CHAPTER 23
1. Now Sarah's lifetime [chayei Sarah] was 127 years—the years of Sarah's life.Life: Yet this account is about her death! She is the only woman in Scripture whose lifespan is given. Yitzhaq would thus have been 37 years old at this point. 120 years is the normal complete lifetime after the Deluge, but Sarah had the “perfect number” of years in addition to this. It symbolizes the fact that she continued to strive for perfection until the very end. Milkah, another woman in her husband’s family, had just been given prominence in the Scriptural account, and now Sarah is given center stage. And her death is not recorded until the genealogy of Yitzhaq’s wife is established, as it is clear that Avraham can no longer have children through Sarah. Such a heavily patrilineal society would not commonly place so much emphasis on women in the record, but Moshe ensures that this line could not be continued without the women, for after all, it is the woman who is promised that her seed would conquer the serpent.s (3:15) The covenantal promises to the patriarchs cannot be fulfilled without their wives. It is rarely wise to trust a man who does not have a righteous wife, for this is the pattern that is to be repeated, and the popes have guaranteed that they will never be in that position.of honor. After all, if those closest to a man—his wife and children--do not find him honorable, we have to question whether he might be a hypocrite.2. Then Sarah died in Qiryath Arba (which is Hevron) in the land of Kanaan. And Avraham came to beat his chest in mourning for Sarah, and to weep for her.
Died: possibly from grief over Avraham’s not bringing her son back. Again, notice that Yitrzhaq is conspicuously absent from the mourning. Qiryath Arba: "town of four". There seems to be a connection between the name and particular descendants of Anaq who had lived there (Num. 13:22; Y’hoshua 14:15), but the note on verse 9 hints at another explanation for the name. To beat his chest: a therapeutic act that brings physical release to the emotion that floods in on one upon such a loss. In our day of dealing with death in a distant and formal manner, we seem insulated from its reality. However, the middle letter of "weep" in Hebrew is diminished from its normal size; Rabbi Raphael Hirsch interprets this as indicating that he kept his sorrow within the confines of his community rather than fully expressing it in the presence of the Kanaanites. They did not particularly share his grief, so he did not expect them to enter into it. The typical mourning period in ancient Israel lasted 30 days (one complete lunar cycle), with loud wailing. (In more modern times this has commonly been reduced to seven days) One thus dealt with his grief realistically and honored the one whom he had lost by showing that she was worthy to shed tears for. Only the priests and Nazirites were not permitted to mourn freely in this way. When the Temple was built, a mourner could walk in through the exits and out through the entrances so the rest of the nation would know to offer them condolences. Why such recognition of such a negative circumstance, when the Torah is about life? Because only when one has lost connection to another soul has he truly lost anything; other things can be replaced. Yet the liturgy for mourners is not about self-pity but about blessing YHWH for what we still have. It is a blessing on all Israel, for one who has been bereaved is closer to YHWH’s heart in a way, and thus has special authority to bless others. When the time for mourning is up (v. 3), one is no longer recognized as a mourner with this special right to think of himself, and must be strong and get his mind back onto his other responsibilities:3. When Avraham rose up from over the face of his dead [wife], he spoke to the sons of Cheth, saying,
Rose up: Cheth means “terror”. Avraham had gone back to Be’er-sheva’, a place where he had forged connections to both of his sons, neither of whom was with him at present, while Sarah, possibly unable to look into the eyes of someone who had obeyed YHWH’s command to offer up the son she had waited so long for, went back to another place they had once called home. Cheth means “terror”, from a root meaning “to shatter” or “cause dismay”. They came to be known as the Chithites (or Hittites).4. "I am an alien and yet a resident with you. Please permit me [to acquire] a title to a holding among you, so that I may bury my dead away from before my eyes.
He had lived wityh them a long time, yet recognized that he was not one of them. He has no right to make demands, for he does not yet own the Land. But there is something he needs. Strangers and aliens were usually buried in a common grave, but this was not worthy of one who seems to have been from a royal family in Ur. He also wanted a permanent family burial place to show that in faith he claimed the Land for his descendants. In that culture they did not transact business, but gave each other gifts of equal or greater value, so he says "permit me to acquire", not "sell me..." Away from before my eyes: apparently he had kept her body in his camp, but he was moving on and could not continue to keep carrying it with him.5. But the sons of Cheth responded to him by saying to him,
6. "Listen to us, my master. You are a prince of Elohim among us! Bury your dead in the best of our burying-places! Not a man of us will withhold his own burial ground from you or keep you from burying your dead there!”
Not a man will withhold: a foreshadowing of Yesh./Isaiah 53:8; Matt. 27:57-60. Avraham was held in very high esteem here. He had been living here when he took his 318 men to retrieve his nephew from four armies, and had been honored by kings. They wish to claim him as their own, but he understood that he was different from them, and their flattery did not affect him at all. Such flamboyance is common among Yishma’el’s descendants even today. Yet it is not to be taken at face value. On the one hand, this is part of a legal proceeding to show in an exaggerated way that Avraham is accepted as worthy to own land among them. It shows us an example of the dramatic political proceedings in ancient times when a foreigner bought from a ruling culture. But “the righteous say little and perform much; the wicked promise much and perform but little.”7. But Avraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land—the sons of Cheth.
8. And he spoke to them, saying, "If it is truly your wish to bury my dead from before my eyes, heed me: use your influence with Efron the son of Tsochar for me,
If they really meant to honor him, he did have one wish he wanted granted. Use your influence: meet with or intercede; the word actually means to reach or touch. They were trying to show how generous they were to someone known for his hospitality. But he knew he still had to make an offer, because they will not actually just give it to him. They said this to save face by showing that they valued friendship above financial dealings, as most non-Western cultures still do, hence their clash with American businessmen, for example. Yet he cannot count on people whose name means “terrorists” making the best decision. He would not just take whatever they might offer; he has a particular place in mind, so once he has established some rapport with them he asks for it directly:9. "that he may grant me the Cave of Makhpelah, which is his, on the edge of his field; Let him grant it to me for its full price, as a burial estate in your midst."
Makhpelah means "doubled over" or "pairs". The name may have derived from some geological feature, but Avraham may have known that there was more to it--that an important “pair” was buried there. Rabbinic tradition says Adam and Chawwah were also buried there (and possibly even Noach and his wife, which could constitute the “four” that the town was named after). No wonder he would be willing to pay any price for it! He and his wife were lynch-pins in the restoration of what Adam and Chawwah had broken. A cave is a natural burial chamber, but there is an etymological reason to bury someone there as well. In Hebrew, the root word from which “cabve” is derived means “to expose or lay bare”. It is a place where She’ol (the “underworld”) is not concealed. A Greek Temple at Caesarea Filippi identified another large cave with the “Gate of Hades” (providing the context for Yahshua’s statement in Mat. 16:18 that, in essence, death would not prevail over those he was calling out to assemble as his kingdom; compare Yochanan 5:25, which says the dead will hear his summons, based on Yeshayahu/Isaiah 18:3). Burial in a cave—an open door OUT of death—expresses the belief in the resurrection, and indeed Jewish tradition says this cave is place the resurrection of the dead will begin. Avraham and his son and the grandson who carried on the covenant would all be reunited here with their wives after death. Interestingly, it is Leah, not Rakhel, who is buried with Yaaqov, for though she was not his favorite, she, like everyone else buried there, carried the seed that would become the Messiah. For its full price: literally "for full silver", i.e., its actual value. He knew that we tend to place little value on what we pay nothing for. (Compare 2 Shmu’el 24:24.) These men would have laughed if Avraham accepted their first offer, and though YHWH gives us much, there is no “free lunch”, contrary to oversimplified Christian emphasis. The way of Avraham is, “I will pay more than it is worth; what do you want from Me?” When the accuser comes, he must have no basis for saying we stole our salvation; our lives must be the receipt. The Hebrew word for “thank you” (todah) has a literal sense as well; it is an offering brought to the sanctuary. YHWH said we were not to appear before Him empty-handed. (Ex. 23:15; 34;20, et al)10. And Efron was sitting among the sons of Cheth; and Efron the Chithite answered Avraham in the ears of the sons of Cheth, to all those entering the gates of the city, saying,
Sitting: possibly as a magistrate, for the gate is where all legal and economic transactions took place in a city. The place of judgment was stationed at the entrance to the city because the rulers had to judge whom they trusted to enter within its walls, and who was a threat.11. "No, my master, you listen to me. I have given the field to you, and I have given you the cave that is in it. Before the eyes of the sons of my people, I have given it to you. Bury your dead!"
