(from One New Man Bible translated by William Morford)
Chayei Sarah
23.1. And Sarah was a hundred twenty-seven years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2. And Sarah died in Kiriat-Arba, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth saying, 4. “I am a stranger and a dweller among you. Provide for me title to a burying-place with you, so I may bury my dead out of my sight.” (Heb. 11:13) 5. And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6. “Hear us, my lord. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in your choice of our sepulchers. None of us will withhold his sepulcher from you, but that you can bury your dead.” 7. And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth. 8. And he spoke with them saying, “If it is your thinking that I should bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me and plead for me with Efron the son of Zohar, 9. that he may give me the cave of Makhpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field for as much money as it is worth. He will give it to me for a possession for a burying-place among you.” 10. And Efron lived among the children of Heth, and Efron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city saying, 11. “Nay, my lord, listen to me. I give the field to you, and the cave that is in it, I give it to you. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you: bury your dead.”
23:12 And Abraham himself bowed down before the people of the land. 13. And he spoke to Efron in the hearing of the people of the land saying, “But if you would, hear me: I shall give the money for the field, take it from me and I shall bury my dead there.” 14. And Efron answered Abraham saying to him, 15. “My lord, pay attention to me. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver: what is that between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
23:16. And Abraham did pay attention to Efron, and Abraham weighed to Efron the silver, which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. 17. And the field of Efron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders all around, were established, transferred, 18. to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Makhpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. 20. And the field and the cave that is in it were titled to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the sons of Heth.
A Wife for Isaac
24.1. And Abraham was old, well stricken in age, and the LORD* had blessed Abraham in all things. 2. And Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh 3. and I shall make you swear by the LORD*, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell, 4. but you will go to my country and to my kindred and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5. And the servant said to him, “Maybe the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Perhaps I need to bring your son again to the land from where you came?” 6. And Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not bring my son there again. 7. The LORD* God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred and Who spoke to me and Who swore to me saying, ‘I shall give this land to your seed.’ He will send His angel before you and you will take a wife for my son from there. 8. And if the woman will not be willing to follow you, then you will be clear from this my oath, only do not bring my son there again.” 9. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning that matter.
24:10. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed, for all the goods of his master were in his hand, and he rose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, the time that women go out to draw water. 12. And he said, “LORD* God of my master Abraham, Make something happen right in front of me today, and act gracefully with my master. 13. Behold, I am standing by the well of water and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. 14. And let it be that the girl to whom I shall say, Let down your pitcher, please, so I can drink and she will say, ‘Drink, and I shall also give your camels drink.’ Let the same be she that You have appointed for Your servant Isaac and thereby will I know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
24:15. And it happened before he had finished speaking that there was Rebeccah (Rivkah) coming out, who was born to Bethuel son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16. And the girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her. And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. 17. And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Let me, I beg you, drink a little water from your pitcher.” 18. And she said, “Drink, my lord.” And she hastened and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19. And when she had finished giving him a drink she said, “I shall draw water for your camels also, until they have done drinking.” 20. And she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21. And the man, marveling at her held his peace, to know whether the LORD* had made his journey successful or not. 22. And it was, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold nose ring of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold 23. and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, I pray, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?”
24. And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25. Then she said to him, “We have both straw and food enough, and room to lodge in.” 26. And the man bowed down his head and worshipped the LORD*. 27. And he said, “Blessed be the LORD* God of my master Abraham, who has not left my master destitute of His loving kindness and His truth. I am in the Way of the LORD*. The LORD* led me to the house of my master’s brothers.
24:28. Then the girl ran and told these things to those of her mother’s house. 29. And Rebeccah had a brother and his name was Laban (Lavan) and Laban ran out to the man, to the well. 30. And when he saw the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebeccah his sister saying, “The man said this to me.” He came to the man and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well. 31. And he said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD*. Why are you standing outside? I have prepared the house and made room for the camels.”
24:32. And the man came into the house and he ungirded his camels and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men that were with him. 33. And food was set there before him to eat, but he said, “I shall not eat until I have told my errand.” And Laban said, “Speak on.” 34. And he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35. And the LORD* has blessed my master greatly and he has become great, and He has given him flocks, herds, silver, gold, men servants and maid servants, and camels and donkeys. 36. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old and he has given all that he has to him. 37. And my master made me swear saying, ‘You will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38. but you will go to my father’s house and to my kindred, to take a wife for my son.’ 39. And I said to my master, ‘Maybe the woman will not follow me.’ 40. Then he said to me, ‘The LORD*, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and your way will succeed, and you will take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house. 41. Then you will be clear from my oath when you come to my kindred. And if they do not give you one, you will be clear from my oath.’ 42. And I came this day to the well and said, ‘LORD*, God of my master Abraham, if now You make my way which I go successful, 43. Behold, I stand by the well of water and it will happen, that when the virgin comes forth to draw water and I say to her, ‘Give me, please, a little water from your pitcher to drink.’ 44. And she says to me, ‘Both you drink, and I shall also draw for your camels.’ Let the same one be the woman whom the LORD* had appointed for my master’s son.’ 45. And before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebeccah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder and she went down to the well, and drew water and I said to her, ‘Let me drink, please.’46. And she quickly let down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I shall give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she made the camels drink also. 47. Then I asked her and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milkah bore to him.’ And I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands. 48. And I bowed down my head and worshipped the LORD* and blessed the LORD* God of my master Abraham, Who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son. 49. And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me so I will turn to the right hand, or to the left.”
24:50. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “This thing is from the LORD*: we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51. Behold, Rebeccah is before you, take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD* has spoken.”
24:52. And it was that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth to the LORD*. 53. And the servant brought out jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment and gave them to Rebeccah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54. And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and stayed all night. And they rose up in the morning and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
24:55. And her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl stay with us for a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.” 56. And he said to them, “Do not delay me, seeing that the LORD* has made my way successful. Send me away so I can go to my master.” 57. And they said, “We will call the girl and inquire from her.” 58. And they called Rebeccah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
24:59. And they sent away Rebeccah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60. And they blessed Rebeccah and said to her, “You are our sister, May you be the mother of thousands of myriads, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them.” 61. And Rebeccah and her damsels rose and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man, and the servant took Rebeccah and went his way.
24:62. And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-Roi, for he was living in the south country. 63. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening, and he lifted up his eyes and saw and, behold, the camels were coming. 64. And Rebeccah lifted up her eyes and when she saw Isaac, she fell off the camel. 65. And she said to the servant, “Who is this man who is walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” And she took the veil and covered herself. 66. And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 67. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent and took Rebeccah, and she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Abraham Marries
25.1. Then Abraham went and took a wife and her name was Keturah. 2. And she bore him Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, Yishbak, and Shuakh. 3. And Yokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, Efer, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5. And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6. But to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away, eastward, to the east country from Isaac his son while he yet lived.
Abraham Dies at 175
25:7. And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, a hundred seventy-five. 8. Then Abraham expired and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years; and was gathered to his people. 9. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Efron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre, 10. the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. Abraham and Sarah his wife were buried there. 11. And it was after the death of Abraham that God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac lived by the well Lahai-Roi.
Generations of Ishmael
25:12. Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore to Abraham. 13. And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsham, 14. Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15. Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Nafish, and Kedemah. 16. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their towns and by their small villages; twelve princes according to their tribes. 17. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred thirty-seven years, and he expired and died and was gathered to his people. 18. And they dwelled from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria: he died in the presence of all his brothers.
Next week’s Torah readings: Toldot