December 03, 2009

John 6.16-21

At nightfall his disciples went down to the sea, got into their boat, and pushed off to cross the water to Capernaum. Darkness had already fallen, and Jesus had not yet joined them. By now a strong wind was blowing and the sea grew rough.

When they had rowed about three or four miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat. They were terrified, but he called out, "It is I, do not be afraid." Then they were ready to take him aboard, and immediately the boat reached the land they were making for.

Genesis 23

Sarah lived 127 years; this was the length of Sarah's life. And Sarah died at Kiriatharba (That is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and and alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight."

The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead."

Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. "If you are willing that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place."

Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, "No, my lord, hear me! I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead."

Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give you the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."

Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver-- What is that between you and me? Bury your dead."

Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, 400 shekels of silver according to the weights current among the merchants.

So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, thoughout its whole area, passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of all who went in at the gate of the city.

After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.