Before the eyes: Nothing was concealed; rather it was done before witnesses, so that no one would later be able to question his ownership.12. And Avraham bowed before the people of the land,
13. but spoke to Efron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If only you would listen to me! I have paid the silver for the field; take it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."
For the second time Avraham turned down a valuable gift (as in 14:22-24), because sons of terror may not be permitted to own what remains of YHWH’s people. Modern-day Israel has sold this heritage for the sake of a false “peace”, but it is the patriarchs’ names that He would identify Himself with when giving Moshe a way to prove his validity as their leader. And this loss of our heritage is coming to an end as promised. Yehudah, who is squandering its reclaimed connection with the Land, will need to be made jealous for its value again by those who are “not a people” (Deut. 32:21, which is the Northern Kingdom (Hoshea 1:9-10; 1 Kefa/Peter 2:10)14. And Efron answered Avraham by telling him,
15. "My master, hear me: the land is worth 400 sheqels of silver; what is that between me and you? Now bury your dead!"
"Well, since you asked…” 400 sheqels: a laughably high price compared to Yirmiyahu/Jeremiah 32:9, in which a tract of land of much greater value was purchased for 17 sheqels. It is a custom in the Middle East that if someone expresses an interest in the beauty of a particular object, the owner should give it to him. An offer of money would have to be repeated at least three times before it was taken seriously. But when they saw that the place was worth something to Avraham, they priced it accordingly. Israel Koschitzky writes, "Although this offer [of the land as an outright gift] can certainly be interpreted as a magnanimous gesture on their part, it simultaneously contains a threatening undercurrent. This is because the provision of the burial plot (indicative of official status) as a gift will actually undermine Avraham's attempt to secure undisputed legal deed to the land as well as the status as a citizen that goes with it. Therefore, Avraham refuses. Efron finally relents and agrees to Avraham's desire to buy the cave. By attaching such an outrageous price to it, though, he is in effect again attempting to dissuade Avraham from trying to attain deed through purchase. But Avraham is undeterred and immediately agrees to the terms of the sale, thus succeeding in establishing an eternal connection with the land that can never be severed." YHWH had promised him the whole Land, but he reached out and claimed it, taking possession of it in an indisputable way. It is ironic that the traditional site of this cave is one of the most hotly-disputed pieces of property in Israel today. Similarly, King David purchased the Temple Mount for money from a foreigner, yet today its ownership is contested. Dell Griffin writes that this type of place is probably what is referred to by the "Neot Elohim" (His "precious possessions") in Psalm 83:12. The Temple Mount, Hevron, Yoseyf’s tomb, Beyth Lechem, and even Yerikho, the first city Y’hoshua conquered, have been given to today’s “sons of terror”. Indeed, the “West Bank” (which includes even the old city of Yerushalayim) is historically more important to Yehudah than other parts of Israel, yet it is given away most readily since the coast is more important in the modern world. The enemy starts by attacking our connection to our ancestors (Mal. 4:6) and encouraging our connection to other nations instead. The Council of Nicea did the same thing for Efrayim, removing our connection to Yehudah and Hebraic ways which belonged equally to us after Yahshua restored us to them. This was the Assyrians’ tactic: make people forget who they are so they can be more easily controlled, becoming docile “citizens” of the conquering nation.16. So Avraham listened to Efron, and Avraham weighed out to Efron the silver of which he had spoken in the ears of the sons of Cheth: 400 silver sheqels, which passes with the merchants.
Listened: There are two additional reasons Avraham took him up on this ridiculously-high price. 400 is the total of the numerical value of the letters that make up Efron’s name, so he could not have asked for more than he was “worth”. But the first word in Scripture with the numerical value of 400 is nashim, which means “women” or “wives”. Which passes: i.e., is acceptable as currency anywhere the trade caravans go. This ties in with the note on verse 1. Once Avraham acknowledged his intimacy with Sarah to all—that he was intimate with the Torah rather than just acquainted with it--this relationship gave stability to all of his students, upheld the righteousness of another nation, and strengthened all their descendants. Avraham was YHWH’s friend, but he became who he was largely because of Sarah—and vice versa. When we are intimate with the Torah, it will also define who we are.17. Thus the field of Efron, which was in Makhpelah facing Mamre—the field and the cave that is in it, and all the trees that are in the field, and all its surrounding territories—was certified
He was given “complete property and mineral rights” to this plot. Field: either wild or cultivated; Yahshua says it represents the world. (Mat. 13:38) Mamre: the same place he was living when the three messengers came and told him about Yitzhaq’s impending birth. Since he still has not shown up again, even to help bury his mother, perhaps this is Avraham’s way of reminding YHWH of His promise to bring descendants through Yitzhaq. Trees: including the particular one they had been under with them. (Chapter 18) “THE tree” is symbolic of Yahshua’s crucifixion post, which thus “belongs to Avraham”, since it was chiefly to retrieve Avraham’s lost children that Yahshua suffered this travesty of justice. Surrounding territories: symbolic of both the added territory given to two and a half of Israel’s tribes outside the “Land proper”, as well as the people other than Avraham’s direct descendants who would attach themselves to Israel, especially through Yahshua. (Yesh. 49:6) Certified: deeded, rendered sure, so there would be no question about who owns this place.18. to Avraham as a purchase before the sons of Cheth and all who enter the gates of his city.
Who enter the gates: who have access to the city. This was already an ancient testament to Avraham's ownership.
19. Then after this Avraham buried his wife Sarah at the cave of Makhpelah facing Mamre (which is Hevron in the land of Kanaan).
This is one of the sites that was never in question, because King Herodos built a great edifice over this cave that is still there. In fact, it was of the same architectural style as the Temple, and is thus one of the best ways of studying the Temple he refurbished. It would become a family burial ground for at least three generations. Hevron has the highest elevation of any city in Israel. It is thus a picture of heaven. The root of the name means "deep friendship" or "greatest connection". Like Yerushalayim, it is considered a place where heaven and earth meet. As a picture of the Messiah's reign, King David would be crowned there and reign seven years, then finish out his reign in Yerushalayim. The two cities are like pillars flanking the gateway through which Messiah came, because Beyth Lechem, which lies between them in nearly a straight line, was the birthplace of the both David and the descendant who called himself "the Door".20. Thus the field was certified (along with the cave that is in it) as the burial possession of Avraham [purchased] from the sons of Cheth.
CHAPTER 24
1. Now Avraham was old, having entered into the days, and YHWH had blessed Avraham in everything.Entered into the days: see Qoh./Eccles. 12:1. Days, not years, were how he had lived his life. He used every day to the fullest, seeing each day as a new beginning in which he could start over and do things right, leaving the old behind. (Psalm 30:5; Lam. 3:22-23) Whatever he did in the many days between the events listed in Scripture, he allowed to teach him. Thus he elevated all of life to a higher level of holiness. Moshe prayed, "Teach us to number our days, that we may acquire a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90; cf. Eph. 4:26) In Hebraic taxonomy, the latter part of the day is bright, as athe day begins at evening. He may have been winding down physically, but due to the depth of understanding YHWH had given him, he is doing better than ever before. He has moved into the brightest time of his life. Previously he had to be moved by physical situations or the voice of YHWH; now he has vision of his own. Part of what gave him this clarity is learning not to trust what his eyes tell him. His son Yitzhaq seems to be gone, and it appears that his servant is his heir after all. Instead, he believes what YHWH promised. All religions seek enlightenment, but it is really this simple: trust YHWH, regardless of situations, feelings, or appearances. Whether or not his physical vision is waning, he can see things more clearly than ever. And he sees what he must do in order to set things in order to put YHWH’s promises on their best footing for the covenant to be upheld for generations:2. And Avraham said to the senior servant in his household, who managed all that was his, "Please put your hand under my thigh,
3. "and I will make you swear by YHWH, the Elohim of the heavens and the Elohim of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Kanaanite, amidst whom I dwell.
Make you swear: or "I adjure you". For an oath, one's hand is commonly placed on a sacred object. Since this oath was related to the continuation of Avraham's line, and circumcision had been the first sign of YHWH's covenant with both Avraham and his descendants, he selected his procreative organ (of which “thigh” is sometimes used as a euphemism, as in Ex. 1:5), which was separated unto YHWH by this ceremony. He thus made himself vulnerable, for his posterity is literally in his hand. This servant would assumedly lose his inheritance if Yitzhaq married and had a son, so Avraham shows absolute trust that he will remain loyal. His continuance depends on what this servant does. It is even an eastern custom for a master to sit on his servant's hand as a symbol of the latter's fidelity; when equals are party to an oath, they only clasp hands. Kanaanite: the teachers of the ways of the flesh. (See 15:16; note on 9:27; Deut. 20:17). He knows he can never be fully dedicated to these hosts among whom he lives, simply because of what they represent. He must hold the connection with them in great reserve, so it does not influence his students and children. Sarah understood this long before Avraham did, and YHWH told him to listen to her in that case. She knew Yishma’el could not qualify as the seed of promise as long as his Khamitic mother retained claim to him. YHWH would later tell Israel to make no covenant at all with the Kanaanites, since they were likely to turn our sons away from YHWH, and thus condemn them. (Deut. 7:1ff) We can never be part of what Kanaan represents and also be who we are intended to be. Avraham had learned this now. Yehudah still perceives its greatest problem as being intermarriage to non-Torah keepers. YHWH set parameters for whom Israelites could marry, and the priests, who were to give final decisive answers to controversies in the Land (Deut. 17:8-9) had the strictest standards. They could never take a woman who was defiled already or divorced (Lev. 21:7), but only a virgin from Israel, and this will again be the case in the coming Temple. (Y’hezq’el 44:21ff) A key to making the Kingdom work is to marry only people who already have a heart for the Kingdom as evidenced by their actions. Otherwise, the spouse will only be a weight that deters one from being completely sold out to YHWH.4. "Rather, you shall go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son—for Yitzhaq.
You shall go: Avraham himself could not, for he was a Hebrew, having crossed over once and for all. He was getting too old for such a trip, and it would not be fitting if he should die outside the Land, even if he was there for only a temporary visit. He had come to a place in YHWH’s promise from which he could not go back. We too must let where we have come be as far back as we go. We cannot take the promise back to the Church out of which we have come; we must bring people out of it to the higher place if they want to be part of the covenant. Relatives: or birthplace. While both societies were idolatrous, the Kanaanites also had corrupt morals. He has already mixed his seed with a descendant of Kham once, and that offspring had to be cast out; he does not want this for the seed of promise. That cannot be watered down. He has learned what the three sons ofd Noakh represent, and he recognizes that only those from Shem, the teacher of righteousness, can uphold the covenant in the purest way. The seed must remain strong by being mingled only with those with the highest standards and who live by them. If his line is to do the very difficult job of influencing the world without being influenced by it, even the women must come from there. But there is an allegory here as well of the age-long drama of a bride being chosen for the Second Adam so that the two can become a complete unity again and replace the original Adam so that the Father’s household can be built up. Yochanan the Immerser implied that not all who descend from Avraham necessarily have standing before YHWH. (Matt. 3:9) Many of his physical descendants oppose Israel, and many who reject the Torah may be Israel but not be the bride. For Yitzhaq: Avraham truly believes his son will return and need a wife, even if he does not live to see him again, so he sets everything in order for Yitzhaq to marry the right woman.5. But the servant said to him, "Suppose the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land; in that case should I bring your son back into the land from which you came out?"
He realized that, naturally speaking, a woman fit for a prince was unlikely to willingly opt for the rugged life of a bedouin, so he made sure he was not making a rash vow. We, too, are being called to a level of holiness that we are not used to. Stricter, it seems more severe, but is necessary if His dwelling place is to be built properly. The servant has not seen Yitzhaq either (at least there is no evidence that he has), but he too believes he will come back.6. But Avraham told him, "Be very careful that you do not take my son back there.
Yitzhaq was not to be taken to where the bride was, but she had to come to him. He had been "elevated" as an "ascending" dedicated to YHWH; for his whole life he never left the Land of Promise, for he could not thus "descend" across the Yarden River. He is a picture of Yahshua, our high priest. More was required of priests than of the rest of Israel, and the same is true for the High Priest’s bride. (Lev. 21:14) Avraham did not wish for his son to even be exposed to the idolatry he had grown up with. This is a worthy pattern for those of us who have come out of the paganized church to follow with our children. In YHWH's sovereignty, we had no choice but to be there for a time and He had a purpose in it, but it is far better to raise children in the greatest level of purity attainable in our day. We must not compromise down to a lower level; those who want the knowledge we can impart need to “come out of her” to the training community, summoned by YHWH’s “unnamed servant”. (More about this below.)7. "YHWH, the Elohim of Heaven—who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed'—shall Himself send His messenger before you, and you shall take a wife from there for my son.
My father's house: In the area of Kharan. The land of my birth: He is not told to go all the way back to Ur, but only to the colony of others who had left Ur. There are many parallels here with Yahshua: the one who was offered on Moryah because of the will of YHWH has been gone for a long time, but is still seeking someone to belong to him, though he himself is nowhere to be found. An ancient servant has gone on his behalf to find among his Father’s people those who love him without ever seeing him. (1 Keyfa/Peter 1:8) Messenger: represents the Spirit of Messiah going before him to make things ready for the Father's Spirit (represented by the servant who goes to a foreign land as Yahshua's representative to actually retrieve the bride). Many Orthodox Jews very evidently have the Spirit of Holiness, but not the Spirit of Messiah; they are two different things. (Rom. 8:9; 1 Keyfa/Peter 1:11) Was there any other elohim known to pay such close attention to his subjects?8. "But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you shall be cleared of this oath of mine. Just don't take my son back there!"
