עֵ֫שֶׂק

From the study of Genesis 26:20

Range of meaning

The root ʿ-ś-q (spelled with sin, not shin) occurs only in this verse in the Hebrew Bible. Its meaning is worked out from three things: the context, where it is paired with rîb; the naming formula, which glosses Esek by this verb; and related later usage. In Aramaic and post-biblical Hebrew, ʿsq means "to busy oneself with, be occupied in," and ʿēseq means "business, affair, occupation." The reflexive-reciprocal form (hitpael) suggests "to get tangled up with one another, make an issue of something, wrangle." Standard lexicons (BDB, HALOT) give "contend, quarrel" here.

Against the English

English versions agree on "contended/strove/disputed," and that is a safe rendering. They cannot show that Esek and the verb share a root, which is the whole point of the naming. YLT tries with "Strife… have striven habitually," bringing out a sense of repeated, persistent action.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hapax legomenon (a word found only once in the Bible). The Septuagint read it as "wrong, injustice": it names the well Adikia, "Injustice," and says "for they wronged him." This apparently links it to the similar-sounding ʿāšaq, "to oppress, extort" (H6231). The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin) names the well Calumnia, "false claim / legal trickery." Both ancient translators heard an unjust claim, not merely a noisy argument.