8/17/2019

Parashat 5 Portion 22 Ber/Gen 24:42-67 Yesh/Is 12:3-14:2 Jakov/James 4:13-17


Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed! Baruch ata YHVH
Eloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

 (Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One for all eternity. Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Gen 24:42  “And this day I came to the fountain and said, ‘יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, please, if You are prospering the way in which I am going,

 וָאָבֹא הַיּוֹם, אֶל-הָעָיִן

‘’ain’’ in Hebrew means ‘’eye’’ used three times in this chapter and once in Gen 16:7

Gen 16:7  And the Messenger of יהוה found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur,
Gen 16:14  That is why the well was called Be’ěr Laḥai Ro’i, see, it is between Qaḏěsh and Bereḏ.
See Gen 24:62

An ‘’eye’’ is a natural spring created by YHVH. This is where the ‘’seeker’’ will receive ‘’revelation’’ and hear the voice of YHVH. Beer-lahai-roi = “well of the Living One seeing me”

Gen 24:43  see,(‘’hinei’’ surprised) I am standing(heb – natzav or stationed) by the fountain of water, and when the maiden comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” Gen 24:44  and she says to me, “Drink, and let me draw for your camels too,” let her be the woman whom יהוה has appointed for my master’s son.’ Gen 24:45  “I had not yet ended speaking in my heart, then see, Riḇqah was coming out with her jar on her shoulder. And she went down to the fountain (‘’ain’’) and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ Gen 24:46  “And she hurried and let her jar down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and let me water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels too. Gen 24:47  “And I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Naḥor’s son, whom Milkah bore to him.’ Then I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. Gen 24:48  “And I bowed my head and worshipped יהוה, and blessed יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, who had led me in the true way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. Gen 24:49  “And now, if you are going to show kindness and truth to my master, let me know, and if not, let me know, so that I turn to the right or to the left.” Gen 24:50  And Laḇan answered – Bethu’ĕl too – and said, “The matter comes from יהוה, we are not able to speak to you either evil or good. Gen 24:51  “See, Riḇqah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as יהוה has spoken.” Gen 24:52  And it came to be, when Aḇraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself towards the earth before יהוה. Gen 24:53  And the servant brought out ornaments of silver, and ornaments of gold, and garments, and gave them to Riḇqah. He also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Gen 24:54  And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning he said, “Let me go to my master.”

