Study Desk

He left the place where his wife's body was lying, went to the Hittites, and said,

to sell me Machpelah Cave, which is near the edge of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for its full price, here in your presence, so that I can own it as a burial ground."

Then Abraham buried his wife Sarah in that cave in the land of Canaan.

He said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of all that he had, "Place your hand between my thighs and make a vow.

The Lord , the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son.

So the servant put his hand between the thighs of Abraham, his master, and made a vow to do what Abraham had asked.

The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia.

Before he had finished praying, Rebecca arrived with a water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah.

She quickly emptied her jar into the animals' drinking trough and ran to the well to get more water, until she had watered all his camels.

He said, "Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night?"

He said, "Praise the Lord , the God of my master Abraham, who has faithfully kept his promise to my master. The Lord has led me straight to my master's relatives."

Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well,

So the man went into the house, and Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and fodder. Then he brought water for Abraham's servant and his men to wash their feet.

My master made me promise with a vow to obey his command. He said, ‘Do not choose a wife for my son from the young women in the land of Canaan.

He answered, ‘The Lord , whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family.

I knelt down and worshiped the Lord . I praised the Lord , the God of my master Abraham, who had led me straight to my master's relative, where I found his daughter for my master's son.

So they let Rebecca and her old family servant go with Abraham's servant and his men.

Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent that his mother Sarah had lived in, and she became his wife. Isaac loved Rebecca, and so he was comforted for the loss of his mother.

but while he was still alive, he gave presents to the sons his other wives had borne him. Then he sent these sons to the land of the East, away from his son Isaac.

His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in Machpelah Cave, in the field east of Mamre that had belonged to Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite.