The Death of Ishmael
25: 17

After inserting Ishmael’s genealogy into his own account, Isaac then recorded Ishmael’s death. Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died fifty-eight years before Isaac did. The reason for putting the death of Ishmael here is that Isaac wants to dispense with the non-seed line, before dealing with the seed-line of himself and Jacob.

And like his father Abraham, Ishmael was gathered to his people and went to the realm of the dead or sh’ol (25:17), in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40). Now even though this is the same phrase used to describe the death of his father, it does not mean he believed in the God of his father. Sh’ol was a place for both believers and unbelievers. We learn more about this from the story of the rich man and Lazarus. There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”

But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to there cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us” (Luke 16:19-26). So both Abraham and Ishmael went to sh’ol. And while we cannot be dogmatic about it, as much as Abraham loved his son, the fruit of his life seems to point to the fact that Ishmael, like the rich man, also ended up in hell, where he was in torment.

Ishmael refused to believe the truth that Isaac was the son of promise. It is precisely this lack of faith that separated him from his father during his time on earth and in sh’ol in the afterlife. In his pride, he believed he was the son of promise and this is exactly what the Muslims believe to this day. However, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6a). When we look at the fruit of his life, and the opposition to the nation of Isra’el by his descendants, it is difficult to conclude that he believed in the God of Abraham. There is not a single shred of Scriptural evidence that Ishmael and Isaac had any spiritual fellowship. In fact, just the opposite is true. Sadly, they were separated in life, as they would be in death. They will both be in sh’ol until Jesus comes (Ephesians 4:8-10).⁴⁰³

The Twelve Sons of Ishmael
25: 12-16

This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham (25:12). The LORD said that He would make Ishmael into a great nation (21:18), and He certainly fulfilled His promise. What became of Ishmael were his twelve sons. Ishmael probably kept this record and it was later incorporated into Isaac’s genealogical record. The two brothers almost certainly exchanged information at the time of their father’s funeral.

These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael. The Nebaioth (Neb-bi-OATH) are today called the Nebateons. Nebaioth was the first of twelve sons of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13a, 28:9; First Chronicles 1:29; Isaiah 60:7). They were a branch of the Edomites. It was the Nabeteons who settled and built the city of Bozrah, which will play a significant role in Isaiah 63, when the Messiah returns.

Then these were also born to him: Kedar (Psalm 120:5; Isaiah 21:16-17, 42:11, 60:7; Jeremiah 49:28-33; Ezeki’el 27:21), Adbeel, Mibsam, (First Chronicles 4:25), Mishma (First Chronicles 4:25), Dumah (Isaiah 21:11), Massa, Hadad, Tema (Job 6:19; Isaiah 21:14; Jeremiah 25:23), Jetur (First Chronicles 5:19), Naphish (First Chronicles 5:19) and Kedemah (25:13b-15). Even though Ishmael was not the son of promise, ADONAI was faithful to His word when He said: I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation (17:20).

These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers, according to their settlements and camps (25:16). So not only were there twelve sons and twelve tribes of the descendants of Isaac through Jacob, but there were also twelve sons and twelve tribes of the sons of Ishmael.

The Written Account of the Generations of Ishmael
25: 12-18

Moses edited and compiled eleven family documents in the book of Genesis. The major structural word for Genesis is toldot, which means the written account of, or this is what became of these men and their descendants. The noun is often translated generations, histories or descendants. After the section on the written account of the generations of Terah from 11:27 to 25:11, we have the eighth toldot, the written account of the generations of Ishmael. The previous toldot went from God’s covenant with Abraham to God’s son of promise. So what this eighth family document tells us is what became of Abraham; what became of Abraham was Ishmael, and because he was Abraham’s son, God would make him into a nation also, but he was not the son of promise.

This is the shortest toldot and it follows the second longest one. Ishmael, too, was a son of Abraham, so ADONAI told what became of him and his line before returning to the seed-line of Isaac and Jacob. Thus, Ishmael’s descendants are listed before Isaac’s descendants. Ishmael had twelve sons as the LORD had prophesied (17:20), and died at the age of one hundred and thirty seven years. His sons lived in the Arabian Peninsula from Havilah (in north-central Arabia) to Shur (between Beersheba and Egypt) to the east of Jacob and his sons. The descendants of Ishmael would dwell in the presence of all their brothers as God had prophesied (to see link click Ej –Hagar and the Angel of the LORD).⁴⁰²

The Death of Abraham
25: 7-11

The death of Abraham DIG: Through Abraham’s experience with God, what do you learn about the way the LORD treats us when we are obedient? When we are fearful? When we are wayward?

Altogether, Avraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years (25:7). This was the fulfillment of ADONAI’s promise to him that he would be buried at a good old age (15:15). Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) was then seventy-five years old, and his grandchildren Jacob and Esau were fifteen years old. So he was able to see his grandchildren grow up. This shows that Genesis was not written in strict chronological order. It is basically chronological, but not strictly so. Sometimes when a story comes to an end, it goes back and picks up a new story line, as is the case with Jacob and Esau coming up shortly.

It is one thing to live a long life. But it is quite another to live a long life that is also content. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years literally satisfied. He saw all the desires of his heart fulfilled. This is the first indication we have in Genesis that there is life beyond the grave. Avraham was living by faith when he died (Hebrews 11:13-16). He was gathered to his people (25:8). This is the first occurrence of this phrase in the Bible and it means to go to the realm of the dead, referring to the destiny of the spirit, not the body (James 2:26). The word in the TaNaKh for the realm of the dead is sh’ol and the New Covenant equivalent is Hades.³⁹⁹ It was a temporary place for the spirits while awaiting the resurrection. Since his people were in Mesopotamia and since none of his ancestors were buried in the cave of Machpelah, this can only refer to life after death. In other words, he was with those before him who had died in faith. Nineteen hundred years later, the location of such departed spirits was actually called sh’ol, or Abraham’s side (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Hx – The Parable of the Rich Man an Lazarus).⁴⁰⁰

His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah (25:9-10).

After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Yitz’chak, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi (25:11). When Abraham by faith sent away all his other sons, he provided for transferring his blessing to Isaac who waited on the LORD. Abraham would be gone, but ADONAI’s program would continue; no leader of the covenant is indispensable, for His program to bless the world will continue to grow and expand from generation to generation. Each of the LORD’s servants must do all they can to ensure the ongoing of God’s work, but the work is bigger than any individual.⁴⁰¹

Abraham Took Another Wife,
Whose Name Was Keturah
25: 1-6

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah DIG: What can you make of Abraham’s new family? What promise was fulfilled as a result of his second family? Did Avraham force everyone to get along? Did he play favorites? Why or why not?

REFLECT: Do you have your personal belongings in order so that there will be no disputes after your passing?

Abraham was one hundred and thirty-seven years old when Sarah died, so he still had thirty-eight years to live. When Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) married, he and Rebekah moved south to Lahai-Roi. Abraham was left alone, and no doubt became lonely. After some time he decided it was not good for him to be alone, and he needed a suitable helper (2:18). Finally, he decided to remarry. Good memories of his first marriage gave him the courage to do it again. Some people are content to remain widowed the rest of their lives, and that is all right – but Abraham was not one of them. And for all we know, his second marriage was a good one and blessed by God.³⁹⁷

ADONAI had supernaturally reestablished the virility of Avraham and he took another wife, whose name was Keturah meaning covered with perfume or incense (25:1). As Yitz’chak was the son of promise, Sarah was the wife of promise. Therefore, Keturah is listed as a concubine elsewhere in the Bible to distinguish her from the primary wife Sarah (First Chronicles 1:32). We have no knowledge of her background. However, we can say she was probably not a Canaanite woman, because Abraham would not allow Isaac to marry one. However, she did understand that although she and her children would be taken care of, probably each having a reasonable start with his own flocks and herds, the bulk of Avraham’s inheritance would go to Isaac.

