“Avimelekh went to him from Gerar, and a group of his associates, and Fikhol the captain of his guard” (Genesis 26:26). “Avimelekh went to him from Gerar [miGerar]” – megorar, it teaches that robbers entered into his house and were vandalizing it throughout the night.25He came as a homeless stranger [ger]. Alternatively, miGerar” – megorar, it teaches that boils developed on him, just as it says: “To scratch [lehitgared] with it” (Job 2:8).
“And a group of his associates [vaaḥuzat mere’ehu]” – Rabbi Yehuda said: His name was aḥuzat mere’ehu. Rabbi Neḥemya said: A group of his friends. “And Fikhol the captain of his guard” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: Pikhol26Fikhol and Pikhol are the same word. The difference in the first letter is connected to the rules of punctuation in Hebrew. was his name. Rabbi Neḥemya said: The mouth that all his armies take action at his word [al piv].