Chayai Sarah

Sarah dies at the age of 127. Avraham buries Sarah in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron on land purchased from Ephron, son of Zohar.

Avraham sends his servant, the head of his household, to go to Avraham's homeland and bring back a wife for his son, Yitzchak. The servant traveled to the city of Nahor. In the evening, he stopped at a well outside of town and spoke to God. He said that he was there by the well where the women gather water. The woman who would answer his request for water with the offer to also give his camels water would be the one God has chosen Yitzchak. At that moment a beautiful virgin, Rivkah--granddaughter of Nahor, Avraham's brother--came to the spring. When the servant asked her for water, she gave him and then all his camels water to drink. The servant gave her gold jewelry and asked who she was and if he could perhaps stay at her father's house for the night. She told him who she was and offered him a place to stay.

Rivkah ran home to tell her mother's household what just transpired. When her brother Lavan heard the story and saw the gold jewelry, he ran to the well and invited the servant and his camels back to the house to bathe and eat. But before he would eat, the servant first identified himself, spoke of Avraham's riches, and told the story of his coming to find a wife for Yitzchak, and how he found Rivkah. Both Lavan, Rivkah's brother, and Betuel, Rivkah's father, grant her to be Yitzchak's wife. The next day, when the servant prepares to leave with her, her brother and mother ask that he allow Rivkah to stay with them for about ten days before leaving. The servant does not want to be delayed, so they ask Rivkah if she will go with him. She says she will go. Rivkah and the servant depart.

In the evening, Yitzchak was walking in the field when he saw camels approaching. When Rivkah saw Yitzchak, she got down off the camel and asked the servant "Who is that man?" The servant said, "That is my lord." Rivkah covered herself with a veil. The servant told Yitzchak all that he had done. Yitzchak brought Rivkah into his mother's tent and she became his wife. He loved her, and was comforted after his mother's death.

Avraham took another wife, Keturah. She bore him sons. Avraham gave gifts to those sons and sent them to the land of the East. Avraham willed all his possessions to Yitzchak.

Avraham died at the age of 175. Yitzchak and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah. Yitzchak settled near Be'er l'chai ro-ee. Ishmael's line is then listed. Ishmael dies at 137. He is gathered to his kin, who lived near Egypt.