She bore him six sons and probably many daughters. Proper Jewish genealogies traditionally listed only men. When we get to the genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16, he breaks with Jewish tradition and lists women and skips names. The purpose of his genealogy is to show that if Jesus really was Joseph’s son, He could not be king. At any rate, the names of Abraham’s sons with Keturah were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, who will play an important part in Jewish history (Genesis 35:36, 37:28; Exodus 2:15 to 3:1, 18:1; Numbers 25:16-18; Joshua 13:21 and Judges 6:1 to 7:25), Ishbak and Shuah (25:2).

Jokshan was the father of Sheba; this Semitic Sheba replaced the Hamitic Sheba of 10:7. These are the Sabians of Job 1:15, and the traveling merchants of Sheba of Job 6:19. The second son was Dedan, who replaced the Hamitic Dedan of 10:7 (They are also mentioned in Isaiah 21:13, Jeremiah 25:23, 49:8 and Ezeki’el 25:13). The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites (25:3). Sheba and Dedan are mentioned together in Ezeki’el 38:13 where they refuse to participate in Russia’s attack on Isra’el. Then five of Abraham’s grandchildren through his son Midian are mentioned; they were Ephah (Isaiah 60:6), Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah (25:4). This list is parallel to the one in First Chronicles 1:32-33. This is the fulfillment of one of the promises that God made to Abraham back in 17:4 where He said: You will be the father of many nations. These six sons fathered six tribes or nations and some of his grandchildren fathered others. These tribes are mostly Bedouin and range in the desert areas in Sinai, Arabia and Syria.³⁹⁸

However, in contrast to the sons of Keturah, Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac (25:5). Avraham loved all his boys, but Yitz’chak was the son of promise, so he inherited everything. So while Abraham was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his two concubines, Hagar and Keturah (First Chronicles 1:32). These gifts were probably one-time, sizably wealthy gifts of herds and flocks in place of the ongoing inheritance that was given to Isaac. They were not lacking for anything. He set them up pretty well. But he deliberately sent them away as he had done with Ishmael because they and their descendants could have been a threat to Isaac. They were sent away from the Promised Land to the land of the east, to the Saudi Arabia area (25:6). He makes sure that there is distance between Isaac and his other sons because they are not part of the covenant. Wisely, he did all this while he was still living so there would be no disputes after his death.

So Isaac Married Rebekah and He Loved Her 
24: 61-67

So Isaac married Rebekah and he loved her DIG: What role does Isaac play in getting a wife? Why does ADONAI go to such lengths to provide a wife for Isaac? Incidental details aside, what do you see as the central issue of this chapter? How does this story make God’s point?

REFLECT: The place Beer Lahai Roi reminded us that God saw, God knew and He could be trusted with Isaac’s welfare. If ADONAI can take care of Hagar, take care of Isaac, can he take care of you? Since Messiah is the Living One who sees you, what does He see right now? What does this story teach you about the LORD?

Then Rebekah and her maids got ready and mounted their camels and went back with the servant. So he took Rebekah under his personal care and left (24:61). The long trip back probably took about a month. No dialogue is recorded, but obviously Rebekah wanted to know everything she could about Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak), his father and the LORD’s plan for them. The servant was a good teacher and protector as well. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26). As far as Rebekah was concerned, the trip couldn’t go fast enough. But slowly, they made their way through the land of the Canaanites, down into the Negev, and finally to where Yitz’chak lived.

Rebekah had immediately left all to go to the son, loving him before she saw him and rejoicing with inexpressible joy. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy (First Peter 1:8). She journeyed through the wilderness to meet him, guided by the servant. The Holy Comforter, the One who is called along side, accompanies the Church through the world’s wilderness, teaching her the things of Christ and showing her things to come, until finally He presents her to Christ at the end of the journey.

Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, or the well of the Living One who sees me (John 7:37), for he was living in the Negev (24:62). The Angel of the LORD had appeared to Hagar twice before at Beer Lahai Roi (16:1-10, 21:8-19). She was so touched by His care that Hagar named the place after her experience: I have now seen the One who sees me” (16:13). Yes, if I were in Isaac’s shoes I’d go wait at Beer Lahai Roi, at a place known as “the meeting place with the God who sees, knows, and communicates with those who are alone and desperate.” That would be Beer Lahai Roi: great place to wait on God. I wonder what Isaac’s prayers were like as he waited for the servant’s return?

The name of Yitz’chak has been absent from the Scriptures from the time of his being offered on Mount Moriah, until now, when he is united with his bride at the Well of the Living – One who sees me. In type we have the Father offering His only Son, who reappears when He is united with His bride, the Church, in heaven.

He went out to the field one evening to pray and meditate, (lasuach, only appearing here in the Scriptures), and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. The Hebrew indicates that he was looking every single day. Instinctively, he must have realized that his bride had come to him. It was his father’s caravan, but more people were coming than had left a month earlier. Rebekah also looked up and saw him about the same time. She knew it was Isaac and jumped down quickly from her camel (24:63-64). It was love at first sight.

She asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself as a bride does when meeting the bridegroom. It covered both her face and body; this was in keeping with the custom of those days. Outwardly, Yitz’chak tried to appear calm, but his heart was pounding through his chest. He listened patiently as the servant told Isaac all he had done (24:65-66). There was no doubt in Isaac’s mind that ADONAI had chosen Rebekah to be his wife. What a glorious meeting it must have been! And what a glorious meeting it will be one day when the Lord Himself will come down from heaven and we are caught up together in the clouds to meet Him in the air (First Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah until the formalities of the marriage could be arranged. Then Yitz’chak married Rebekah when he was forty years old and brought her into his own tent at Lahai-Roi (25:11). So she became his wife, and he loved her. Also, the Church was loved by, and finally united forever to, the Son (Ephesians 5: 25-27; Revelation 19:7; First Thessalonians 4:17). Isaac loved his mother greatly; but now with Rebekah as his wife, he was comforted after his mother’s death (24:67). A man who truly loves and honors his father and mother will, when the time comes for marriage (2:24), likewise love and honor his wife.³⁹⁶

So They Sent Rebekah on Her Way,
Along With Her Nurse and Abraham’s Servant
24: 50-60

So they sent Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant DIG: What did it cost Rebekah to follow the LORD’s will for her life, and what did she receive in return? How did God reveal His will to Abraham’s chief servant?

REFLECT: How does ADONAI reveal His will to you today? Have you been putting off a decision that needs to be made?

The servant had given the testimony as clearly and convincingly as he knew how. It was time for a decision. The consent comes from both the father and the brother. In fact, a brother’s participation in these types of negotiations was common in those days. We will see this again in 34:5-7. Both Laban and Bethuel recognize divine providence when they answered: This is from ADONAI and He has plainly revealed His will; we are not the ones to say yes or no, we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Therefore, they offered their consent. They said: Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed (24:50-51). Rebekah had heard enough about Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) from the servant to believe that God had led him to her. She, no doubt, had been praying for a husband. At any rate, she was more than ready to go. When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before ADONAI (24:52).

Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother (24:53). The bride of a prince must be provided with new clothing furnished by the father of the prince. These gifts represented the bride price, which is like the pearl of great price (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Fc – The Parable of the Pearl). Jesus said: The kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it (Matthew 13:34). Rebekah represents the Bride of Christ who can no longer be dressed in the filthy rags of her own righteous acts (Isaiah 64:6), but must be dressed in fine linen, bright and clean (Revelation 19:8).

