A reading from the book of Genesis.

Now the span of Sarah's life was one hundred and twenty-seven years.

She died in Kershaba, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham performed the customary morning

rights for her. Then he left the side of his dead one and addressed the Hittites. Although

I am a resident alien among you, sell me from your holdings a piece of property for a burial

ground, but I might bury my dead

wife. After the transaction, Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, in the cave of the field of

Mapala, face in Mare, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham had now reached a ripe old age, and the Lord had blessed him

in every way. Abraham said to his senior servant of his household, who had put charge of all his

possessions, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of

earth, that you will not procure a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites

among whom I live, but that you will go to my own land, to my own kindred, and get a wife for my son,

Isaac. The servant asked him, what if a woman is

unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I then take your son back to the land from which

you migrated? Never take my son back there for any reason, Abraham told him. The Lord, the God of

heaven, who took me from my father's

house in the land of my kin, and who confirmed by oath the promise he made to me, I will give

this land to your descendants. He will send his messenger before you, and you will obtain a wife

from my son there. If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath.

But never take my son back there.

A long time later, Isaac went to live in the region of Negeb.

One day toward evening, he went out in the field.

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