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Sarah Dies
23 Sarah lived to be one hundred twenty-seven years old [L such were the years of Sarah’s life]. 2 She died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron [C city nineteen miles south of Jerusalem]) in the land of Canaan. Abraham ·was very sad [mourned] and cried because of her. 3 After a while he got up from the side of his ·wife’s body [L dead] and went to talk to the Hittites [C one of the many groups that made up the population of Canaan at the time, notable in that they were not Semitic as the others were]. He said, 4 “I am only a ·stranger [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien] and a ·foreigner [settler; C the combination of terms indicates a resident alien] here. Sell me some ·of your land [property for a burial place] so that I can bury my ·dead wife [L dead].”
5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “·Sir [My lord], you are a ·great leader [mighty prince; or prince of God; C a man of wealth and power even though he owned no land] among us. You may have the ·best [choicest] place we have to bury your dead. You may have any of our burying places that you want, and none of us will stop you from burying your ·dead wife [L dead].”
7 Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the Hittites. 8 He said to them, “If you truly ·want to help me [are willing for me to] bury my ·dead wife [L dead] here, ·speak to [entreat] Ephron, the son of Zohar for me. 9 Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah at the edge of his field. I will pay him the full price. You can be the witnesses that I am buying it as a burial place.”
10 Ephron was sitting among the Hittites at the city gate [C place where commercial transactions took place]. He answered Abraham [L in the hearing of the Hittites], 11 “No, ·sir [my Lord]. [L Hear me,] I will give you the ·land [field] and the cave that is in it, with these people as witnesses. Bury your ·dead wife [L dead].”
12 Then Abraham bowed down before the ·Hittites [L people of the land]. 13 He said to Ephron ·before [L in the hearing of] all the people, “·Please let me [L Listen to me. I will] pay you the full price for the field. Accept my money, and I will bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “·Sir [My Lord], [L Listen to me,] the land is worth ·ten pounds [L 400 shekels] of silver, ·but I won’t argue with you over the price [L what is that between you and me?]. Take the land, and bury your ·dead wife [L dead].”
16 Abraham ·agreed [listened] and paid Ephron in front of the Hittite witnesses. He weighed out the full price, ·ten pounds [L 400 shekels] of silver, and they counted the weight as the traders normally did.
A Wife for Isaac
24 Abraham was now very old, ·along in years [L going in days], and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2 Abraham said to his oldest servant [L in his house], who was in charge of everything he owned, “Put your hand under my ·leg [L thigh; C a euphemism for male genitalia, expressing commitment to keep a promise]. 3 ·Make a promise to me before [Swear to me by] the Lord, the God of heaven and [L the God of] earth. Don’t get a wife for my son from the ·Canaanite girls [L daughters of the Canaanites] who live around here. 4 Instead, go back to my country, to the land of my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 The servant said to him, “·What if [Perhaps] this woman does not want to return with me to this land? Then, should I take your son with me back to your homeland?”
6 Abraham said to him, “No! ·Don’t take [L Be careful not to take] my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and the land of my relatives. And he ·promised [swore to] me, ‘I will give this land to your ·descendants [L seed].’ The Lord will send his ·angel [messenger] before you to help you get a wife for my son there. 8 If the ·girl [woman] won’t come back with you, you will be ·free [declared innocent] from this promise. But you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under his master’s ·leg [L thigh; 24:2] and ·made a promise [swore] to Abraham about this.
10 The servant took ten of Abraham’s camels and left, carrying with him many ·different kinds of beautiful gifts [L goods of his master]. He went to ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Aram-Naharaim; C a region near the Habor and Euphrates rivers, about a month’s journey away] to ·Nahor’s city [or the city of Nahor]. 11 In the evening, when the women come out to get water [C most ancient towns had a single source of water for the community], he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the city.
12 The servant said, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, ·allow me to find a wife for his son [L grant me good fortune] today. Please show this ·kindness [loyalty] to my master Abraham. 13 Here I am, standing by the spring, and the ·girls [L daughters of the men] from the city are coming out to get water. 14 ·I will say to one of them [L Let the girl to whom I will say…], ‘Please put your jar down so I can drink.’ Then let her say, ‘Drink, and I will also give water to your camels.’ If that happens, I will know she is the ·right one [the one appointed/selected] for your servant Isaac and that you have shown ·kindness [loyalty] to my master.”
15 Before the servant had finished ·praying [L speaking], Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, came out of the city. (Bethuel was the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham’s brother [11:27–30].) Rebekah was carrying her water jar on her shoulder. 16 She was ·very pretty [extremely beautiful], a virgin; she had never ·had sexual relations with [L known] a man. She went down to the spring and filled her jar, then came back up. 17 The servant ran to her and said, “Please give me a little ·water [sip] from your jar.”