Gen 24:55  But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten, then you go.” Gen 24:56  And he said to them, “Do not delay me, since יהוה has prospered my way. Let me go so that I go to my master.” Gen 24:57  And they said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” Gen 24:58  So they called Riḇqah and said to her, “Are you going with this man?” And she said, “I shall go.” Gen 24:59  So they let go Riḇqah their sister and her nurse, and Aḇraham’s servant and his men. Gen 24:60  And they blessed Riḇqah and said to her, “Let our sister become the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gates of those who hate them.” Gen 24:61  And Riḇqah and her young women arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Riḇqah and left. Gen 24:62  And Yitsḥaq came from the way of Be’ĕr Laḥai Ro’i, (Well where one has a vision of life  -16:14;25:11) for he dwelt in the South. Gen 24:63  And Yitsḥaq went out to meditate in the field in the evening. And he lifted his eyes and looked and saw the camels coming. Gen 24:64  And Riḇqah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Yitsḥaq she dismounted from her camel, Gen 24:65  and she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. Gen 24:66  And the servant told Yitsḥaq all the matters he had done. Gen 24:67  And Yitsḥaq brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. And he took Riḇqah and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus Yitsḥaq was comforted after his mother’s death.
“To the measure a man contemplates the deeper issues of life, to this same measure he is enabled to more fully enjoy the moments of pleasure available in relationships with those he loves.”
“and he loved her” this is only the second time in the Torah thus far that the word “love” in Hebrew “ahav” appears. The first time this word appears is in Ber/Gen 22:2 and speaks of Avraham’s love for Yitzchak.
Finally Yitzchak is comforted. It bothers some people that not more detail is given about a marriage ceremony. We can speculate that there was but the Torah does not mention it.
Joh 4:13  יהושע answered and said to her, “Everyone drinking of this water shall thirst again, Joh 4:14  but whoever drinks of the water I give him shall certainly never thirst. And the water that I give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Joh 4:15  The woman said to Him, “Master, give me this water, so that I do not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Joh 4:25  The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming, the One who is called Anointed. When that One comes, He shall announce to us all.” Joh 4:26  יהושע said to her, “I who am speaking to you am He.” Joh 7:37  And on the last day, the great day of the festival, יהושע stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink. Joh 7:38  “As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water.”1 Footnote: 1Isa. 44:3, Jer. 2:13, Jer. 17:13, Zech. 14:8, Ps. 36:8,9, Prov.14:27, John 4:10, John 6:63, 1 Cor. 10:4, Rev. 7:17, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:1 & 17. Joh 7:39  And this He said concerning the Spirit, which those believing in Him were about to receive, for the Set-apart Spirit was not yet given,1 because יהושע was not yet esteemed. Footnote: 1Ezek. 36:26-27, Joel 2:28-32, Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:4 & 33, Acts 10:44-47, Acts 11:15-16, Eph. 5:18.
Zec 13:1  “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of Dawiḏ and for the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, for sin and for uncleanness.
Isa 12:1  And in that day you shall say, “I thank You יהוה, though You were enraged with me, Your displeasure has turned back, and You have comforted me. Isa 12:2  “See, Ěl is my deliverance, I trust and am not afraid. For Yah, יהוה, is my strength and my song; and He has become my deliverance.”a Footnote: aSee Exo_15:2, Psa_118:14.
Isa 12:3  And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of deliverance. Isa 12:4  And in that day you shall say, “Praise יהוה, call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted. Isa 12:5  “Sing to יהוה, For He has done excellently; this is known in all the earth. Isa 12:6  "Cry aloud and shout, O inhabitant of Tsiyon, for great is the Set-apart One of Yisra’ěl in your midst!” Isa 14:1  Because יהוה has compassion on Ya‛aqoḇ, and shall again choose Yisra’ěl,a and give them rest in their own land. And the strangers shall join them, and they shall cling to the house of Ya‛aqoḇ.b Footnotes: aSee Isa_45:17, Jer_30:11, Jer_46:28, Dan_2:44, Amo_9:8, Zec_1:16-17, Zec_2:10-12, Joe_3:16. bSee Isa_56:6-8 and Isa_60:3, Amo_9:12, Zec_2:11, Zec_8:23, Rom_11:17-24, Rev_21:24. Isa 14:2  And peoples shall take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Yisra’ěl shall possess them for servants and female servants in the land of יהוה. And they shall make captives of their captors, and rule over their oppressors.
Rev 22:1  And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb. Rev 22:2  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And he who hears, let him say, “Come!” And he who thirsts, come! And he who desires it, take the water of life without paying!

The calling of a set apart priesthood is to show YHVH’s people where the springs of life are and how to tell the difference between what comes from YHVH and what comes from man.
י  וּלְהַבְדִּיל, בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין הַחֹל, וּבֵין הַטָּמֵא, וּבֵין הַטָּהוֹר. 10 And that ye may put difference between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean;
Jer 2:13  “For My people have done two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain (makor) of living waters,c to hew out for themselves cisterns, cracked cisterns, which do not hold water. Footnote: cSee Jer_17:13.