Willing: the term is actually stronger—eager, literally “panting”. Back there: Yitzhaq had never been there himself, so the allegorical level is where we must concentrate: YHWH, too, did not want His Son dragged back into paganism, even if his bride would not come otherwise; He promised He would send out fishermen, then hunters, to bring him a bride. (Yirm./Jer. 16:14ff) But His servants eventually failed in this very area. They did take Him “back to Egypt”, and His congregation was again enslaved there, being put into a Gentile context and seen through a Greek mindset, mingled with concepts about the demigods, and commercialized. Those who were invited have not shown up for the banquet (Luk. 14:21-24), so He has to send messengers again, this time as hunters, to bring them back out to the right context. There are many among the church who “pant” after the watered-down version of Yahshua, but Yeshayahu/Isaiah 1:19-20 tell us that obedience is necessary in addition to willingness in order to eat the best of the Land. That is one thing most have been unwilling to practice. An undisciplined soldier will not survive.9. So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Avraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
By remaining nameless in the text, the servant is a picture of the Spirit who does not glorify Himself (Yochanan/John 16:13f), but acts on Yahshua's behalf and in his authority. This wind that blows back from the Kingdom to draw us to it was not empowered to bring him a bride until he died, for Yahshua did not have authority until then. (Yochanan 7:39; Mat. 28:18)10. Then the slave took ten of his master's camels, and left, with all of his master's pleasantries in his hand. And he arose and walked to the city of Nakhor in Aram of the Two Rivers.
With his master's pleasantries: samples of his wealth, or the deed to it. Some who "taste the power of the age to come" still refuse the offer. (Heb. 6:5) The Hebrew word for camel is based on the root for "fully dealt with" or "ripened"—those who have put away childish things (1 Cor. 13:11ff) and have learned how to teach others. (Heb. 5:12) Yaaqov also promised YHWH a tenth of all He gave him, which includes his descendants. A minyan (quorum) of ten "mature" men makes a congregation (see note on 18:32). The congregation that is to retrieve the bride is one that is mature, not geared toward babies in the faith. It also carries gifts—given to the sons of men, they rest within us. Walked: also an idiom for living out YHWH’s commandments; if we stay on His path, we are sure to encounter the bride He wants us to retrieve. City of Nakhor: this may not be the city’s name, but the city where Nakhor had lived. Nakhor means “snoring” or “snorting”. The bride is to be taken from among those who, though capable descendants of Shem, are sleeping. (Compare Mat. 25:5.) The servant needs to find one who has awakened for the one who has been resurrected, and who is willing to come; very few are. Aram of the Two Rivers: that is, Mesopotamia. Aram is known today as Syria.11. And he made the camels kneel down outside the city, by a well of water toward evening, the time when women who draw water go out.
Kneel down: can also mean “bless”. “Well” is from a word meaning to clarify or make plain. Water is a picture of YHWH’s instructin. The congregation of mature ones does bless YHWH at the place where the Torah is clarified. The city: the human “system” on which men rely for security. The servant did not go there, for that would choke out his message (Mark 4:19), but sought the bride only among those who were worthy. (Mat. 10:11) Drawing water symbolizes learning YHWH's instruction. Paul, when seeking to bring the message of Yahshua to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, sought them in the synagogues, though they were not Jewish, for that is the only place outside of the Land of Israel that the “water” of Torah could be found, and those who were already thirsty for YHWH—whom He had already begun drawing back--would be there seeking Him among “His relatives”; those who have proven faithful in the lesser things would be given more. Yahshua also met such a thirsty woman at a well. (Yochanan 4)12. And he prayed, "YHWH, Elohim of my master Avraham, I beg you, let me have an encounter today, and show kindness to my master Avraham.
Encounter: an arranged meeting. By asking YHWH so specifically, the servant showed that he wanted more than just "good luck". Not just any woman of Avraham's people would do. She had to be the right one. Kindness: Avraham’s chief trait, so he asked YHWH to return the same to him.13. "Here I am, standing by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14. "Moreover, let the girl to whom I shall say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink' and she says, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also'—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Yitzhaq. And by this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
The Holy Spirit is symbolically seeking a bride for Messiah who will bear the Torah and share it with others as well. Camels: many are willing to serve Yahshua (represented here by Yitzhaq), but the servant's test for a true bride was whether she would also serve his whole congregation (see v. 10), i.e., was totally selfless and would keep teaching Torah until all are refreshed. He has specific standards for the bride of Avraham's son. If she was like this, she was hospitable like Avraham, and could be a matriarch in Israel.15. And before he had finished speaking, it came about! Out from the city came Rivqah, who was born to B'thuel the son of Milkah, the wife of Avraham's brother Nakhor, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
A hunter of kosher food does not shoot his prey, but ensnares it so he can kill it properly. Rivqah means “ensnarer” (or perhaps “captivating”), so she was like-minded with the one sent to “hunt” her out. Pitcher: from a Hebrew word for “to make deeper”, so these jars were tall, but ar symbolic of the bride bringing teaching with depth to the whole congregation.16. And the girl was very fine-looking—a virgin, whom no man had known. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.
17. Then the slave ran to meet her and said, "Please let me sip a little water from your pitcher."
18. But she said, "Drink deeply, my master!" And she hurried to let down her pitcher by hand, and gave him a drink.
She did much more than he asked for, and approached him with humility, even though he had humbled himself before her in his neediness. By hand: Torah is meant to be brought forth not just by our words, but by the works of our hands. That it passes through our hands is what makes it truly alive.19. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will also draw some for your camels until they have drunk their fill."
She even offered Torah to the very learned (the mature; see note on v. 10). This was no token gesture of hospitality; after a long trip, ten camels can easily drink 140 gallons between them. If they are very thirsty, one camel can even drink up to 35 gallons within 6 minutes! One gallon of water weighs 8 pounds. She either lifted her pitcher many times, or ran up and down steps many times to a holding tank as found at some ancient wells.20. And she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and again ran to the well to draw, and she drew water for all his camels!
21. Yet the man kept silent, watching her to see whether YHWH had prospered his journey or not.She is obviously a strong woman. She did not just do it, but hurried to do so—proving that though she lived among the snorers, she herself was far from asleep! The answer to Proverbs 31’s question of “Who can find a capable woman?” is, “Go to the well!”
Watching her: staring in wonderment during a moment of suspense. Yet despite all these amazing traits she showed, he still listened for YHWH’s confirmation: was this seed that would spring up quickly but have no root, or was it fruit that would remain? She had made the statement he was waiting for, but many peopoe say they will be committed to Israel, yet continue in their snoring. She did not pass the test until the camels were actually watered. And there were still more tests to come before he would be cleared to return.22. But when the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring, its weight a beqa, and two bracelets for her arms, weighing ten [sheqels] in gold.
Not until the congregation was adequately restorted did he know if her deeds would be adequate. A beqa: half a sheqel, the same weight as the donation later required of each member of the congregation for the Tabernacle and Temple, as the price of a person killed in war, so that the donor could be atoned for unavoidable blood-guilt. It also represents the fact that we are not complete without the rest of Israel. Ten makes a complete congregation, so, much like the high priest who bore the names of the twelve tribes on his shoulders, she bore the weight of the whole congregation of Israel. They were indeed symbols of engagement. They were made of gold, and this much in itself would make her quite wealthy. But she knew what it signified: A nose ring and bracelets were also what was placed on slaves captured in battle. A nose ring is used to lead an animal around and make it conform to its master’s will. Bracelets look like handcuffs. The treasures given to the bride are for the purpose of service. (Luqa 22:25-26) I.e., YHWH’s treasures are for those who serve the congregation. Service must therefore be our treasure. But the symbols of bondage were actually freedom to her, like the easy yoke Messiah offers us.23. And he said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to stay in your father's house?"
Despite her obvious high morals, humility, and a servant’s heart, he is pricking her to see if she has the hospitality that would prove she is Avraham’s kin as well as showiong that she is fit for his camp. Is she set in the ways she grew up with, or willing to make a place for what is Hebraic? Us: not just himself, but the camels also. Those sent to hunt out the bride today must serve not only the Spirit but also the congregation. (1 Cor. 13)24. And she told him, "I am the daughter of B'thuel, the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nakhor."
B'thuel means "one whom Elohim destroys/breaks". Since the bride is taken out of his house, there could be a double reference in the allegory--to haSatan, and to the root tree out of which the branches grafted into Avraham were taken, and/or the branches that are broken off from the olive tree of Israel, i.e., the part of the church that will not return to its roots, but prefers to hang onto its pagan accretions instead. Milkah means "Queen", perhaps relating him to the imagery of the "Queen of Heaven", part of the paganism that found its way into the church. Sarah (a princess) came from the same family, but it is interesting that none of the men have names relating to royalty. Though the men were commoners and we have thus come to be known as Gentiles, the Israelite part of our heritage that was mixed in does qualify us to be called back out to fill the position again. All three of the first patriarchs were related to their wives; likewise, Yahshua's bride comes from among His relatives--both His brothers (Yehudah) and cousins (Efrayim). But matrilineal rule also reminds us of Jezebel: HaSatan was YHWH’s bride in some sense before rebelling.25. And she said to him, "We have plenty of both straw and provender, and also a room to stay in."
There is plenty in the bride's house, both to feed and to bring comfort. Efrayim is the "fullness of the Gentiles" (48:19). The word for "straw" is from the word "build" (probably refers to its use in making bricks, e.g. Exodus 5). Her Semitic household would thus seem to have plenty of material to build YHWH's house, but it had idolatry mixed in; straw or hay is one of those things that the fiery test will destroy (cf. v. 24; 1 Cor. 3:12)-possibly an underlying reason the servant chose not to stay (v. 56).26. Then the man bowed and was worshipping YHWH,
27. saying, "Blessed be YHWH, the Elohim of my master Avraham, who has not abandoned His faithfulness and His truthfulness with my master. And [as for] me, while I am on my journey, YHWH has guided me to the very house of my master's brother!"
Abandoned: literally "let loose with". He did not let go of His end of the rope, so the servant was still bound to fulfill his end of the agreement. His truthfulness: see v. 7. The servant must certainly have heard many stories about Nakhor from Avraham, but he was still “floored” by how quickly YHWH brought about this encounter, and now he knew not just from their names but from their hospitality that they were truly kin to Avraham.28. So the girl ran and told these things to her mother's household.
Why her mother's, when her father was still living as well (v. 50)? Probably because her father’s name means "one whom El has destroyed"--possibly even by Avraham's leaving; his relatives were idolaters. Certainly Milkah—“the queen”—sounds more noble than Nakhor—“the one who snores”. There may have also been a strong matriarchal leaning in this region, possibly more than was healthy, for look where Adam ended up when he let his wife make a ruling. Her mother, however, might have represented the purer side of the Bride's mixed heritage.29. Now Rivqah also had a brother, whose name was Lavan, and Lavan ran out to the man at the well.
The servant (symbolizing the Spirit of Holiness) remained by the water-source (i.e., the Torah) until summoned into the house. He was calling a bride out of that house, not settling into it, and would only enter it when it was time to do his job.30. And when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he heard the words of his sister Rivqah—"This is what the man said to me..."—he came to where the man was and saw him attending to his camels at the spring.
In this introduction to Lavan, Moshe makes sure we see that he perked up when the objects of gold caught his eye, and was eager to have the camels' cargo. He is a picture of the corrupt church, which cares more about the gold than about the bride.31. So he said, "Come in, O you who are blessed by YHWH! Why are you standing outside? I have gotten the house ready, and I also have a place for the camels."
“Come one, come all! We have something for everyone!” is the Church’s call. Lavan means "white"; we get the word "albino" from this root. White is a symbol of righteousness; we would thus expect him to be that way. But this greed would turn out to be a characteristic of Lavan throughout his whole life (ch. 28-31). Rivqah had already told the story (v. 28), so he knew YHWH was who the “bride-hunter” served, and so, like any pragmatist, used this name to get on his “better side”, though he himself turns out to still be worshipping idols many years later. (31:30) Gotten the house ready... a place for the camels: We could not leave them outside with all that treasure on their backs! It almost sounds as if he pushed someone else out to make room for the one with the money, foreshadowing Yaaqov/James 2:3, where authorities in the church (the relatives of the Bride in the house she is called to leave) welcome potential big tithers. The Roman Empire changed its tune toward true believers when it saw it could not beat them; it welcomed them in when it needed Avraham’s wealth of wisdom to survive, but the church that was built on this “catholicization” never did adopt Avraham’s lifestyle or his core desire that YHWH alone be credited with making him rich.32. So the man came into the house, and unloaded the camels, gave them straw and fodder, and washed his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
The men: This is the first they are mentioned. Ten camels would have needed more than one attendant, but YHWH had told Avraham He would send His messenger on ahead. Another time when YHWH had sent him a messenger, he had been accompanied by two others.33. And food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I need to say." So Lavan said, "Say it, then!"
He would not partake of anything else this household offered until he knew whether they would accept his mission to claim one of theirs for Avraham’s house. (Mat. 10:13)34. So he said, "I am the slave of Avraham.
Avraham was already known in their household.35. "And YHWH has greatly blessed my master, and he is wealthy. And he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.
36. "And my master's wife bore him a son when she was old, and he has given him all that he owns.
Compare Yochanan 3:34ff. The firstborn son is the one set in charge of the household.37. "And my master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kanaanites, in whose land I live,
38. "'but you shall go to the house of my father and to my family, to take a wife for my son.'"
39. "And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me back here?'
40. "And he told me, 'YHWH, before Whom I walk, will send His messenger with you, and prosper your journey. And you shall take a wife for my son from my family, from my father's household.
41. 'Then you shall be released from my oath, if, after you have come to my family, they do not give you one. In that case, you shall be released from my oath.'
This tells us that if we are faithful to bring the wake-up call to the snorer’s household, it is not our fault if the bride remains asleep. It is not that the Kingdom isn’t calling. If they do not give you one: an alteration of what Avraham had actually said: “If she is not willing”. But this was no longer the question at hand. She herself passed all the tests, but she was still under another authority. The church cannot be expected to want to let its holiest children go be part of another entity, Israel, and many are indeed effectively held back by that consideration, though they are know which is really better. Yahshua’s parable of the wedding banquet suggests this possibility. (Mat. 22:2-14)42. "And today I came to the well, and I said, 'YHWH, Elohim of my master Avraham, if it is Your will to make the journey I am taking successful,
43. "'Behold, I am standing here at the spring of water, so when the maiden comes out to draw water, and I say to her, "Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher",
44. "'and she says to me, "Both you drink, and I will draw water for your camels"—may she be the woman whom YHWH has appointed for my master's son.'
45. "Well, before I had even finished speaking within my heart, lo and behold, there came Rivqah, her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the water and drew some. So I said to her, 'Please let me have a sip.'
46. But she rushed to lower her jar from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink up, and I'll give your camels water, too!' And I drank deeply, and she watered the camels, too!
47. "So I questioned her: I said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she said, 'Of B'thuel, the son of Nakhor, whom Milkah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms,
He changed the order of these events in his recounting, perhaps to emphasize to them the fact that they were related to the Bridegroom already, which might be more important to them.48. "So I bow down and worship YHWH, and bless YHWH, the Elohim of my master Avraham, who has guided me in the true path, to procure for his son the daughter of my master's brother!
49. "So now, if you are going to deal kindly and truthfully with my master, tell me, but if not, tell me now, so I may turn to the right hand or the left."
Truthfully: Lavan indeed had to be asked this directly. Right hand or left: start looking for an alternative, wherever it may be found. If they refused, YHWH could raise up sons of Avraham from among the stones. He would not settle for a bride who would not make herself ready. Knowing one's right hand from one's left also symbolizes being trained in the knowledge of YHWH's instruction. The right and left hand also symbolize judgment and mercy, and he needed to decide which they would receive--especially if the "men" who accompanied him were the ones who destroyed S'dom.50. Then Lavan and B'thuel both answered and said, "The thing has come from YHWH; we are not able to tell you [it is] painful or pleasing.
I.e., it is clearly not for us to decide; YHWH has decided it already. In Yahshua’s case, the son had authority to answer for the father. But in Lavan’s case, it seems he is more like the pope who presumes to speak first before he consults with the Father’s revelation in Torah; some of the rabbis described in the Mishnah also felt they could take precedence over what YHWH had said simply because they were in agreement. As we will later see, Lavan thinks he owns everything, even Yitzhaq and Rivqah’s son. Verse 53 gives another example of his seeming to have usurped his father’s position while he was still alive.51. "Behold, Rivqah is here before you; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as YHWH has said."
52. And when Avraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself on the earth to YHWH.
53. So the servant brought out vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rivqah. He also gave costly things to her brother and her mother.
Note that there were no gifts for her father (cf. vv. 24, 28). Symbolically he is the same as the Egyptian father of the man who fought with the Israelite man in Lev. 24:10. But he has no real place in this story. And just because gifts of the spirit are given to someone does not mean they are necessarily the bride. Many are fooled into thinking the Church is acceptable just because YHWH has given it some valuable gifts. But note that only the bride received the garments. (See Rev. 3:5; 19:8) She is given gifts more appropriate for the bride who is also to be a servant. The family was not even invited to come back to the wedding with her. They have a calling, but are not the chosen. Their job is to preserve the pure seed of Shem; they have even become somewhat inbred for this purpose. They are vessels of honor, but not the highest honor. They will have a role to play later when Rivqah’s son has a need, but they are not worthy to live in the Land; they would be a negative influence there on those who have paid a higher price. The two groups are not to mix. (Compare 25:6.) The heavy matriarchal tendencies especially would not fit in, and this family in particular would try to usurp authority over Avraham and Yitzhaq. As our King has said, blood relations must sometimes be severed if we are to follow him fully.54. Then they ate and drank together, he and the men who were with him, and they stayed the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Send me away to my master!"
Ate and drank: after finishing their business, to seal it and celebrate. Send me: He was expecting the escort to the end of their territory which was the host’s responsibility to provide.55. But her brother and mother said, "Let the girl stay with us some days, maybe ten, and after that she may go."
56. But he said, "Do not delay me, for YHWH has prospered my journey; send me off, that I may go back to my master.
I.e., “I had a job to do, and it is done; I did not come here for the purpose of socializing. I want to finish my task while all is going so well.” Rivqah was a hard worker; they did not wish to lose her so quickly. But they—and he--may have thought that given some time to think about all the implications, she might get “cold feet”. Though they seek out a bride for the Hebrew Messiah from among his kinsmen, the ten tribes dispersed among the Gentiles, his emissaries are not to tarry and "learn the ways of the Gentiles" in the process. The dead are left to bury their dead; she could not put her hand to the plow and then look back.57. Then they said, "We will call the girl and ask the answer from her mouth."
I.e., we will see if that is what she wants. Not that this would matter much in their culture. But they want to play on a woman’s emotions, thinking they might drain the servant of even more of a bride price. They expect her to cry and want to stay longer, though they had already given the servant leave to go. This is really a form of witchcraft.58. So they called Rivqah and said to her, "Are you going to go with this man?" And she said, "I will go."
Though it was an arranged marriage--arranged by YHWH!--they still gave her a choice in the matter. And she had to make the hard choice, because our families will always want to keep us with them. But she gave a better answer than they expected. She decided to leave much behind in order to be who she was meant to be.59. So they gave Rivqah their sister a sendoff, with her nurse, and Avraham's servant and his men.
Someone from her home accompanied the bride to her husband's home. She was literally a wet nurse, almost like a second mother to her. Milk is a symbol of the Torah (1 Cor. 3; Heb. 6:1-2), the foundational teaching with which the bride had begun. Now the servant is not seen without his men—a picture of the fact that if there is no one walking out the Kingdom—loving our neighbors as ourselves--there “is” no “Holy Spirit”. The Kingdom cannot be seen if no one is living it.60. And they blessed Rivqah, saying to her, "Our sister, may you become myriads of thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them!"
This is a very ancient blessing: May you multiply greatly and dominate your enemies! Israelite girls are still blessed by their parents each Sabbath with the words, "May you be like... Rivqah...!" (among the other matriarchs).61. So Rivqah and her attendants got up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rivqah and went.
According to 35:8, Rivqah’s nurse is named D’vorah (“bee”), but here she has a plurality of attendants, though they were never overtly sent with her. Bees live in "congregations", and through Efrayim, Yitzhaq's seed were to become not only a nation, but a "congregation of nations". (35:11; 48:19) The lost sheep of the House of Israel (Yahshua's relatives from among whom his bride comes) also have Gentiles who cling to them and choose to follow “the man”—the “one new man”, the restored Adam’s body--to meet its head, the Messiah. But like the five virgins (Matt. 25), some are willing to go all the way and others are not.62. Now Yitzhaq had come from having gone to the Well of the Living One Who Sees Me. (He too had still been dwelling in the land of the Negev.)
The well: see note on 22:19. Land: or earth. In Yesh./Isa. 18:3, “dwelling in the earth” refers to those who are being resurrected. Negev: the "parched" land of the south, i.e., near Be'er-Sheva, where Avraham had also been living; Sarah had moved to Hevron. (23:2) But “orientation” points us to the east, not the north, and when facing east, the south is on one’s right hand. “Dwelling” can also mean “sitting” in Hebrew, so Yitzhaq, who has not been seen by the world since he died has been “sitting on the right hand”—exactly where Yahshua is. (Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3) This is the same well that had saved Yishmael's life (16:14), but this seems to have been something supernatural, much like the rock that "followed Israel through the desert" (Num. 20:11; 1 Cor. 10:4), so it need not have been at the same place. Beneath the Holy of Holies (now the Dome of the Rock) is a cave the Arabs still call the "well of souls". This corresponds to the Guwf, a mystical place beneath the heavenly altar where souls are stored up (cf. Rev. 6:9; 8:3; possibly related to 1 Keyfa/Peter 3:19). Even if he was in the ground, he was still connected to the Land, and has not left it. If this is the case, it took great faith for the servant to find a bride for one who had not been seen for years, and for the bride to follow him back to marry a man who has already died. This is at the very least an allegory of those of us who believe in Messiah, our Bridegroom, though we have not yet seen him. (1 Keyfa 1:8)63. And Yitzhaq had gone out into the fields to meditate as evening was nearing. And he lifted his eyes and looked, and—behold—some camels were coming!
