Chapter 10: Sarah’s Burial and a Wife for Isaac

Study notes

Abraham buries his wife Sarah in the cave of a field at Machpelah, which is made over to him by the Hittites. Abraham has his servant swear to find Isaac a wife among Abraham’s own kin, and Rebekah agrees to go and becomes Isaac’s wife.

From Genesis 23:17–20 (KoS), Genesis 24:1–4 (KoS), Genesis 24:58 (KoS), Genesis 24:66–67 (KoS).

These notes and questions are original study helps written for this site, not scripture. The verses shown with each question are quoted from the Kingdoms of Scripture Bible.

Notice and discuss

Read each passage, then think about the question on your own or talk it over with others. No answers are collected.

1. What does Abraham call himself when he asks the Hittites for a burial place, and how do they answer him?

   Abraham got up from beside his dead and spoke to the Hittites: “I am a stranger and a settler among you. Give me a burial holding among you, and I will bury my dead out of my sight.” The Hittites answered Abraham, “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold his burial place from you, for burying your dead.”

   Genesis 23:3–6 (KoS)

2. What sign does Abraham’s servant ask Yahweh to give him at the spring?

   He said, “Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please make it happen before me today, and do loyalty to my master Abraham. Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please tip your jar and let me drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels too,’ she is the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have done loyalty to my master.”

   Genesis 24:12–14 (KoS)

3. When Rebekah sees Isaac coming toward them across the field, what does she ask the servant, and what does she do after he answers?

   Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and he was living in the Negev. Isaac went out to walk about in the field toward evening, and he lifted his eyes and looked, and look, camels were coming. Rebekah lifted her eyes, saw Isaac, and let herself down from the camel. She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “He is my master.” She took the veil and covered herself.

   Genesis 24:62–65 (KoS)

   Note · Translation Lasuach is a rare verb. “Walk about” is printed. “Meditate” is the other common guess. The copy does not settle which.