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn

8/02/2019

Parashat 5 Portion 21 Gen/Ber 24:1-41 Judges 19:16-21 Eph 5:15-23


Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed! Baruch ata YHVH
Eloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One for all eternity. Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

Gen 24:1  And Aḇraham was old, advanced in years. And יהוה had blessed Aḇraham in every way. (Heb ‘’bekol’’- in every way - gematria 52)
Gen 24:2  And Aḇraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh,
Gen 24:3  so that I make you swear by יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens and the Elohim of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son(Heb – ‘’ben’’ son – gematria 52) from the daughters of the Kenaʽanites, among whom I dwell,
Gen 24:4  but to go to my land and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Yitsḥaq.”
Gen 24:5  And the servant said to him, “What if the woman refuses to follow me to this land? Do I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
Gen 24:6  And Aḇraham said to him, “Beware lest you take my son back there!
Gen 24:7  “יהוה, Elohim of the heavens, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my relatives, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I give this land,’ He sends His messenger before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Gen 24:8  “And if the woman refuses to follow you, then you shall be released from this oath; only, do not take my son back there.”
Gen 24:9  Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Aḇraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

This was a custom whereby one could make someone a promise to do something for them by asking them to place their hands on their genitals (done among men only). The genitals which are the source of one’s re productive ability. On the male genitals was also found the covenant mark of circumcision.
This was a powerful picture of Eliezer making a promise that the life of Avraham would only be continued through a chosen people, which eventually would produce a ‘’perfect seed’’.
It is also significant that Eliezer’s name is not mentioned. Eliezer means “Elohim is Help” and some Messianic scholars believe this is a possible reference to the work of “Ruach ha kodesh” (the Set apart Spirit) of YHVH producing the life of YHVH to those whom He chooses. Please note this is NOT a reference to the third person of the trinity.

1Pe 1:23  having been born again – not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible – through the living Word of Elohim, which remains forever, 

Gen 24:10  And the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, for all his master’s good gifts were in his hand. And he arose and went to Aram Naharayim, to the city of Naḥor.
Gen 24:11  And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a fountain of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.
Gen 24:12  And he said, “יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, please cause her to meet before me this day, and show kindness to my master Aḇraham.
Gen 24:13  “See, I am standing here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Gen 24:14  “Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar to let me drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and let me water your camels too,’ let her be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Yitsḥaq. And let me know by this that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Gen 24:15  And it came to be, before he had ended speaking, that see, Riḇqah, who was born to Bethu’ĕl, son of Milkah, the wife of Naḥor, Aḇraham’s brother, came out with her jar on her shoulder.

Rivkah – ensnarer –Yitzchak/ Yahshua ‘’ensnared’’ or ‘’captured’’ by a beautiful servant bride. This reminds us of the Song of Solomon.
In his Song, Solomon’s primary goal is to describe love and beauty. To do so, he employs the most fundamental consummation of those virtues, human sexuality. Love and beauty are the ends, sexuality is the means.

Gen 24:16  And the young woman was very good-looking, a maiden, no man having known her. And she went down to the fountain, filled her jar, and came up.
Gen 24:17  And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”
Gen 24:18  And she said, “Drink, my master.” And she hurried and let her jar down to her hand, and gave him a drink.
Gen 24:19  And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.”
Gen 24:20  And she hurried and emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the fountain to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
Gen 24:21  And watching her, the man remained silent in order to know whether יהוה had prospered his way or not.
Gen 24:22  And it came to be, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a sheqel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten sheqels of gold,

Rivkah was given a gold nose ring – in accepting this ring she was stating that she would be willing to give herself as a bride to her yet unseen bridegroom.  The nose ring weighed a beka, the Hebrew word “beka” has a gematria of 172; there are exactly 172 words in the “aseret divrot” the “ten sayings” (Ten Commandments). Also she was given two bracelets each weighing 5 shekels which speak of the two tablets, each containing five sayings.  This is a picture of YHVH giving His called out ones the Torah as well as the gift of the Ruach/Set Apart Spirit which is the adornment of beauty upon His Bride. This same Torah which the sages believed was our “ketubah” marriage contract with YHVH. The giving of Torah and the outpouring of the Ruach occur simultaneously on the day of Shavuot. YHVH’’s ‘’Wedding gift’’ to the Bride.

Gen 24:23  and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please inform me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
Gen 24:24  And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Milkah’s son, whom she bore to Naḥor.”
Gen 24:25  And she said to him, “We have both straw and fodder enough, and room to spend the night.”
Gen 24:26  And the man bowed down his head and worshipped יהוה.
Gen 24:27  And he said, “Blessed be יהוה Elohim of my master Aḇraham, who has not forsaken His kindness and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, יהוה led me to the house of my master’s brothers.”
Gen 24:28  Then the young woman ran and informed those of her mother’s house these matters.
Gen 24:29  And Riḇqah had a brother whose name was Laḇan, and Laḇan ran out to the man, to the fountain.
Gen 24:30  And it came to be, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Riḇqah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man and saw him standing by the camels at the fountain.
Gen 24:31  And he said, “Come in, O blessed of יהוה! Why do you stand outside? I myself have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
Gen 24:32  So the man came into the house, while he unloaded the camels and provided straw and fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him,
Gen 24:33  and set food before him to eat. But he said, “Let me not eat until I have spoken my word.” And he said, “Speak on.”
Gen 24:34  And he said, “I am Aḇraham’s servant.
Gen 24:35  “And יהוה has blessed my master exceedingly, and he has become great. And He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
Gen 24:36  “And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old. And he has given to him all that he has.
Gen 24:37  “And my master made me swear, saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kenaʽanites, in whose land I dwell,
Gen 24:38  but go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
Gen 24:39  “And I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not follow me?’
Gen 24:40  “But he said to me, ‘יהוה, before whom I walk, sends His messenger with you and shall prosper your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house.
Gen 24:41  ‘Then, when you go to my relatives, you are to be released from this oath. And if they do not give her to you, then you are released from my oath.’

Mat 22:1  And יהושע responded and spoke to them again by parables and said,
Mat 22:2  “The reign of the heavens is like a man, a sovereign, who made a wedding feast for his son,
Mat 22:3  and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast. But they would not come.
Mat 22:4  “Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Say to those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle are slaughtered, and all is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’
Mat 22:5  “But they disregarded it and went their way – this one to his field, that one to his trade.
Mat 22:6  “And the rest, having seized his servants, insulted and killed them.
Mat 22:7  “But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, and sent out his soldiers, destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
Mat 22:8  “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast, indeed, is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Mat 22:9  ‘Therefore go into the street corners, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding feast.’
Mat 22:10  “And those servants went out into the street corners and gathered all whom they found, both wicked and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Mat 22:11  “And when the sovereign came in to view the guests, he saw there a man who had not put on a wedding garment,
Mat 22:12  and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13  “Then the sovereign said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him out into the outer darkness – there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mat 22:14  “For many are called, but few are chosen.”1 Footnote:1See 20:16.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Master יהושע Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Messiah,
Eph 1:4  even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be set-apart and blameless before Him in love,1 Footnote: 12 Thess. 2:13.

Mat 22:14  “For many are called, but few are chosen.”1 Footnote:1See 20:16.
Joh 8:56  “Your father Aḇraham was glad that he should see My day, and he saw it and did rejoice.” (Gen 15; Rom 4)

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn



7/27/2019

Parashat 5 Portion 2O Chayei Sarah – Ber 23:1-20 I Kings 1:1-31 Acts 7:1-18



Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed! Baruch ata YHVH
Eloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

 (Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One for all eternity. Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

Gen 23:1  And Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.
א  וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה

The numerical value of the opening term of this Parasha (vayih’yu) adds up to the sum of 37, which is the same as the difference between the age of Sarah from when she gave birth to Yichak at 90 years old and her death at 127.  This means that Yitchak was 37 years when she died. She is the only woman whose age is mentioned in Scripture
It is said that Sarah was one hundred years old and twenty seven years old.  The Torah mentions this age by stating  the 100 and the 20 and the 7 separately. We are meant to pause and consider the significance of this. This emphasis possibly refers to the blessedness of the life that was granted her - One hundred years speaks of a long life where much maturity and wisdom was gained; twenty years speaks of the youthfulness and vigour of this life and seven years old speaks of the innocence of this life. Sarah lived a long and blessed life. She may have been barren for many years but she was richly rewarded for her patience. This is true for all those who are on the journey of Messianic restoration.
This Torah portion is titled “Chai Sarah” or the life of Sarah. It may appear strange to call this section the life of Sarah when it actually tells us about her death.
Gen 23:2  And Sarah died in Qiryath Arba, that is Ḥeḇron, in the land of Kenaʽan, and Aḇraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

