And Leah conceived and bore a son and called his name Reuben...And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son Regarding the sons of Jacob, Rachel and Leah gave birth to some, and their handmaidens, Bilah and Zilpah, gave birth to others. And yet, only regarding the handmaidens' sons does the verse emphasize that they bore

And there was a famine in the land besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. Why the need to mention the famine in the days of Abraham? Ramban explains that people still spoke of that famine, how on its account Abraham

When Abraham instructs Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac, he reassures him that The LORD God of the heavens, Who took me from my father's house...He shall send His angels before you...R. Hirsch points out that by using the expression "took me," Abraham was communicating to Eliezer that not only had God removed him from

After Abraham entertained his guests, he accompanied them some of the way to their next destination. And the men arose from there and looked out over Sodom, Abraham walking along with them to see them off. And the LORD had thought, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do?... Closely reading these verses,