To meditate: muse, examine himself, let his thoughts flow and listen in prayer. Yahshua says the fields symbolize the world; when he returns there after an absence to meet his bride, it will be the time for harvest. In unpointed Hebrew, the word for meditate is identical to "sink down (in death)", which could support the theory that he had indeed died. Evening was nearing: a new day was about to begin, Hebraically. This is when Yahshua meets his bride as well--just as the next millennial "day" (Ps. 90:4) begins. Lifted his eyes: an idiom for seeing in a vision. He does not actually see Rivqah coming; he sees only the camels. The bride was hidden among them, but Yitzhaq did not know she was coming until he saw them; his father had sent for the bride when he knew the time was right. Yahshua, too, does not know when the Father will tell Him His bride is ready. (Mk. 13:32) But the presence of a mature congregation will be the sign that she is drawing near.64. And Rivqah raised her eyes and saw Yitzhaq, and she quickly dismounted from the camel.
Dismounted: or fell off. Was she shocked at his appearance? Yahshua will look like a lamb that has been butchered. (Rev. 5:6)65. And she asked the slave, "Who is this man who is walking in the field to meet us?" And the slave said, "It is my master!" And she took a veil and covered herself.
Veiling was a sign of betrothal. Perhaps she hurried to veil herself because she now realized that he really did exist, having had some doubts like those in Yahshua's parables who were not sure their master would return. Normally she should have been veiled since she agreed to come. But now she actually sees the man under whose authority she has come. The veil symbolizes her being presented as a virgin (2 Qorinthians 11:2), because the word most often translated “virgin” (almah) means “veiled one”. There is still a treasure hidden behind it. Prior to this the servant had called only Avraham his master. Now Rivqah dwells in the tent of his master’s wife, so her husband is her new master. Avraham is not even mentioned here. This is our basis for calling Yahshua "Master" though He Himself says He is subordinate to Another. The Father will consider it His glory if every knee bows in homage to His Son, because He puts all things under His feet until His work is accomplished. (1 Cor. 15:24) After His Kingdom, the Father comes back into the picture again. (Rev. 21) But, like Yitzhaq, he was not given "all authority in heaven and earth" until after his resurrection. (Matt. 28:18)66. And the slave told Yitzhaq all the things that he had done.
Yitzhaq is near Hevron, where his mother had died. We still do not see Avraham, as he was apparently living in Be’er-Sheva’ again. So Yitzhaq is back, but we are not told that Avraham has seen him yet. If we wanted to “see” Avraham today, we would look first to Yehudah, who has kept his memory alive best. Thus this is another foreshadowing of the latter-day bride seeing the risen Yahshua for who he is before Yehudah does.67. And Yitzhaq brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rivqah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Yitzhaq was comforted after his mother died.
Was he taking his bride to show his mother, as if he was not aware she had died (having been gone for several years)? Yitzhaq had lived in Hevron before he was offered, so that is where he returned. But this is the first record of his mourning his mother’s death. Hevron is Israel’s highest city, and thus a picture of Heaven, where Yahshua may take his bride at first (Yochanan 14:2), and where David (also a picture of Messiah the King) began his reign before moving his capital to Yerushalayim. The "Yerushalayim above" is called our mother. (Gal. 4:26) Since Moshe is the one on whom Yahshua was raised, Sarah represents the Torah, which Paulus compares with one who “dies” to make room for another. (Rom. 7:1-6) Yahshua brings his bride into the spirit of the Torah, which brings life where the letter, standing alone, has brought death. Sanctity returned to the tent when the bride was brought in. It is like having his mother back. Rivqah now “becomes” Sarah as the keeper of the covenant seed. The Torah no longer rules over them, yet she is there in total freedom. It is the difference between "I've got to do this" and "I get to do this!" Comforted: When Yahshua finally receives his bride, there will be such a sense of closure (cf. Yeshayahu 53:11).
CHAPTER 25
1. Then Avraham took an additional wife, and her name was Qeturah.Qeturah means "burning as incense" or “perfume”. This marriage may symbolize the prophet being intimate with prayer. But there is no indication where Qeturah was from, so there is no sense of holiness to her sons as there was with Yitzhaq. In contrast to Sarah’s apparent royalty, incense, if burned, is not something one can keep to himself, but rather is experienced by all of those around and sometimes for a great distance around. In contrast with Yitzhaq, those who came forth from Qeturah are not meant to stay in one place, but to spread abroad and possibly even affect more people.2. And she bore to him
Zimran [musician],
Yauqshan [one who lures into a snare],
M'dan [contention],
Midyan [strife],
Yishbaq [he releases], and
Shuach [weighed down with wealth].
Midyan, who ended up settling just east of the Reed Sea, would become the ancestor of Moshe's wife, who was the daughter of a priest there. That people may have retained some knowledge of YHWH as taught by Avraham. But later they became predators on Israel, and Gid'on had to defeat them.3. Then Yauqshan fathered Sheva and Dedan, and Dedan's sons were
Ash-shurim [guided, blessed],
Letushim [hammered sharp, whetted], and
Le'ummim [for peoples].
Only her second and fourth son are listed as having descendants. Sheva means "Seven" or "an oath" (as in Be'er-Sheva); Dedan means "low country". Sheva may be the ancestor of the queen who came to visit King Shlomo, having heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 10) Sheva and Dedan appear to have settled in southern Arabia. Le'ummim: "for [the] peoples" may recollect YHWH's promise to Avraham that all peoples would bless themselves through (or be grafted into) Avraham.4. And Midyan's sons were
Eyfah [gloomy],
Efer [a calf],
Chanoch [dedicated],
Avida ["my father knows"], and
Eldaah [Elohim has known].
All of these were the descendants of Qeturah.
The names have little in common, covering just about any way people could be described. Each is unique and the nations that resulted from them differed widely from one another. There are therefore many who can truly claim to be descendants of Avraham. If we know where to look, many of these peoples are still around. Some mixed with the Yishmaelites and became what we know today as the Arabs (which, incidentally, means “mixed”). This may be one reason citizenship in the Messianic Kingdom will be made available to many peoples if they enter into covenant with YHWH. But the covenant does not belong to them:5. But Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzhaq,
Avraham had many descendants, but only one heir to the covenant. Yitzhaq was the seed of promise, the son of both the chosen man and the chosen woman—the one who inherited everything when Avraham died. The others helped fulfill the promises that he would be a father of multitudes. But Paul tells us that the only ones who are counted as Avraham’s descendants were those who came through Yitzhaq. (Romans 9:6ff) One must come into this covenant in order to walk fully with Avraham. Thus none but his descendants (and only some of them) can lay claim to the Land of Israel (as clarified below in 28:4; 35:12). But Yitzhaq is a picture of Yahshua, who was given all that the Father had (Yochanan 3:35), including all authority in heaven and earth (after his betrothal and resurrection, as with Yitzhaq, Mat. 28:18), and now He is the only way to know the Father intimately. (Mat. 11:27)6. though to the sons of his concubines, Avraham gave gifts, and sent them away eastward, away from his son Yitzhaq, to a land of the Orient while he was still living.