There is an appearance of a Tittle(marking) over “ve livkotah” or “and to weep for her”, vs 2, the letter “kaph” is diminished. There are many possible interpretations; this could possibly suggest that this diminished “kuph” from the root word “bakah” or “weep” points to the resurrection. Death for those who have the life of YHVH is not final; it is merely a state of rest in which one waits for YHVH for the resurrection at the appointed time when Yahshua comes back. Our weeping, for those who have died, however sad is not so sad when we have within us the hope of the first resurrection.
The “kuph” could be a hand over a weeping face.  This is a small hand which speaks of a lesser grief than the one Yahshua (or His Father) would have experienced at the rejection of a “bride” who was refusing to recognize her Bridegroom.
Luk 19:41  And as He came near, He saw the city and wept over it, 
Luk 19:42  saying, “If you only knew even today, the matters for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 

 “There is a custom at the Friday night Shabbos table to sing the ancient hymn known as "Eshes Chayil" - A Woman of Valor - which is found in the concluding chapter of the Book of Proverbs. The Midrash cites a tradition that it was composed by Avraham as a eulogy to Sarah, and it later became part of the Book of Proverbs (Midrash Tanchuma on Genesis 24:1). Within this eulogy to Sarah, we find the following words of praise:
"She spreads out her palm to the poor and extends her hands to the destitute." (Proverbs 31:20)
The Midrash teaches that the doors of Sarah's tent "were open wide" - a metaphor for her warm hospitality; moreover, "a blessing was bestowed upon her dough" (Genesis Rabbah 60:16). In his commentary on this Midrash, the Tiferes Zion, a 20th century sage of Jerusalem, explains that the "blessing" on her dough means that she was able to feed all the needy guests; there was always enough for everyone.
Gen 23:3  Then Aḇraham rose up from beside his dead, and spoke to the sons of Ḥĕth, saying,
Gen 23:4  “I am a foreigner and a sojourner among you. Give me property for a burial site among you, so that I bury my dead from my presence.”

Heth or Cheth in Hebrew means “terror” sons of terror. We learn from this that Hebrews will face opposition and even “terror” from the people of this world. We will also be exploited as Avraham was by paying as much as 25 times more for the burial plot than he should have.

This is the first time we encounter a Hebrew burial. Hebrews did not cremate their dead as the heathen nations did. To this day the dead are treated with great respect. We see that Avraham is sitting or lying on the ground next to Sarah (today this is still a custom for people who mourn to sit and sleep on the ground) We come from the ground and we return to the ground.

Gen 23:5  And the sons of Ḥĕth answered Aḇraham, saying to him,
Gen 23:6  “Hear us, my master: You are a prince of Elohim among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us withholds from you his burial site, from burying your dead.”
Gen 23:7  So Aḇraham rose and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Ḥĕth.
Gen 23:8  And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your desire that I bury my dead from my presence, hear me, and approach Ephron son of Tsoḥar for me,
Gen 23:9  and let me have the cave of Maḵpĕlah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me for the complete amount of silver, as property for a burial site among you.”
Gen 23:10  And Ephron dwelt among the sons of Ḥĕth. And Ephron the Ḥittite answered Aḇraham in the hearing of the sons of Ḥĕth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,
Gen 23:11  “No, my master, listen to me! I shall give you the field and the cave that is in it. I shall give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I shall give it to you. Bury your dead!”
Gen 23:12  And Aḇraham bowed himself down before the people of the land,
Gen 23:13  and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If only you would hear me. I shall give the amount of silver for the field, take it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”
Gen 23:14  And Ephron answered Aḇraham, saying to him,
Gen 23:15  “My master, listen to me! The land is worth four hundred sheqels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”
Gen 23:16  And Aḇraham listened to Ephron, and Aḇraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Ḥĕth, four hundred sheqels of silver, currency of the merchants.