Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Genesis 31:53

אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֤י נָחוֹר֙ יִשְׁפְּט֣וּ בֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּפַ֖חַד אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק׃

The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us.’ And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

Rashi on Genesis

אלהי אברהם GOD OF ABRAHAM — Here the word אלהים is holy (i.e. it is the Divine Name). (Genesis Rabbah 74:17)
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Sforno on Genesis

אלוהי אביהם, Lavan meant that Yaakov could not take offence at Lavan pairing Nachor’s god and Yaakov’s G’d in a single expression. He had chosen Nachor to underline that Nachor’s god was also the god of Terach, who was the father of both Avraham and Nachor.
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Radak on Genesis

אלוקי אברהם ואלהי נחור, the first word “elo-hey” is sacred, the second is profane and may therefore be erased, seeing that Nachor had been an idolater. Lavan himself also believed in the gods of his grandfather Nachor. Neither Yitzchok nor Betuel have been mentioned here, seeing they were well known, famous even.
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