Then they finally got around to the festive meal; the chief servant and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. All the members of the caravan were finally able to settle down to a good night’s sleep. One suspects, however, that there were at least a few who didn’t sleep much that night.³⁹⁴

When they got up the next morning, the servant surprised everyone by requesting that he and Rebekah leave immediately. He said: Send me on my way to my master. The servant wanted to complete his mission without a single delay. Abraham and Isaac were anxiously waiting to hear from him – but her brother, mother and father were shocked. They had been willing to let her go, but did it have to be so soon? It had been only half a day since he had come into their lives, and now he was preparing to take her away forever? They needed more time to say good-bye. They pleaded: Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go. But the servant had some good reasons to reject the delay, and said to them, “Do not detain me, now that ADONAI has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master” (24:54-56). Furthermore, delay would only give the flesh more reasons for changing their minds.

Then, in a further attempt to delay the servant and Rebekah’s departure, they said: Let’s call the girl and ask her about it. So they called Rebekah hoping that she would want more time to make her decision, and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” The issue is a personal decision. No one can make it for her. And she said: I will go (24:57-58). She goes to marry a man on faith. She leaves home never to return. Making a decision to follow Christ is a personal decision. No one can make it for you. If you decide to follow the Master, this world is no longer your home. You are an alien and a stranger in it (First Peter 2:11). The Bible teaches that all believers eagerly await a reunion with Jesus Christ in heaven where our citizenship actually exists (Philippians 3:20).

So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse, Deborah (35:8), and Abraham’s servant and all his men (24:59). In the eastern family the nurse is a very important person. She is esteemed almost like a parent; and accompanies the bride to her new home and remains there with her. She becomes the adviser, the assistant, and the friend of the bride. To the nurse, as to a mother, the bride will confide her greatest secrets. Thus, Rebekah took with her on her long journey to her future home the nurse who had cared for her since childhood.³⁹⁵

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies” (24:60). Her decision was the right one. One should not go ahead of God’s will, but neither should we lag behind, once that His will is known. This principle is most important in connection with the greatest decision of all – whether to accept Christ or not. Once the Holy Spirit has taught someone about Christ, and they understand the implications of the Gospel, he should accept Him and follow Him immediately. Delay can only be dangerous. I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (Second Corinthians 6:2).

The LORD Will Send His Angel With You
and Make Your Journey a Success
24: 34-49

The LORD will send His angel with you and make your journey a success DIG: What does the servant communicate about Abraham and Isaac to Rebekah’s family that convinces them that she’ll be well taken care of?

REFLECT: What amazing story do you have in your family? How did you meet your mate? Or how did your parents or grandparents meet? How were they saved?

So the servant told his story and identified himself, saying: I am Avraham’s servant (24:34). Notice that his name is not given. Likewise, Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came, He would not speak of Himself (John 16:13-15). So here, the servant is not named but is simply called Abraham’s servant because he speaks of his master.

The servant then gives the testimony of Abraham and Isaac. Though it is largely a repetition of what has already been covered in the narrative, it is thrilling to hear, as it were, through the ears of Rebekah, who was learning these great things for the first time. The Church also learns of the Son through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Since he was making a proposal of marriage, it was of course proper to give a clear statement of his master’s financial status, which he did most impressively, giving all the credit for Abraham’s wealth to God rather than to his shrewd business insight. The unnamed servant pointed out that Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) had been made sole heir of his father’s wealth. He also mentioned the fact of Isaac’s miraculous birth, coming at such a time that he was approximately the same age as Rebekah.³⁹¹ The family listened intently.

The servant said: ADONAI has blessed my master abundantly. The use of the word master here is the Hebrew word for Adonai, which is translated a number of times as master, or owner. And he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys (24:35). God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and not only that, the entire world is His, and all that is in it (Psalm 50:10 and 12).

Then he gave the real intent of his journey. My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and Abraham has given his son everything he owns (24:36). If you have made a decision to follow the Master, you also have an inheritance. You will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5, 19:29, 25:34), and you have an eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15; Revelation 21:7). When you go to be with the Master, you have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade that is kept in heaven for you (First Peter 1:4). In fact, the Holy Spirit Himself is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). As the son of promise, Yitz’chak would receive the inheritance.

Then he recounted the entire thrilling story of his mission and how the LORD led him to Rebekah. And my master made me swear an oath, and said: You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live. But go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son (24:37-38).

Then I asked my master, “What if the woman will not come back with me?” He replied: ADONAI, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. From Avraham’s perspective, there was no doubt that this was something the LORD was going to do. But to give his servant peace of mind he said: When you go to my clan, if they refuse to give her to you, you will be released from my oath (24:39-41).

Then the servant recounted his prayer at the spring. When I came to the spring today, I pleaded: ADONAI, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come (24:42).

See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar” (This word for maiden is not the same word used earlier. Here the word is almah, which is the actual word for virgin. And as such, it does not require a statement of explanation as did betulah in 24:16). And if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master’s son (24:43-44).

Before I finished praying in my heart the answer came, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I asked the test question: Please give me a drink. She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said: Drink and I’ll water your camels, too. So I drank, and she watered the camels, also (24:45-66).

I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said: The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him. Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms (24:47). Then the servant continues his story.

And I bowed down and worshiped the LORD, I praised ADONAI, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son (24:48). The servant had prayed about every aspect of his important mission. He had also planned wisely how he would meet the right woman, how to present his mission, and when to seal it with appropriate gifts. Sincere prayer, wisdom and timely action go together in accomplishing God’s plan.³⁹²

Then he makes a specific request. Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn (24:49). It is interesting that the servant never really asks the actual question as to whether Rebekah would marry Isaac. He told the story so well that the question was clear to all. A decision must be made. Likewise, the servant is like the Holy Spirit, who is in the world seeking a bride for Christ. As the Holy Spirit witnesses to the hearts of individuals concerning Christ, their need for Him and the joy of His presence in their lives, they are confronted with the greatest decision of their lives. They cannot ignore Him; they must either say yes or no.³⁹³

Now Rebekah Had a Brother Named Laban
24: 28-33

Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban DIG: Why was the servant in a hurry to meet this woman? What pace was Rebekah keeping? Why would Laban negotiate the marriage contract? Why was he welcoming this guest? Why was he in such a big hurry to go out and meet the servant? What would this reveal about him?

REFLECT: What gifts has the LORD given you? What motivates you to godly service? Is being wealthy inherently evil (First Timothy 6:6-10)? Do you keep a light touch on the things of this world?

Things continue at a rapid pace. The servant hurried to meet the woman by the spring and she quickly lowered her jar for him to drink in 24:18. Then she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw more water in 24:20. Now she would run back to her mother’s household and tell her mother and her brother about the gifts that the servant had given her (24:28). But the most exciting thing was as he prayed and mentioned Abraham, the almost legendary relative in far-off Canaan, she sensed that there was something very important about his presence in Nahor. She was eagerly anticipating what he would tell her family.³⁸⁹ Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the servant at the spring (24:29).

Rebekah returned to her mother’s household rather than her father’s because the women had separate quarters where they did their work, and a daughter would only tell her mother of such things. In addition, the men often had concubines and it would be quite natural that a daughter would feel closer to her mother. A woman’s brother gave his sister in marriage, which could explain why Laban, Rebekah’s brother, negotiates this marriage contract.³⁹⁰ Because of this, Laban represents the male head of the family and it would be his responsibility to go out to welcome the servant.

As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her, he went out to the servant and found him standing by the camels near the spring where Rebekah had left him. Judging him to be wealthy, he was anxious to receive rich gifts, which would foreshadow Laban’s character flaw. No doubt he had heard about Avraham and his wealth from travelers. This was supported when he saw the expensive gifts the servant had given his sister and the caravan that had just arrived. He said: Come, you who are blessed by ADONAI. Why are you standing out here? Then trying to impress the servant, he did some quick housecleaning, saying: I have prepared the house and a place for the camels (24:30-31).

