Chayei Sara

📜 The Story

Sarah died in the city of Hebron when she was one hundred twenty-seven years old. Abraham loved her very much and cried for her. He wanted to find her a proper, respectful place to be buried.

Abraham bought the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron from Ephron the Hittite. He paid the full price, four hundred silver shekels, so the cave would belong to his family forever. It was the first piece of land in the Land of Israel bought by a Jew, and Sarah was buried there.

Then Abraham called Eliezer, his loyal servant, and made him promise to find a wife for Isaac. She should not come from the people of Canaan. She should come from Abraham's own family, in the city of Haran. Eliezer took ten camels and set out.

Eliezer came to a well outside the city and prayed to God for a sign. The girl who offered water to him and to all his camels would be the right wife for Isaac. Then Rebecca came to the well. She gave water to Eliezer and to all ten camels, without being asked. Eliezer knew right away that God had answered his prayer.

Rebecca agreed to go with Eliezer to Canaan. Isaac had gone out to the field to pray, and that is where he met her. He loved her, married her, and she comforted him after his mother's death. Later Abraham married Keturah and had more children, but he gave everything he owned to Isaac. Abraham died at one hundred seventy-five, and Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave of Machpelah, next to Sarah.