Through the Bible – Day 8

_1-2When Sarah was one hundred and twenty-seven years old, she died in Kiriath-Arba, better known as Hebron, in the land of Canaan. After Abraham had mourned for her, ₃he went to the Hittites and said, ₄“I live as a foreigner in your land, and I don't own any property where I can bury my wife. Please let me buy a piece of land.”

_5-6“Sir,” they answered, “you are an important man. Choose the best place to bury your wife. None of us would refuse you a resting place for your dead.”

₇Abraham bowed down ₈and replied, “If you are willing to let me bury my wife here, please ask Zohar's son Ephron ₉to sell me Machpelah Cave at the end of his field. I'll pay what it's worth, and all of you can be witnesses.”

₁₀Ephron was sitting there near the city gate, when Abraham made this request, and he answered, ₁₁“Sir, the whole field, including the cave, is yours. With my own people as witnesses, I freely give it to you as a burial place for your dead.”

₁₂Once again, Abraham bowed down ₁₃and said to Ephron, “In front of these witnesses, I offer you the full price, so I can bury my wife. Please accept my offer.”

_14-15“But sir,” the man replied, “the property is worth only four hundred pieces of silver. Why should we haggle over such a small amount? Take the land. It's yours.”

_16-18Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and paid him the four hundred pieces of silver in front of everyone at the city gate. That's how Abraham got Ephron's property east of Hebron, which included the field with all its trees, as well as Machpelah Cave at the end of the field. ₁₉So Abraham buried his wife Sarah in Machpelah Cave that was in the field ₂₀he had bought from the Hittites.

₁Abraham was now a very old man. The LORD had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did. ₂One day, Abraham called in his most trusted servant and said to him, “Solemnly promise me ₃in the name of the LORD, who rules heaven and earth, that you won't choose a wife for my son Isaac from the people here in the land of Canaan. ₄Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for him from among my relatives.”

₅But the servant asked, “What if the young woman I choose refuses to leave home and come here with me? Should I send Isaac there to look for a wife?”

₆“No!” Abraham answered. “Don't ever do that, no matter what. ₇The LORD who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants for ever. When you go back there, the LORD will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son. ₈If the woman refuses to come along, you don't have to keep this promise. But don't ever take my son back there.” ₉So the servant gave Abraham his word that he would do everything he had been told to do.

₁₀Soon after that, the servant loaded ten of Abraham's camels with valuable gifts. Then he set out for the city in northern Syria, where Abraham's brother Nahor lived.

₁₁When he got there, he let the camels rest near the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when the women came out for water. ₁₂The servant prayed:

_15-16While he was still praying, a beautiful unmarried young woman came by with a water jar on her shoulder. She was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah walked past Abraham's servant, then went over to the well, and filled her water jar. When she started back, ₁₇Abraham's servant ran to her and said, “Please let me have a drink of water.”

₁₈“I'll be glad to,” she answered. Then she quickly took the jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. _19-20After he had finished, she said, “Now I'll give your camels all the water they want.” She quickly poured out water for them, and she kept going back for more, until his camels had drunk all they wanted. ₂₁Abraham's servant did not say a word, but he watched everything Rebekah did, because he wanted to know for certain if this was the woman the LORD had chosen.

₂₂The servant had brought along an expensive gold ring and two large gold bracelets. When Rebekah had finished bringing the water, he gave her the ring for her nose and the bracelets for her arms. ₂₃Then he said, “Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?”

₂₄She answered, “My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. ₂₅We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels.”

₂₆Then the servant bowed his head and prayed, ₂₇“I thank you, LORD God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him.”

₂₈Rebekah ran straight home and told her family everything. _29-30Her brother Laban heard her tell what the servant had said, and he saw the ring and the bracelets she was wearing. So Laban ran out to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well. ₃₁Then Laban said, “The LORD has brought you safely here. Come home with me. There's no need for you to keep on standing outside. I have a room ready for you in our house, and there's also a place for your camels.”

₃₂Abraham's servant went home with Laban, where Laban's servants unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then they brought water into the house, so Abraham's servant and his men could wash their feet. ₃₃After that, they brought in food. But the servant said, “Before I eat, I must tell you why I have come.”

“Go ahead and tell us,” Laban answered.

₃₄The servant explained:

₅₀Laban and Bethuel answered, “The LORD has done this. We have no choice in the matter. ₅₁Take Rebekah with you; she can marry your master's son, just as the LORD has said.” ₅₂Abraham's servant bowed down and thanked the LORD. ₅₃Then he gave clothing, as well as silver and gold jewellery, to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and her mother.

₅₄Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, then spent the night there. The next morning they got up, and the servant told Rebekah's mother and brother, “I would like to go back to my master now.”

₅₅“Let Rebekah stay with us for a week or ten days,” they answered. “Then she may go.”

₅₆But he said, “Don't make me stay any longer. The LORD has already helped me find a wife for my master's son. Now let us return.”

₅₇They answered, “Let's ask Rebekah what she wants to do.” ₅₈They called her and asked, “Are you willing to leave with this man at once?”

“Yes,” she answered.

₅₉So they agreed to let Rebekah and an old family servant woman leave immediately with Abraham's servant and his men. ₆₀They gave Rebekah their blessing and said, “We pray that God will give you many children and grandchildren and that he will help them defeat their enemies.” ₆₁Afterwards, Rebekah and the young women who were to travel with her prepared to leave. Then they got on camels and left with Abraham's servant and his men.

₆₂At that time Isaac was living in the southern part of Canaan near a place called “The Well of the Living One who Sees Me”. _63-65One evening he was walking out in the fields, when suddenly he saw a group of people approaching on camels. So he started towards them. Rebekah saw him coming; she got down from her camel, and asked, “Who is that man?”

“He is my master Isaac,” the servant answered. Then Rebekah covered her face with her veil.

₆₆The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.

₆₇Isaac took Rebekah into the tent where his mother had lived before she died, and Rebekah became his wife. He loved her and was comforted over the loss of his mother.