So the servant went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels and water for his men and him to wash their feet. At first his concern had merely been a drink of water. But now, as food was set before him, the telling of his story became paramount in his mind. He said: I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say. He couldn’t wait another minute because he was busting with excitement. And although it was customary to leave the business until after the meal, Laban was just as curious and said: Then tell us (24:32-33).

Abraham’s Servant Meets Laban
24: 28-49

Here the chief servant meets Laban, who will be an important character in the story of the Patriarchs. He is a real rascal, and you will need to keep your eye on Laban. He loves material things, as you will see, and there is almost nothing he will not do to get them. Laban will cause his nephew Jacob no small amount of trouble.

Before He had finished Praying
Rebekah Came Out with Her Jar on Her Shoulder
24: 15-27

Before he had finished praying Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder DIG: What can we learn about the importance of prayer from this story? When have you prayed to God asking for a particular sign? How appropriate is this method of praying?

REFLECT: Who consistently goes the extra mile and waters your camels for you? This week, how can you be that kind of person to others?

ADONAI answered his prayer before he had finished praying. Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel and the granddaughter of Milcah and Nahor (24:15). Her marriage was planned long before she knew about it. How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down the earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What a pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son (Ephesians 1:3-6).

When he saw her, his heart must have been thrilled because this was no ordinary girl. She was very beautiful, and obviously a virgin, or betulah, from the Hebrew root batal, which means to separate, to keep one’s self in modesty. It did not mean absolute virginity, so the author adds the explanation; no man had ever lain with her. And one day the bride, the wife of the Lamb, will present herself to Him as a radiant Church, without stain or any other blemish (see the commentary on Revelation, to see link click Ft – Come, I Will Show You the Bride the Wife of the Lamb). She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again (24:16). He must have watched her with breathless anticipation. Was she the one?

The servant hurried to meet her with his test question. It was normal protocol for a stranger to ask permission to use the town’s well, and it was customary for the people of the town to provide the hospitality of offering a drink.³⁸⁶ He said: Please give me a little water from your jar. She said: Drink, my lord, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink (24:17-18).

After she had given him a drink, she said: I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking (24:19). One can only imagine how he felt when she said that. She was everything he had prayed for! Camels have three stomachs and carry a three-day supply of water. Therefore, each camel can drink more than twenty gallons of water, especially after a long day’s journey in hot lands. Here were ten camels (24:14). Ancient jars used for drawing water usually held no more than three gallons. If so, she must have made from eighty to a hundred trips from the spring to the watering trough. It would have taken several hours.³⁸⁷ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water again and again, until she drew enough water for all his thirsty camels. Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not ADONAI had made his journey successful (24:20-21). The servant watched in amazement.

When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels (24:22). The first thing the servant does is to give her gifts. In like manner, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh gives each believer a spiritual gift at conversion. A spiritual gift, as valuable as gold, is a special ability to be used to minister to others and therefore, build up the body of Christ. She would know that these were bridal gifts. And she, being also led by the servant, does not refuse them, even though she does not know his master, or his master’s son. There was something about this man that she could trust.

Then he was ready to ask the all-important question: Whose daughter are you? Then he added: Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night? She answered saying: I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor. Moreover she added: We have plenty of straw and fodder (once again going the extra mile) as well as room for you to spend the night (24:23-25).

He could hardly believe his ears. When he learned that this lovely and gracious young woman was none other than Rebekah herself, about whom they had learned back in Hebron, who was Isaac’s second cousin, he was almost overcome with emotion. He was so thankful, that he stopped, bowed down and worshiped ADONAI. He said: Praise be to ADONAI, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, God has led me to the house of my master’s relatives (24:26-27).

Try to recall a time and place that you were also thankful to ADONAI. Picture yourself in a movie theater of your life. You have the remote control. You can rewind your life and stop it anywhere you want. Stop it at a place that was restful, comforting, free of anxiety, and good to be. It may be a memory from your childhood or something more recent. When you find it, try to call it to mind in all its detail. Go there in your memory. See the light and shadow, hear the sounds, touch it and smell it. Stay there for as long as you wish and gradually allow yourself to express your thankfulness to God in simple words.³⁸⁸

O LORD, God of My Master Abraham,
Show Me Success Today
24: 10-14

O LORD, God of my master Abrasham, show me success today DIG: What was the significance of the ten camels loaded down with all kinds of good things from his master? Why stop at the well? What was his plan? Where else do we see this same plan in the TaNaKh?

REFLECT: What can we learn about the importance of prayer from this story? When have you prayed to God asking for a particular sign? How appropriate is this method of praying? Like the chief servant, what specific prayer would you like to see answered in the near future?

The bride was to be taken to the home of Isaac by Abraham’s unnamed chief servant. Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master to serve as the bride price. He and his caravan set out for Aram Naharaim, meaning between the two rivers in central Mesopotamia, and made his way to the town of Nahor, or Haran (24:10). No time was wasted looking elsewhere. The journey would have taken at least a month, and he had traveled over four hundred and fifty miles. His camels had traveled a long way, probably hadn’t been watered in several days and were very thirsty.

The caravan stopped and he had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town. It was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water (24:11). He knew the women would be coming out soon, and this would be the best place to meet them. It was there that he trusted God to give him a specific leading.

How would he know the right one? Abraham had put all his faith in the LORD, and now his servant does also as he prayed with urgency: O ADONAI, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Avraham. See I am standing besides this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water (24:12-13). Because of the custom of hospitality toward strangers, he knew that almost any woman would agree to give him a drink of water. Eliezer devised a test. But what if she would voluntarily offer to water his ten thirsty camels? He decided to ask for a specific sign.

 He said: May it be that when I say to the woman: Please let down your jar that I may have a drink, she will say: Drink, and I’ll water your camels, too. Her willingness to go the extra mile and offer to water ten camels also, would say a lot about her character, for camels guzzle huge amounts of water. So he continued to pray: Let her be the one You have chosen for your servant Isaac. The chief servant realized this bride was foreordained. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master (24:14).

The servant did what Gideon would do years later, put out a fleece (Judges 6:36-40 KJ). It worked for him, but don’t try this at home! This is not the best way for God’s people to determine His will, because the conditions we lay down for God to meet might not be in His will. Here it was, but we might be walking by sight and not by faith, and we may end up tempting God. If we try to put God on a leash and call Him to heel, we will be sadly disappointed. Unlike the prayers of the Psalmists who call on God to be God, to put out a fleece can be manipulative because we get the feeling that we are calling the shots. The fact that He sometimes condescends to accommodate our weaknesses and ignorance is a demonstration of His grace, not a license to play God. He is not obligated to respond to our whims. We don’t have the big picture. He does.³⁸⁵

Go to My Country and My Own Relatives
and Get a Wife for My Son Isaac
24: 1-9

Go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac DIG: What does Abraham communicate about God to his servant to whom he gives the responsibility of finding a wife for Isaac? What problems would be created if Isaac married a Canaanite? For ADONAI? For him? For you? 

REFLECT: What can we learn about looking for a suitable spouse today? If you are looking to get married, how is this similar to the way the Lord wants us to find a mate today (see Second Corinthians 6:14-18)? Are there still “Canaanites” in the land where you live? Should you marry one of them?

Avraham was now old and well advanced in years, and ADONAI had blessed him in every way (24:1). Abraham was now one hundred and forty years old (25:20), and many of the individual promises of his covenant with God had been fulfilled in his lifetime. And as he approached the end of his life, his desire was to secure a suitable wife for his son. Isaac (Hebrew: Yitz’chak) was forty years old, and it was certainly time for him to be married. The parents normally chose the spouse for their children, but even at this age, Isaac completely trusted his father’s judgment in such an important decision.