Concubines: secondary legal wives who did not receive an actual inheritance. The word is related to division or streams, indicating several streams of descendants, but division of interest for the man who has them, since he can no longer concentrate all his energies on one family. So he sent them away so there would be no strife of the type that his servants had with Lot's, or the trouble he had from Yishmael. In Hebrew, "east" and "ancient" or "antiquity" are the same word, so since he had come from the east and was not going back there, he was “putting them behind him” so he could focus on Yitzhaq. He was also making sure no one else would lay claim to the Land. Since Avraham had some seeds of idolatry still latent in him, he separated Yitzhaq from any such influence. This was Sarah’s legacy: sending away what could corrupt the covenant. And He is doing the same with us today. The all-embracing emphasis of other Bible-based religions may seem to focus more on people than on ideas, but it does not reflect wisdom as regards the purity of the faith. Only a few of these other children show up again in Scripture. But since all his inheritance was given to Yitzhaq (v. 5), what would he have left to give these other children? How could he give all to one son, yet some to all? There are some kinds of gifts that can be given more than once, or which one can give and still have to give again: a sense of what is right or wrong (i.e., general morality), some of his insights and abilities (many of which would have been passed on genertically), knowledge and wisdom, and some of his longing for closeness to the Creator. The Rabbis say he taught them mystical arts and the understanding of the stars. Some of them may have been founders of eastern religions, which have bits of truth in them, but not the completeness. Rabbi Lebel Wolf has found much evidence for connections between the Hebrew language and conepts known among the peoples of India and China, largely through Hinduism and Buddhism. In the local language, the Indus River means “the one from the other side”—the same meaning as “Heberw”. The name Brahman requires only a a minor rearrangement of the name Avraham, suggesting some ancestor worship. In Aramaic, the name Ash-shurim is interpreted as “a camp”, and in India an Ashram is a spiritually-oriented commune. Ram means “high and lifted up” in Hebrew, and a major deity of the Hindus bears this name. The term Veda is related to the Hebrew term da’at (knowledge). A Hindu term for ritual impurity is tamas—very similar to the Hebrew tamei. Eastern religions are highly meditative, with the focus on listening to one’s breath as the primary approach. In 2:7 we were told that YHWH had breathed into man the breath (nishmah) of life, and man became a living soul (neshamah). So the breath and the soul are inseparable both linguistically and scientifically. Ancient clay heads show greatly-exaggerated noses, because of the belief that the nose was the seat of the life-force. As YHWH sends His rain on the just and the unjust (Mat. 5:45; Gal. 6:10), Avraham was a hospitable man and would not send them out empty-handed. But to Yitzhaq he gave the things that mattered most—his friendship with YHWH, his position as His particular servant, and his right to spiritual priesthood. The land and any physical treasures he gave to him would only be symbolic of this more important heritage. If the others wanted these blessings, they would need to come under the authority of Yitzhaq, whom he had made minister in this special sense. Yeshayahu 60:6-7 even shows gifts coming back to his descendants from all of these other children. There are many who pray (see note on v. 1) and who receive gifts of YHWH’s mercy in His grand scheme, but the right of mediator he has given only to Israel, and most specially to Yahshua. (Yochanan 14:6) We just saw Yitzhaq meditating in the field. (24:63) YHWH’s name sounds like a breath, and listening for Him in the quiet places without busyness is the only way to become all that we can. But why are these gifts given to the other children not adequate? The difference is what the meditation is unto. Their gifts are valid and profitable to some extent, but they lack a covenant that teaches them to focus not only on one’s own soul, but also of all the others who are in the covenant. Avraham and Moshe started their spiritual journeys as lone men, but they “acquired” more souls. As others joined them, they needed to become their leaders and treat them as family, not just students or servants. The covenant was no longer just about the individual, though it was carried on through a single seed. Even Jewish kabbalah focuses on the individual, but YHWH sees Israel as a collective bride with whom He will be one only corporately. We will never be made perfect as long as we look only at self. Our work to perfect ourselves individually must be in the context of and for the purpose of the whole community of Israel being united with YHWH.
7. Now these were the days of the years of Avraham's life: he lived 175 years.
8. Then Avraham expired and died at an appropriate old age—an old man and contented—and was gathered to his people.
Expired: i.e., breathed out. He released his soul. There was no longer enough space for it in his body. Contented: He was satisfied that his life had been complete. What a legacy! May it be ours. What more could one wish for? Old age: or "gray head". Gathered to his people: not his “fathers”, as is so often said, because his ancestors did not advance as far as he; he was now the father. But people at this time understood that the soul, though separated from the body, is not dead, and it retains a connection to those who came before. This was not a late-coming concept. Iyov (Job), a contemporary of Avraham, speaks of seeing Elohim in his flesh after his body is eaten away. (19:26) He may have gone directly into the Kingdom and escaped time. Avraham was gathered to Adam and possibly Noakh as well. Likewise, we have to look to our more distant genetic past for the connections our souls need, for the more recent ancestors have “inherited lies”.9. And his sons Yitzhaq and Yishmael buried him at the cave of Makhpelah in the field of Efron Ben-Tzochar the Chittite, which is before Mamre—
This is the first Yishma’el shows up again, but this shows that he was not among those sent away to the east. Here we see the ancestor of the Arabs and the ancestor of Israel at peace with one another. This is possible only when they are put in the order this verse puts them in: the elder son recognizing the younger as the head and the heir. In fact, the tomb of Avraham is one of the few places the Arabs let Jews come freely today. Yet this is still the wrong order. If they relinquished their control over it and let Israel invite them back as the guests, we might see peace on a wider scale between these estranged brothers. Makhpelah: Aramaic, the double cave.10. the field which Avraham had bought from the sons of Cheth; Avraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.
Though he had other wives and concubines, when it came time to die, Avraham sent all the others away and returned to “his people” in the truest sense, ending up with Sarah and no one else. Sarah is a picture of the Torah, whom while in Egypt he had only called his sister rather than the one he was intimate with (12:13). YHWH had told him to do what she said. (21:12-13) YHWH has extended Yahshua’s rule to many others (Yeshayahu/Isa. 49:6), but His bride is those who both “keep the commandments of YHWH [Torah] and have the testimony of Yahshua”. (Rev. 12:17)11. And it came about that after the death of Avraham, YHWH blessed his son Yitzhaq, and Yitzhaq remained by the Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.
Remained: the tense suggests that he "continued to dwell" there. Yitzhaq never left the land of his inheritance as both his father and son did. There is deeper spiritual meaning here than simply identifying the location where he settled. He was abiding by the source of water. (See Psalm 1) But this well in particular is (as far as the direct text is concerned) where he had been from the time he was sacrificed until his marriage, thus being a picture of the heavenly realm where Yahshua has been held in waiting until His bride is ready. (Acts 3:21) As we have seen above, “well” means a place of clarification. This is the place where everything makes sense—the place his father’s other children are seeking but cannot find unless they approach it through him.
12. Now these are the genealogies of Yishmael, the son of Avraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maidservant, had borne to Avraham,
13. and these are the names of the sons of Yishmael—by their names, according to their genealogies:
Yishmael's firstborn was Nevayoth [flourishing or fruitful heights, father of the Nabateans],
then Qedar [dark],
then Adbeel [chastened by Elohim],
then Mivsam [sweet, balsamy fragrance],
14. then Mishma’ ["a rumor that is heard"],
then Dumah ["silence"],
then Massa ["burden", "load borne", or that to which the soul lifts
itself up];
15. Chadad [or Chadar, "honor"]
and Theyma [desert],
and Yetur [enclosed or a row of jewels],
and Nafiysh [refreshment],
and Qedmah [original, or coming in front].
16. These were the sons of Yishmael, and these are the names in their settlements and camps: 12 chiefs according to their peoples.
The word for "peoples" means "those springing from a common mother". (Compare note on 24:24.) Their mother was Egyptian, not a Shemite. Like Nakhor, Edom, and Israel, the Yishma’elites also have twelve tribes.17. And these are the years of the life of Yishmael: 137 years, then he expired and died, and was gathered to his people, 18. who lived from Chavilah to Shur, which faces Egypt as you come toward Assyria. He settled in the presence of all his brothers.
Settled: if taken this way, it partially fulfilled the prophecy of 16:12, and the Midrash does relatet he two passages. But the word basically means "fell", and could also mean "lie prostrate" or "die violently". Targum Pseudo-Jonathan renders it, “dwelt opposite all his brothers”.