — |
| קָדָשָׁא | *kadasha* | the nose ring | הַנֶּזֶם |
| שֵׁירַיָּא | *sherayya* | the bracelets | הַצְּמִדִים |
| עִמִּי | *immi* | with me | אֵלַי |
| וַאֲתָא | *va-ata* | he came | וַיָּבֹא |
| עִלַּוֵּי | *illavvei* | beside | עַל |
| עוּל | *ul* | come in | בּוֹא |
| קָאֵם | *ka'em* | standing | תַעֲמֹד |
| כָּשַׁר | *kashar* | suitable | — |
| וּשְׁרָא | *u-shera* | and untied | וַיְפַתַּח |
| תִּבְנָא | *tivna* | straw | תֶּבֶן |
| לְאַסְחָאָה | *le-asha'ah* | to wash | לִרְחֹץ |
| לְמֵיכָל | *le-meikhal* | to eat | לֶאֱכֹל |
| דַּאֲמַלֵּל | *da-amallel* | until I speak (lit. that I speak) | דִּבַּרְתִּי |
| פִּתְגָּמָי | *pitgamai* | my words | דְּבָרָי |
| מַלֵּיל | *mallel* | speak | דַּבֵּר |
| עַבְדָּא | *avda* | the servant | עֶבֶד |
| לַחֲדָא | *lahada* | greatly | מְאֹד |
| וּרְבָא | *u-reva* | and he prospered (lit. grew great) | וַיִּגְדָּל |
| רִבּוֹנִי | *ribboni* | my master | אֲדֹנִי |
| בָּתַר | *batar* | after | אַחֲרֵי |
| דְּסֵיבָת | *de-seivat* | she had grown old | זִקְנָתָהּ |
| דִּילֵהּ | *dileh* | that is his, that he possesses | — |
| וְקַיֵּם | *ve-kayyem* | established [an oath] | וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי |
| עָלַי | *alai* | upon me | — |
| אִתְּתָא | *itteta* | a wife | אִשָּׁה |
| כְּנַעֲנָאֵי | *kena'ana'ei* | Canaanites | הַכְּנַעֲנִי |
| בְּאַרְעֵהּ | *be-areh* | in his land | בְּאַרְצוֹ |
| אֶלָהֵן | *elahen* | instead, but rather | — |
| אַבָּא | *abba* | my father | אָבִי |
| תֵּזִיל | *tezil* | you must go | תֵּלֵךְ |
| וּלְזַרְעִיתִי | *u-le-zariti* | and to my family | מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי |
| מָאִים | *ma'im* | perhaps | אֻלַי |
| תֵיתֵי | *teitei* | will come | תֵלֵךְ |
---
## Source note
**Aliyah boundary.** Bereshit 24:27 – 24:52, following the aliyah divisions in Sefaria's index of Bereshit (the next aliyah begins at Bereshit 24:53).
**Torah text.** *Miqra according to the Masorah* (CC-BY-SA), the Masoretic text based on the Aleppo Codex, from Wikisource via [Sefaria](https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis?lang=he).
**Targum Onkelos.** The Aramaic is the commonly printed text, from the Torat Emet edition (Public Domain), via [Sefaria](https://www.sefaria.org/Onkelos_Genesis?lang=he).
**Comparison text.** "Targum Onkelos, vocalized according to the Yemenite Taj" (CC-BY-SA), from Wikisource via Sefaria. Its readings were compared with the printed text word by word; only differences that change a word or the meaning are noted.
**Translation of the Torah.** *Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009* (CC-BY), via Sefaria, with the Divine Names rendered Hashem and God.
**Translation of Onkelos, notes and summaries.** New, prepared for this booklet. The Onkelos translation follows the wording of the Torah translation wherever the Aramaic agrees with the Hebrew, so that the differences stand out.
**Divine Names.** In the Hebrew and Aramaic, the Tetragrammaton and the Aramaic abbreviation of the Name are printed as ה׳, and *Elokim* as אלקים.
**Notes.** The notes compare the Aramaic with the Hebrew only. No later commentaries on Onkelos have been used. Where a note suggests why Onkelos translated as he did, this is presented as an inference from the text.
**Licence.** The Hebrew and Aramaic texts are shared under their own licences as stated above; CC-BY-SA material remains under CC-BY-SA.