He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had (24:2a). The unnamed chief servant had a position of authority. He would have been the inheritor if Isaac had not been born. But he held no animosity and looked out for the welfare of his master. Avraham said: Put your hand under my thigh (24:2b). This is a euphemism for the holding of the genitals, which are the source of life. It is a solemn sign that if the oath were not carried out, the children who would be born to Abraham would avenge the servant’s unfaithfulness.³⁸² This oath is also seen here and in 47:29.

The LORD Himself would be the witness to this oath. Abraham said: I want you to swear by ADONAI, the God of heaven and the God of earth. The chief servant must swear that he would not get a wife for Avraham’s son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. That is the key element in the oath. But he wanted him to go to Abraham’s country, to Avraham’s own brother Nahor, and get a wife for his son Isaac (24:3-4). Now, Abraham was not from a family with a godly line of history. In fact, they were idol worshipers (Joshua 24:2). So, in essence, there was very little difference between the Canaanites and the Babylonians (Abraham’s family background) in regard to their religious beliefs. If not, then what difference did it make whether she came from the Canaanites or Abraham’s idolatrous Babylonian family?

It seems that Abraham’s main concern was the moral degradation of the Canaanite society. True, Abraham’s family were idol worshipers, but apparently, their version of idolatry was different from the Canaanite practices. Laban, Isaac’s future brother-in-law, is a good example of this. He was cunning, (to see link click Hg – Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel), but not evil like the Canaanites who were notoriously sinful and practiced abominable customs in their form of idol worship. In other words, it was not the ideas and beliefs of the family of the girl who was destined to be the mother of the nation that were apt to endanger its future – but evil deeds.

What can we conclude from all of this? First, it is instructive to learn from Abraham’s example. He had no choice. He could not choose another believer for his son’s wife because there wasn’t any to be had. Therefore, he chose to do the next best thing. Instead of subjecting himself and his household to the sin and degradation of the society around him by choosing a wife for Isaac from them, he sought one from a people who, although they may not have been believers like he was, were nonetheless relatively free from the debauchery of the Canaanite society. It seems that the cultural or family background of the people our children intend to marry matters more than we think. The saying is true that we marry not just our spouse, but their family also. But Abraham gave Eliezer some very general criteria. She must be a virgin, one who loved her own family but who would be willing to make her home in the Promised Land. The Canaanites were cursed under the curse of Ham; so Avraham wanted a bride for his son from the line of Shem.

Second, Abraham was really a man of faith. He demonstrates it again and again, and here he is magnificent. He is basically saying to his chief servant, “You can count on God to lead you. He has promised me this.” Avraham is not taking a leap in the dark. Faith is not a leap in the dark! It must rest upon the Word of God. Many people say, “I believe in God, and it will come to pass.” That’s fine. It is wonderful for you to believe God, but do you have something in writing from Him? Abraham always asked for it in writing. ADONAI had made a contract with him. Avraham was really saying, “Elohim has promised me that through my seed Yitz’chak. He is going to bring a blessing to the world. You can be sure of one thing. The LORD has a bride back there for Isaac.” You see, Avraham rests upon what God has already said. We need not be foolish today. Faith is not foolishness. It is resting upon something. It is always reasonable. It is never a leap in the dark. Faith is not a gamble; it is a sure thing. And Abraham was sure.

My friend of the faith, if you have a young man or a young woman in your home that is of marriageable age, you ought to pray that he or she will not marry one of the Canaanites. They are still in the land, and there is always the danger of one of our young people marrying one of them. If they do, as someone has put it, they will have the devil for their father-in-law, and they are always going to have trouble with him.³⁸³

Abraham was too old to make the long trip back to Mesopotamia himself, for it was over four hundred and fifty miles. But he insisted that Isaac not go, because he knew that the heir of God’s promises should stay in the Promised Land. As a matter of fact, during his entire lifetime, Isaac never left Canaan at all (26:2-3). If  Yitz’chak had gone in search of a bride, there might have been too great a temptation for him to stay with her among her own people, rather than returning to Canaan. She must be willing to come to him. Also, to reach Haran and Nahor from the Hebron-Beersheba region, Isaac would have to cross the land of Moriah, and he was forbidden to go back that way again (24:6 and 8). Therefore, Abraham sent his chief servant on the mission.³⁸⁴

Earlier in Chapter 22:1-8, we portrayed Isaac as a type of Christ. Here, in Chapter 24, that type is continued. Therefore, by type, Abraham, who is portrayed as God the Father, sends his chief servant, who is pictured as the Ruach, to a far away place to gather a bride, or the Church, for His Son, Yeshua Messiah. This chief servant is unnamed here, but back in 15:2 the one who would have inherited Abraham’s estate if he remained childless was Eliezer of Damascus. And Eliezer means God helps or God comforts. The reason the servant’s name is not mentioned here is that he was going in the name of Isaac and not his own name (John 16:13).

The servant raised a logical question: What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to Aram, the country you came from (24:5)? Isaac, the son of promise, must not be removed from Canaan, the Land of Promise! In type, the bride of Messiah is to be brought to the bridegroom’s home in heaven (Matthew 25:1-13). To emphasize this point Abraham says: Make sure that you do not take my son back there (24:6). What happens when the Son comes back again? He comes back as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), because he brings the day of vengeance (Isaiah 61:2b), the hour of His judgment (Revelation 14:7), and the wrath of God (Revelation 16:1). And He comes with His Church, the Bride, who follows Him riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14). No, the bride must be gathered before Messiah returns.

Abraham had faith that the LORD would provide divine guidance to find such a wife for Isaac. He said: ADONAI, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, “To your offspring I will give you this land” – He will send His angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there (24:7). When compound names of God are used they emphasize His relationship to man or the nation of Isra’el in particular. Here His relationship to Isra’el is emphasized. But to relieve the chief servant’s anxiety, Abraham provides one exception. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. For the reasons mentioned above, Abraham emphasizes a second time: Do not take my son back to Aram (24:8). In his lifetime, Isaac would never leave the Promised Land, and neither would Yeshua Messiah.

So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter (24:9). Thus, a solemn oath precedes the mission. Now watch the chief servant as he goes out to get a bride for Isaac.

Isaac and Rebekah
24: 1-67

We have come to a major break in this second division of Genesis. The first division (1:1 to 11:9) deals with four great events, the Creation, the Fall, the Flood and the Table of Nations. The second division (11:10 to 50:26) deals with four great men, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. We have just learned about Abraham, the man of faith. Now, in the next three chapters, we will learn about Isaac, the son of promise. There are three great events in his life and we have already seen two of them. The first was his birth, and the second was his being sacrificed as a sin offering by Avraham. The third is the finding of a bride.³⁷⁹

After the mourning period for Sarah was finished, Abraham set out to find a suitable wife for his son Isaac. Thus, while we read about the first Jewish burial in Chapter 23, we learn about the first Jewish wedding in Chapter 24. It will not be easy to obtain a wife for Isaac in a way that will preserve the covenant requirements. Abraham has not yet become a great nation. Survival hangs by a thread. But once again we see God’s ability to overcome obstacles and to fulfill His promises.³⁸⁰ He sends his chief servant back to the land of Haran in Mesopotamia to find a suitable bride, and we will see his success in finding Rebekah. This is a very wonderful love story, but it also records a very important episode in the history of man’s salvation. Since Isaac is a type of Messiah, according to the B’rit Chadashah, it is not surprising that there are many fascinating parallels between the story of Isaac’s search for a bride, through the ministry of his father’s chief servant, and the Ruach being sent out for the purpose of taking from the Gentiles a people for Himself (Acts 15:14), a bride for Messiah (2 Cor 11:2).³⁸¹

Abraham Buried His Wife Sarah
in the Cave in the field of Machpelah
23: 19-20

Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah DIG: How might Sarah have been eulogized at her funeral? What did Abraham’s purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land prove?