18 Rebekah said, “Drink, ·sir [my master].” She quickly lowered the jar ·from her shoulder [L on her hand] and gave him a drink. 19 After ·he finished drinking [L she let him drink all he wanted], Rebekah said, “I will also pour some water for your camels [L until they have finished drinking].” 20 So she quickly ·poured [emptied] all the water from her jar into the drinking trough for the camels. Then she kept running to the well until she had given all the camels enough to drink.
21 The ·servant [L man] quietly ·watched [stared at] her. He wanted to ·be sure [L learn whether or not] the Lord had made his trip successful. 22 After the camels had finished drinking, he gave Rebekah a gold ·ring [L nose-ring; or earring] weighing ·one-fifth of an ounce [L one half shekel] and two gold arm bracelets weighing about ·four ounces [L ten shekels] each. 23 He asked, “·Who is your father [L Tell me whose daughter you are]? Is there a place in his house for me and my men to spend the night?”
24 Rebekah answered, “·My father is [L The daughter of] Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” 25 Then she said, “And, yes, we have ·straw for your camels [L plenty of straw and feed] and a place for you to spend the night.”
26 The servant bowed and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed is the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. The Lord ·has been kind and truthful to him [L has not abandoned his kindness/loyalty and truthfulness/faithfulness to my master] and has led me to my master’s relatives.”
28 Then Rebekah ran and told her mother’s family about all these things. 29 She had a brother named Laban, who ran out to Abraham’s servant, who was still at the spring. 30 Laban had heard what she had said and had seen the ·ring [L nose-ring; or earring] and the bracelets on his sister’s arms. So he ran out to the well, and there was the man standing by the camels at the spring. 31 Laban said, “·Sir [L O blessed one], ·you are welcome to come in [L come]; ·you don’t have to stand [L why are standing…?] outside. I have ·prepared [L cleared out] the house for you and also a place for your camels.”
32 So Abraham’s servant went into the house. After Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and ·food [fodder], he gave water to Abraham’s servant so he and the men with him could wash their feet. 33 Then ·Laban gave the servant food [L the food was set before him], but the servant said, “I will not eat until I have told you why I came.”
So Laban said, “Then tell us.”
34 He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master in everything [12:3], and he has become a rich man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels, and horses. 36 Sarah, my master’s wife, gave birth to a son when she was old [21:1–7], and my master has given everything he owns to that son. 37 My master had me ·make a promise to him [swear] and said, ‘Don’t get a wife for my son from the Canaanite ·girls [L daughters] ·who live around here [L in whose land I live]. 38 Instead, you must go to my father’s ·people [house] and to my family. There you must ·get [take] a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ 40 But he said, ‘I ·serve [L walk before] the Lord, who will send his ·angel [or messenger] with you and will ·help you [L make your way successful]. You will ·get [take] a wife for my son from my family and my father’s ·people [L house]. 41 Then you will be ·free [innocent] from ·the promise [L my oath]. But if they will not give you a wife for my son, you will be ·free [innocent] from ·this promise [L my oath].’
42 “Today I came to this spring. I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please make my ·trip [way] successful. 43 I am standing by this spring. I will wait for a young woman to come out to ·get [draw] water, and I will say, “Please give me water from your jar to drink.” 44 Then let her say, “Drink this water, and I will also draw water for your camels.” By this I will know the Lord has chosen her for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I finished ·my silent prayer [L speaking in my heart/mind], Rebekah came out of the city with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink this. I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she watered my camels too. 47 When I asked her, ‘·Who is your father [L Whose daughter are you]?’ she answered, ‘·My father is [L The daughter of] Bethuel son of Milcah and Nahor.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48 and I bowed my head and ·thanked [worshipped] the Lord. I ·praised [blessed] the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, because he ·led [guided] me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now, tell me, will you be ·kind [loyal] and ·truthful [faithful] to my master? And if not, tell me so. Then I will ·know what I should do [L turn to the right hand or to the left].”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This ·is clearly [L has come out] from the Lord, and we cannot ·change what must happen [L speak to you good or evil]. 51 Rebekah is ·yours [L before you]. Take her and go. Let her marry your master’s son as the Lord has ·commanded [spoken].”
