Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.
Genesis 49:29-33
source
It is time to end another chapter today and with that, we are seeing the death of the man "Israel" but they do not say, "He's dead." They say "he was gathered to his people" va-ye-ah-seph eil amav .
Before Jacob breathed his last and was gathered, he told them that he was about to leave them and instructed them on how and where he was to be buried, including the place and why. His burial will be in the place that Abraham had purchased. It was the place where The Patriarch was laid to rest with his wife. Isaac was also buried therewith Rebekah.
Back then, there were no places to register your land purchase, you just owned it and anyone could ask the children of Chet about it. They would know it was yours to do with as you please. There were no directions or addresses to note down on paper. Simpler times, that is for sure.
There still one more chapter in the book of Genesis. We will still be working with how they cared for him and buried him next week.
Today's reading
English
Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Hebrew
We start chapter 50 next week...
Info on each letter starting at the beginning
If you are just starting, my lessons are all here starting at Alef, adding vowels (the dots and lines) as we go. I explain the meaning of each letter and its numerical value. Just go to my blog and scroll to the bottom or click here
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Thanks for reading.
I was thinking recently how abnormal it is to have every square inch of land "registered" and assigned a lot number and mailing address. Everything, all land and buildings are managed with identifying numbers. Even human souls have a "social security number" or something similar. All part of a massive system of numbers, I wonder how long before we have a number actually tagged to our bodies. I know our phones have an identifying hardware MAC address and considering most people have their phones "tagged' to their bodies, we're almost there.
This visual always amazes me, as if part of the dying process is drawing feet into the bed. It seems very intentional. He announces, he blesses, he draws up his feet, breaths his last. Interesting that the Hebrew word for "he drew up" is very similar to the name "Joseph".
Shabbat Shalom...peace and prosperity to you..
Thank you for this lovely post...always appreciate reading what you have to say.
Cheers!