REFLECT: Do you have a family burial site like Abraham and his family? What are people going to say about you at your funeral? Where is your true home?

Sarah and Abraham never found a place to call home. In fact, the only piece of land they ever owned was the plot Avraham bought to bury Sarah.

After all the legal transactions were completed, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The city of Hebron is in the hill country of Judea, about half way between Jerusalem and Beersheba. Mamre is about two miles north of Hebron. Today there is a mosque built over this cave, and it is considered one of the most important mosques in Islam. So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Avraham by the Hittites as a burial site (23:19-20). The fact that Abraham purchased a burying place in strictly legal form as a hereditary possession in the Promised Land, was proof of his strong faith in the promises of God and their eventual fulfillment.³⁷⁶

There seems to be a contradiction between this passage, Stephen’s statement in Acts and a statement from Joshua. There were two different family plots about forty miles apart. One purchased by Abraham near Mamre and the other by Jacob at Shechem. First, let’s look at Stephen’s statement. Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and his brothers died. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money (Acts 7:15-16). After Sarah died, Abraham lived another thirty-eight years. During that time he met and married a woman named Keturah and had six more sons! The tomb that Abraham had bought was for his second family, in the region near Shechem, where he had built his first altar in the land of Canaan (12:6-7). When Abraham died, however, he was buried with Sarah in Mamre. Keturah and her sons may not have retained possession of the Shechem property, selling it or losing it somehow to the occupying people of Hamor. Then, about eighty-five years after Avraham’s death, when Jacob came to the region of Shechem, knowing that the land had once belonged to his grandfather, he bought it back again. And because Abraham had once built an altar there, Jacob then did the same thing. For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Isra’el (33:19-20).

Secondly what did Joshua have to say about it? He said: And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants (Joshua 24:32). As mentioned above, Jacob had purchased the land at Shechem to build an altar. He retained possession of it, but he wasn’t buried there. When Jacob died he was buried in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre. Sarah was the first to be buried there. But later she was followed by Abraham (25:9), Isaac (35:27-29), Leah (49:30-31), and finally Jacob (50:13). Joseph inherited the land at Shechem from Jacob. When Joseph died, his descendants brought his bones back from Egypt and buried him at Shechem. Eventually, Joseph’s brothers were also buried there along with Keturah and her sons. Thus, there were two family plots, one in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is Hebron), and the other at Shechem.³⁷⁷

Abraham knew he still had a family burial place back in Mesopotamia (22:20-24) and he could have had Sarah’s body transferred there, but burying Sarah in the land of Canaan was saying that Mesopotamia was no longer their home. I am sure Sarah felt the same way, and no doubt they had discussed this many times together. The Promised Land of Canaan was now their future and the future of their family. There was no looking back.

In death, the patriarchs were victorious in a way that escaped them in life. Though their voices grew silent, their grave site could not prevent them from entering into the promises of God. In this way they are examples to us all.³⁷⁸ Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that – heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them (Hebrews 11:13-16, The Message).

Abraham said: I am an Alien Among You,
Sell Me Some Property So I Can Bury My Dead
23: 3-18

Abraham said: I am an alien among you, sell me some property so I can bury my dead DIG: What was significant about Abraham burying Sarah in Canaan, rather than taking her back to their homeland? Why might this property be an important part of God’s plan for Avraham (see 25:7-11)? What relationship do you see between the purchased land and the Promised Land (see 22:15-18)? Why was Abraham willing to bury his wife in Canaan but does not allow his son to find a wife there (23:3)?

REFLECT: How do you react when the promises of God seem to slip through your fingers? Do you still live as if they are a reality? Can the sons of Het, who live and work where you live, tell there is something different about you? Do they call you a mighty prince/princess, or something else? Are you blameless in your dealings with others? What kind of foresight can you provide for your family and future generations?

As important as it is to see how one of our spiritual forefathers expressed his grief (to see link click Ft – Sarah Died and Abraham Went to Weep Over Her), the main purpose for its insertion into the text is to provide a document for Abraham’s descendants to use as a legal claim on, at least, part of the Land of Promise. From the promises made to Abraham, two of them are repeated. One is repeated seven times, and that is, that he is going to give him a seed from Sarah, a legal seed that will carry on, all the promises that God gave him (see Eo – Your Wife Will Bear You a Son and You Will Call Him Isaac). The second promise that is repeated more than twenty times in the book of Genesis alone is the promise of the Land (see Eg – I am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land).

So, regarding the Land, God told Abraham to “Walk throughout the Land, and wherever you walk and it’ll be yours (see Dy – Go, Walk Through the Length and Breadth of the Land, for I am Giving it to You). I’m going to give it to you. I’m going to give you the Land of the Canaanites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Hittites.” Oh, that’s a big promise. But now Sarah was dead and Abraham doesn’t own one inch of the Land in which to bury his wife. He’s a foreigner, a tourist, in the Land that God gave him as an everlasting possession. And now he’s got to find a place to bury his wife? I want you to understand the dilemma that we face in the text and the dilemma that Abraham faced in reality. See, God promised. He promised to give Abraham a seed, and it took many years of waiting, crying, praying, repeating, saying, “God, you know I’m going to die as an old man and I still don’t have a seed. And Abraham believed (see  Ef – Abraham believed God, and God credited it to him as righteousness), but now Sarah is dead and no land is his legally. You have to have a lot of faith in God. You have to have a very close relationship with God to be able to sustain the stress from having promises, repeated promises, promises after promises, that God is going to give you the Land. Even the borders of the Land were given to him, from Dan to Beersheba, from the rivers in the north, from the Euphrates and the Tigris in the north to the river of Egypt and various borders are given to Abraham in the book of Genesis. But still, not one inch of land is in his possession. But he still has to bury his wife. This is what we find here in this parashah.

Therefore, Abraham purchased a piece of land from Ephron of the sons of Het. Most biblical scholars say that the sons of Het were Hittites, an ethnic group originating in the north, in modern day Turkey. How could Abraham inherit land that was owned by the Hittities and not the Canaanites? The answer lies in Genesis 10:15 which indicates that Het was one of the sons of Canaan (see Di – The Line of Ham). Hence, the Hitties were, in reality, a Canaanite group, although they mainly lived north of what is usually referred to as the land of Canaan and did not speak the language of the Canaanites.

A brief look at the Hittites as a people group is that they invaded the heartland of Canaan sometime after 1400 BC. There were, however, sporadic Hittite settlements scattered throughout Canaan before that time. In fact, Ezeki’el 16:3 informs us that Jerusalem was partially of Hittite origin when it says: Your father was an Amorite and your mother was a Hittie (Ezeki’el 16:3). The Amorites were western Semites. That is, Canaanites who spoke the western branch of the Semitic language. The Canaanites were not Semites, but they spoke the a Semitic language similar to Hebrew. Chapter 23, therefore, affords us a good glimpse into ancient Hittite land transactions. We find one example of this in verses 9 and 11.

It is not surprising that the acquisition of land is one of the most significant aspects of the covenant agreement. Abraham appears content enough to wait for the land to come to him in the LORD’s timing, but meanwhile, the dead must be laid to rest.³⁷³ Here we have the negotiations and the purchase of the cave of Machpelah. Because she was not yet buried, Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. As an alien and a stranger, Avraham presented his request in the most courteous manner. ADONAI had given Abraham the whole land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, to him and his descendants (17:8). So when he asked: Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead (23:3-4), he knew that it would also be used for future generations of his family. This starts an interesting account of the Oriental method of bargaining.