Jesus Heals a Sick Man(A)
8 When Jesus came down from the ·hill [mountainside], ·great crowds [many people] followed him. 2 Then a ·man with a skin disease [T leper; C the term does not refer to modern leprosy (Hansen’s disease), but to various skin disorders; see Lev. 14] came to Jesus. The man ·bowed down [knelt] before him and said, “Lord, you can ·heal me [L make me clean; C such skin disorders rendered the victim ceremonially unclean] if you ·will [choose; are willing].”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I ·will [do choose; am willing]. Be ·healed [L cleansed]!” And immediately the man was ·healed [L cleansed] from his disease. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest and offer the ·gift [offering; sacrifice] Moses commanded for people who are made well [Lev. 14:1–32]. This will ·show the people [be a public testimony to; be evidence for] what I have done.”
Jesus Heals a Soldier’s Servant(B)
5 When Jesus entered the city of Capernaum, an ·army officer [L centurion] came to him, ·begging [pleading] for help. 6 The officer said, “Lord, my servant is at home in bed. He ·can’t move his body [is paralyzed] and ·is in much pain [suffering terribly].”
7 Jesus said to the officer, “·I will go and heal him. [or Shall I go and heal him?]”
8 The officer answered, “Lord [or Sir], I ·am not worthy [do not deserve] for you to come into my house. You only need to ·command it [L say the word], and my servant will be healed. 9 [L For] I, too, am a man ·under the authority of others [L under authority], and I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my ·servant [slave], ‘Do this,’ and my ·servant [slave] does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were following him, “I tell you the truth, ·this is the greatest faith I have found [L I haven’t found such faith], ·even in Israel [or in all Israel]. 11 Many people will come from the east and from the west and will ·sit and eat [L recline; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven [C the messianic banquet, a metaphor for God’s restoration of creation; Is. 25:6–8]. 12 But ·those people who should be in [the heirs of; or the subjects of; L the sons of] the kingdom will be thrown ·outside into the darkness [into the outer darkness], where ·people will cry and grind their teeth with pain [L there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; C metaphors for agony and torment].”
13 Then Jesus said to the ·officer [L centurion], “Go home. ·Your servant will be healed just as you believed he would [L Let it be done for you just as you have believed].” And his servant was healed that ·same hour [exact time].
Jesus Heals Many People(C)
14 When Jesus went to Peter’s house, he saw that Peter’s mother-in-law was ·sick in bed [lying down] with a fever. 15 Jesus touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she stood up and began ·to serve [waiting on] Jesus.
16 That evening people brought to Jesus many who ·had demons [were demon-possessed]. Jesus ·spoke and the demons left them [L drove/cast out the demons with a word/command], and he healed all the sick. 17 He did these things to ·bring about [fulfill] what Isaiah the prophet had said:
“He took our ·suffering [sicknesses; weaknesses]
and ·carried [bore; removed] our diseases [Is. 53:4].”
13 Lord, ·have mercy on [be gracious toward] me.
See how ·my enemies [L those who hate me] ·hurt [afflict; persecute] me.
·Do not let me go through [L Lift me up from] the gates of death.
14 Then, at the gates of ·Jerusalem [the daughter of Zion; C a name of Jerusalem], I will ·praise you [L declare your praises];
I will rejoice ·because you saved me [L in your salvation].
15 The nations have ·fallen [L sunk] into the pit they ·dug [L made].
Their feet are caught in the nets they ·laid [L hid].
16 The Lord has made himself known by ·his fair decisions [L the judgments he has made];
the wicked get trapped by ·what they do [L the deeds of their palms/hands]. ·
17 Wicked people will ·go [L return] to the ·grave [or underworld; L Sheol],
and so will all ·those who [L the nations that] forget God.
18 But those who ·have troubles [are afflicted] will not always be forgotten.
The hopes of the ·poor [oppressed; exploited] will never ·die [perish].
19 Lord, rise up and don’t let people ·think they are strong [L prevail].
Judge the nations in your presence.
20 ·Teach them to fear you [or Strike them with terror; Deut. 4:34; 28:8; 34:12], Lord.
The nations must learn that they are ·only human [mere mortals]. ·
Advice to Children
3 My ·child [L son], do not forget my ·teaching [instruction; law],
but ·keep my commands in mind [L let your heart/mind protect my commands].
2 Then ·you will live a long time,
and your life will be successful [L length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you].
3 Don’t ·ever forget kindness and truth [L let loyalty and faithfulness abandon you].
·Wear [Bind] them ·like a necklace [L on your neck].
Write them on your heart as if on a tablet.
4 Then you will ·be respected [find favor]
and will please both God and people.
5 Trust the Lord with all your heart,
and don’t ·depend [rely] on your own understanding.
6 ·Remember the Lord [L Know him] ·in all you do [L on all your paths],
and he will ·give you success [L keep your roads straight].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.