^23:1Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. These were the years of Sarah's life. ^23:2Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba (the same is Chevron), in the land of Kana`an. Avraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. ^23:3Avraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Chet, saying, ^23:4"I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."

^23:5The children of Chet answered Avraham, saying to him, ^23:6"Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of G-d among us. In the choice of our tombs bury your dead. None of us will withhold from you his tomb, but that you may bury your dead."

^23:7Avraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Chet. ^23:8He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to `Efron the son of Tzochar, ^23:9that he may give me the cave of Makhpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession of a burying-place."

^23:10Now `Efron was sitting in the midst of the children of Chet. `Efron the Chittite answered Avraham in the hearing of the children of Chet, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, ^23:11"No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead."

^23:12Avraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. ^23:13He spoke to `Efron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."

^23:14`Efron answered Avraham, saying to him, ^23:15"My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead."

^23:16Avraham listened to `Efron. Avraham weighed to `Efron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Chet, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants' standard.

^23:17So the field of `Efron, which was in Makhpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border of it round about, were made sure <sup>23:18</sup>to Avraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Chet, before all who went in at the gate of his city. <sup>23:19</sup>After this, Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Makhpelah before Mamre (the same is Chevron), in the land of Kana`an. ^23:20The field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure to Avraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Chet.

^24:1Avraham was old, and well stricken in age. The LORD had blessed Avraham in all things. ^24:2Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh. ^24:3I will make you swear by the LORD, the G-d of heaven and the G-d of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Kana`anim, among whom I live. ^24:4But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Yitzchak."

^24:5The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"

^24:6Avraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again. ^24:7The LORD, the G-d of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. ^24:8If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."

^24:9The servant put his hand under the thigh of Avraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. ^24:10The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed, having all goodly things of his master's in his hand. He arose, and went to Aram-Naharayim, to the city of Nachor. ^24:11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water. ^24:12He said, "The LORD, the G-d of my master Avraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Avraham. ^24:13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. ^24:14Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, 'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink.' She will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' Let the same be she who you have appointed for your servant Yitzchak. Thereby will I know that you have shown kindness to my master."

^24:15It happened, before he had done speaking, that behold, Rivka came out, who was born to Betu'el the son of Milkah, the wife of Nachor, Avraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder. ^24:16The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up. ^24:17The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."

^24:18She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink. ^24:19When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking." ^24:20She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

^24:21The man looked steadfastly at her, holding his shalom, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. ^24:22It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, ^24:23and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"

^24:24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Betu'el the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nachor." ^24:25She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."

^24:26The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD. ^24:27He said, "Blessed be the LORD, the G-d of my master Avraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master's relatives."

^24:28The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words. ^24:29Rivka had a brother, and his name was Lavan. Lavan ran out to the man, to the spring. ^24:30It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rivka his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. ^24:31He said, "Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."

^24:32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. ^24:33Food was set before him to eat. But he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message."

He said, "Speak on."

^24:34He said, "I am Avraham's servant. ^24:35The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and donkeys. ^24:36Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him. ^24:37My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Kana`anim, in whose land I live, ^24:38but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.' ^24:39I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?' ^24:40He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house. ^24:41Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.' ^24:42I came this day to the spring, and said, 'The LORD, the G-d of my master Avraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go. ^24:43Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let it happen, that the almah who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink. ^24:44She will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels." Let the same be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.' ^24:45Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rivka came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.' ^24:46She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she made the camels drink also. ^24:47I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Betu'el, Nachor's son, whom Milkah bare to him.' I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. ^24:48I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the G-d of my master Avraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. ^24:49Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me. That I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."

^24:50Then Lavan and Betu'el answered, "The thing proceeds from the LORD. We can't speak to you bad or good. ^24:51Behold, Rivka is before you, take her, and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the LORD has spoken."

^24:52It happened that when Avraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD. ^24:53The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rivka. He gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. ^24:54They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."

^24:55Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."

^24:56He said to them, "Don't hinder me, seeing the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."

^24:57They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her." ^24:58They called Rivka, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"

She said, "I will go."

^24:59They sent away Rivka, their sister, with her nurse, Avraham's servant, and his men. ^24:60They blessed Rivka, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them."

^24:61Rivka arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rivka, and went his way. ^24:62Yitzchak came from the way of Be'er-Lachai-Ro'i. For he lived in the land of the South. ^24:63Yitzchak went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming. ^24:64Rivka lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Yitzchak, she dismounted from the camel. ^24:65She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?"

The servant said, "It is my master."

She took her veil, and covered herself. ^24:66The servant told Yitzchak all the things that he had done. ^24:67Yitzchak brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rivka, and she became his wife. He loved her. Yitzchak was comforted after his mother's death.

^25:1Avraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. ^25:2She bore him Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midyan, Yishbak, and Shuach. ^25:3Yokshan became the father of Sheva, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Ashshurim, Letushim, and Le'ummim. ^25:4The sons of Midyan: `Efah, `Efer, Chanokh, Avida, and Elda`ah. All these were the children of Keturah. <sup>25:5</sup>Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak, <sup>25:6</sup>but to the sons of the concubines who Avraham had, Avraham gave gifts. He sent them away from Yitzchak his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country. <sup>25:7</sup>These are the days of the years of Avraham's life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years. <sup>25:8</sup>Avraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. <sup>25:9</sup>Yitzchak and Yishma'el, his sons, buried him in the cave of Makhpelah, in the field of `Efron, the son of Tzochar the Chittite, which is before Mamre, ^25:10the field which Avraham purchased of the children of Chet. There was Avraham buried, with Sarah his wife. ^25:11It happened after the death of Avraham, that G-d blessed Yitzchak, his son. Yitzchak lived by Be'er-Lachai-Ro'i.

^25:12Now this is the history of the generations of Yishma'el, Avraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Avraham. ^25:13These are the names of the sons of Yishma'el, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Yishma'el, Nevayot, then Kedar, Adbe'el, Mivsam, ^25:14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ^25:15Chadad, Tema, Yetur, Nafish, and Kedemah. ^25:16These are the sons of Yishma'el, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations. ^25:17These are the years of the life of Yishma'el: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people. ^25:18They lived from Chavilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Ashshur. He lived opposite all his relatives.

^8:19A scribe came, and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

^8:20Yeshua said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

^8:21Another of his talmidim said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father."

^8:22But Yeshua said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

^27:5He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself. ^27:6The chief kohanim took the pieces of silver, and said, "It's not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood." ^27:7They took counsel, and bought the potter's field with them, to bury strangers in. ^27:8Therefore that field was called "The Field of Blood" to this day. ^27:9Then that which was spoken through Yirmeyahu the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

 "They took the thirty pieces of silver,
      The price of him upon whom a price had been set,
      Whom some of the children of Yisra'el priced,

 ^27:10And they gave them for the potter's field,
      As the Lord commanded me."

^9:57As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, "I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord."

^9:58Yeshua said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

^9:59He said to another, "Follow me!"

But he said, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father."

^9:60But Yeshua said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce the Kingdom of G-d."

^9:61Another also said, "I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to bid farewell to those who are at my house."

^9:62But Yeshua said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of G-d."

The Blessing of the Messiah
Ba-rooch ah-ta Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo, meh-lekh ha-oh-lahm, ah-sher keed-sha-noo beed-va-reh-kha v'na-tahn la-noo et Yeshua M'shee-khay-noo, v'tzee-va-noo l'he-oat oar la-oh-lahm. O-mein. Blessed are You, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us in Your Word, and given us us Yeshua, our Messiah, and commanded us to be a light to the world. Amen.

[ Top ]