The sons of Het replied to him, “Sir, listen to us, because you are God’s mighty prince among us, go ahead and bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. Choose anyone that you want; none of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead” (23:5-6). This was the start of the bargaining process. They politely offered the land to Abraham for free, but the expectation was that he would refuse and offer payment.

Then Avraham, following strict middle-eastern social customs, rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the sons of Het (23:7). Abraham’s goal was to be blameless in this transaction. For ADONAI, God is a sun and shield; ADONAI bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless (Psalm 84:11). God despises those who minimize the value of a thing during negotiation and say: It’s no good; it’s no good, and then boast of the bargain after the deal is done (Proverbs 20:14).

Abraham knew the sight he wanted, a field containing a suitable cave with trees around it, and within sight of their home in Mamre. It belonged to a prominent descendant of Het named Ephron. In accordance with the exaggerated formalities of purchasing and selling that have long been practiced in the East, Avraham first asked for someone to mediate between him and Ephron, to transmit his request to be allowed to purchase the land.³⁷⁴ He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf. So he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which is Hebrew, meaning a double cave, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.” Abraham did not go directly to Ephron, but he got some of the sons of Het to plead for him. No business of any importance can to this day be transacted in the East without middlemen.³⁷⁵ Ephron the Hittite was sitting among the sons of Het, indicating a position of authority. And he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the sons of Het who had come as witnesses to the gate of his city, where all transactions were legalized (23:8-10).

Abraham asked for only the cave as a tomb, but Ephron wanted him to purchase the adjoining field as well. Ephron said to Avraham, “No, my lord. Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it.” Abraham didn’t need the field, but under their laws, if Ephron only sold him the cave, he would still have to pay labor services to the king. But if he sold the field and the cave, he would be free from those services. Therefore, Ephron said: I give both the cave and the field to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead (23:11). Here then, we have what appears to be a free offer of the burial site, but it was not to be taken seriously. That was the way things were done in ancient Middle East negotiations. Abraham understood this was just a polite way of starting the negotiations. Then we have Abraham’s counter offer.

Again, following the custom, Abraham bowed down on his knees until his head touched the ground before the people of the land (23:12). Then the offer itself is given. And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the witnesses: Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there (23:13).

Ephron answered Avraham, and cleverly gave his asking price: Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver (which would be about ten pounds of silver). Then he flippantly adds: But what is that between me and you? This implies that this would be a reasonable asking price. Bury your dead (23:14-15). But in fact, this was a highly inflated price because the average cost then was four shekels of silver per acre. At this price Abraham would be paying forty shekels of silver per acre. A laborer, who would earn ten shekels per year for his work, would not expect to make that amount in his lifetime! But once again, this was all part of the negotiations. The first offer was supposed to be a deliberately high price, and then you begin negotiating downward. So at first he offers the land for free, then he offers it at a deliberately high price. The negotiations were then supposed to begin in earnest.

However, Abraham was not in the mood or position to bargain. He had some good reasons to purchase the land, and very little time for quibbling about the price. Therefore, he immediately agreed to Ephron’s terms (no doubt surprising Ephron and all the sons of Het) and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittite witnesses: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard of value current among the merchants at that time (23:16). Moreover, if he had merely received the land as a gift, his ownership could be subject to question in future generations. Accordingly, he entered into a valid and legal land transaction involving money and witnesses. Abraham had the foresight to make sure that this land was forever legally the property of him and his descendants, the Jewish people of today.

There are two other significant land purchases attested to by the Scriptures: The tomb of Joseph, acquired in Shechem (see the commentary on Joshua Cu – Three Graves), and David’s site for the future Temple (see the commentary on the Life of David El – David Builds an Altar). These three acquisitions were all purchased without bargaining and paid for with unquestioningly legal tender. They are unchangeable Jewish possessions of the Land of Promise!

So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre – both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field (characteristic of Hitti land transactions, which were very careful to specify them) – was deeded to Avraham as his property in the presence of all the sons of Het witnesses who had come to the gate of the city (23:17-18). All the details of the oral contract are given and this is still customary in an Oriental bargain.

Therefore, I cannot resist, at this point, to make an appropriate application to the seemingly never-ending conflict in the land of Isra’el. There are those who have claimed ownership to all three of the places mentioned above which were rightfully purchased for the Jewish people; the cave of Machpelah in Hebron, Joseph’s tomb in Shechem, and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Bible provides ample legal evidence about the Jewish claim for these locations and their surroundings; but there are those who wish to deny Isra’el of its rightful ownership and occupation of these locations.

It seems that a major reason the Ruach Ha’Kodesh had this detailed information about the purchase of these locations recorded in the TaNaKh is to provide the world with a witness and testimony that these places, as well as the rest of the Holy Land, are the national inheritance of the Jewish people. Much appreciation must be given to Abraham who, although he was in great distress and grief over the loss of his dear wife Sarah, nonetheless, had the foresight to purchase the land in Hebron for his people as a lasting inheritance.

Sarah Died in the Land of Canaan
and Abraham Went to Weep Over Her
23: 1-2

Sarah died in the land of Canaan and Abraham went to weep over her DIG: Why can Sarah be considered the mother of all believers? How old was she when she died? How old was Abraham? Isaac? Why are their ages listed at this time? What is mentioned here for the first time in the TaNaKh?

REFLECT: Why did the Torah record the account of the burial of Sarah? Is there a woman in your family history that is known for being a godly woman? Is there a godly woman in your life that you look up to and emulate? What touches you the most about Avraham’s reaction to his wife’s death?

Parashah 5: Chayei-Sarah (Sarah’s life) 23:1-25:18
(see my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key People include Sarah, Abraham, the Hittites, Ephron son of Zohar, Abraham’s servant, Rebecca, Laban, Isaac, Keturah, more children, and Ishmael.

The Scenes include Hebron, the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, Efron’s field, Aram Naharayim – Nachor’s city, B’er Lahai Roi in the Negev, and the region of Havilah to Shur.

The Main Events include Sarah’s death, the first property purchase in Isra’el (a burial cave for Sarah), a non-Canaanite bride for Isaac, marriage and comfort for Isaac, more children for Abraham through Keturah, Abraham’s death and burial next to Sarah, Ishmael’s descendants, and Ishmael’s death.

Do you ever wonder what it must have been like to be Abraham, especially in his old age? To be sure, we know that he was a man who loved and trusted ADONAI more than anything else. We also know that he practiced typical ancient Near Eastern hospitality. He had servants and possessions. And he loved his family. That much, and a little more, perhaps, is clear from the parashiyot that we have studied so far in Genesis. But what sort of personal characteristics did he have? What kind of man was he? Was he kind? Gentle? Quiet? Talkative?

In reality, the Torah tells us very little about his personal characteristics. In this, our last parashah dealing with Abraham, we will observe one very definite characteristic that he possessed. Abraham had the ability to look ahead and plan for the future. He did not just put the promises of God into a scrapbook to be looked at every so often. He deeply cherished those gifts that the LORD had given him to such an extent that he spent his life protecting them and doing his part to work for their fulfillment.

At the time of Sarah’s death, the family had evidently moved from Beersheba back to Hebron. She is the only woman whose age at death is mentioned in both the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah. This indicates that she has a special place in biblical history and is an example to follow (Isaiah 51:1-2). She lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old (23:1). As the mother of the son of promise, she became the mother of all believers (First Peter 3:6). Abraham would have been a hundred and thirty-seven years old, and Isaac thirty-seven years old when his mother died.

She died at Kiriath Arba, or the city of Arabia, which eventually became known as Hebron, which means friend, because Abraham was the friend of God (14:13, 18:1), in the land of Canaan (23:2a). They had lived there many years earlier. This Kiriath Arba/Hebron connection is found elsewhere in the Bible (Joshua 14:15, 15:13 and 59, 20:7, 21:11; Judges 1:10). This is parashah contains the first instance in the Bible where burial of the dead is mentioned. Because of this many Jewish rules concerning forms of burial and the mourning period are derived from the details of this passage. One such burial custom is mourning. The word translated to mourn is from the Hebrew root which means to give an account. In essence, what Abraham did at Sarah’s burial was to relate the highlights of her life to those in attendance. This undoubtedly helped Abraham through his own personal grief. In addition, it afforded Abraham an opportunity to show honor and respect to Sarah.

For some reason, Abraham was not present at the time of her death. She was in Hebron and he was in Beersheba (21:33-34, 22:19). He might have been away on business, or perhaps they had two residences. At any rate, when Avraham heard that she had died, he went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over the lifeless body of his soul mate (23:2b). It seems possible that her death was mercifully quick because if she had been suffering for a long time, Avraham most assuredly would have been at her side. This was the death of his friend and life-long companion. Abraham loved Sarah deeply, and it must have grieved him terribly not to be with her when she died. The first man found weeping in the Bible is mourning the loss of a woman.

The Burial of Sarah
23: 1-20

After the traumatic experience on Mount Moriah, very little is reported concerning the life of Abraham, and nothing more about Sarah, until her death. As noted before, Isaac was thirty-seven years old and Sarah was one hundred-and-twenty-seven years old when she died. These were the years of Sarah’s life. That’s the first verse of Chapter 23 of Genesis. Now, Sarah was the Matriarch. She came with Abraham from Babylon to Assyria, then to the land of Canaan and went through all the ordeals and the tests and the issues together with Abraham and his camp in the land of Canaan. So she is the Matriarch of our faith. Just like Abraham is the father of faith, she’s the mother of faith because she, like Abraham, walked with ADONAI. Even though everybody makes mistakes and Abraham made mistakes and Sarah made mistakes, but they walked with the LORD and they became models of faith, of hospitality, of hope, of tenacity, not giving up, no matter what. And now Abraham was faced with the need to bury his wife.³⁷²

Bethuel Became the Father of Rebekah
22: 20-24

Bethuel became the Father of Rebekah DIG: What news does Abraham receive about his extended family after he returned from Mount Moriah? What does this tell him about God’s provision? What is the purpose of Rebekah being mentioned here?

REFLECT: Who in your family has been blessed because of your relationship with ADONAI? What earthly “homeland” have you truly left so that you can enjoy the Lord’s promises to you?

Some time later, after the testing of Avraham, he was told: Milcah is also a mother; she has borne many sons to your brother Nahor (22:20). About sixty years had passed since Abraham had received any news about his family back in Mesopotamia. Abraham’s brother Nahor still lived there, possibly in a city that bore his name. Avraham often wondered where he could find a wife for his son. If Isaac was to be the father of a great nation as promised, the choice of a proper wife was very important. There seemed to be no candidate among their neighbors, the Amorites and the Hittites, and Abraham longed for Isaac to have a bride from his own people. But now, somehow hearing about his brother must have given Avraham hope. Nahor had twelve sons and he probably also had daughters whose names are not mentioned. God had surely blessed Abraham’s brother because of him. Surely somewhere in his extended family he could find a suitable wife for Isaac.³⁷⁰

Uz the firstborn (10:23, 36:28) founded the land of Uz where Job lived (Job 1:1), and the kings of Uz are mentioned in Jeremiah 25:20 and Lamentations 4:21. Secondly, Buz was his brother (Jer 25:23). The territory by that name was the home of Elihu in Job 32:2 and 6. The third son was Kemuel, the father of Aram (22:21 and 10:22). The fourth son was named Kesed, or in Hebrew, Chesed, who was the ancestor of the Chaldeans of Lower Mesopotamia (Job1:17). Other sons were Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel (22:22).

Because Isaac was born so late in Abraham’s life, he was more the age of Nahor’s grandchildren than of his own cousins. The grandchildren of Nahor may have been very numerous, but only two are mentioned, Aram, son of Kemuel, and Rebekah, the daughter of Nahor’s youngest son, Bethuel.³⁷¹ This entire genealogy is written only for the sake of introducing Rebekah, who would become the chosen wife of Isaac. Abraham was thus informed that there was now a possible wife for Isaac in his own family and he would not need to marry a Canaanite woman. This sets the stage for the events of Chapter 24, when Isaac must find a bride. Bethuel was also the father of Laban, who was Rebekah’s brother (24:29). Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah, who was Nahor’s niece, bore him eight sons, and his concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had the last four sons named Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah (22:23-24). The twelve Aramean tribes are named after these sons.

This genealogy introduces us to Rebekah, and also serves as a transition to Chapter 23, which records Sarah’s death and burial. In burying Sarah in Canaan, Abraham ignored his ancestry by not taking her back to Ur of the Chaldeans. He had truly left his homeland behind, and now viewed Canaan as his new native land.

Haftarah vaYera: M’lakhim Bet (Second Kings) 4:1-37 (A) 4:1-23 (S)
(see my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

Sold into slavery (Second Kings 4:1-7) or brought back from the dead (Second Kings 4:8-37) – this Haftarah describes children who were redeemed. In the first episode, a woman begs Elisha to save her children from a creditor who had come to take her two children as his slaves in the corrupt court of Ahab and Jezebel. She fears that her children will learn corrupt ways, not walking in the God-fearing ways of their dead father. The Talmud teaches, “He who has raised a son like himself is not regarded as dead (Baba Kamma 116). The second episode closely mirrors the Torah portion. Here, a Shunammite woman is granted a miracle son (when she is too old to bear). Later, the son dies unexpectedly. Elisha breathes life into the dead child, who then gets off his death bed – a miracle of life from the the dead.

B’rit Chadashah suggested readings for Parashah vaYera:
Luke 17:26-37; Romans 9:6-9; Galatians 4:21-31; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 6:13-20, 11:13-19; James 2:14-24; Second Kefa (Peter) 2:4-10

An angel of ADONAI appeared in a dream and announced to Joseph the miracle birth of a son (Matthew 1:20-21; Genesis 17:15-17, 18:10). This news is announced to Mary as well (Luke 1:30; Genesis 18:14-15). As commanded, the couple names the child Yeshua, meaning ADONAI saves, signifying the child’s predestined purpose (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31; Genesis 17:21 and 21:1-6). His destiny includes restoring David’s dynasty and establishing a Kingdom without end (Amos 9:11; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 15:16-18). The book of Luke ends as dramatically as it begins. Yeshua appears among some disciples telling them not to fear (Luke 24:36:39). Post-resurrection appearances signal the quickening of “life from the dead” for mankind (First Corinthians 15:45-49). In this way, Yeshua raises up children like Himself (Isaiah 53:10) – starting with His disciples who rejoice daily in the Temple and praise God for the gift of eternal life (Luke 24:53).

Then Abraham Returned to Beersheba
22: 19

After their mountaintop experience, Abraham and Isaac returned to the servants, as he had promised. What a contrast between the journey to Mount Moriah and the return home again! Abraham had proved that ADONAI was faithful, and having accepted and fulfilled the LORD’s will, he was filled with peace and unspeakable joy.³⁶⁹ They all set off together for Beersheba. And Avraham stayed in Beersheba (22:19). After an extended time there, he and Sarah returned to the great trees of Mamre near Hebron to live out their days (14:13, 18:1).

There is no doubt that Avraham and Isaac came down the mountain, were reunited with the two servants and went home again. But it is interesting that Isaac is not mentioned here. This verse reads: Abraham returned to his servants. Where is Isaac? Because Isaac is a type of Christ, He is in heaven and absent from the earth. But here in Genesis, the name of Isaac is absent from the time that he is offered on Mount Moriah until he is united with his bride at the Well of the Living Water in 24:62.