חיי שרה

CHAYEI SARAH (LIFE OF SARAH)


Parashat Chayei Sarah

Abraham Purchases Machpelah

23 Now Sarah’s life was 127 years—the years of Sarah’s life. Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

Then Abraham rose from before his dead one and spoke to the sons of Heth saying, “I am an outsider and a sojourner among you. Give me a gravesite among you so that I may bury my dead from before my presence.”

The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, “Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our graves. None among us will withhold his grave from you, to bury your dead one.”

Then Abraham got up and bowed down to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth, and spoke with them saying, “If you are of a mind to let me bury my dead from before my presence, listen to me. Plead with Ephron son of Zophar on my behalf, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him, that is at the end of his field. At the full price let him give it to me in your midst for a gravesite.”

10 Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, all those who enter the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, listen to me. The field—I hereby give it to you. Also the cave that is in it—I hereby give it to you. In the eyes of the sons of my people, I hereby give it to you. Bury your dead one.”

12 Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land, 13 and spoke to Ephron in the ears of the people of the land saying, “But if only you would please listen to me. I hereby give the price of the field. Accept it from me that I may bury my dead one there.”

14 So Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me. A land worth 400 shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? Bury your dead one.”

16 Abraham heard Ephron. So Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth—400 shekels of silver at the merchant’s rate. 17 Now Ephron’s field that is in Machpelah next to Mamre—the field and the cave that is in it, and all the trees that are in the field in all its surrounding territory—was handed over 18 to Abraham as a purchased possession in the eyes of the sons of Heth, before all those who enter the gate of his city.

19 Afterward, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave that was in it were handed over to Abraham as a gravesite from the sons of Heth.

Courting of Rebekah

24 Now Abraham was old, advanced in years, and Adonai blessed Abraham in everything. Then Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household who managed everything that belonged to him, “Now put your hand under my thigh, so that I may make you take an oath by Adonai, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling. On the contrary, to my land and to my relatives you must go and get a wife for my son Isaac.

But the servant said to him, “Suppose the woman were unwilling to follow after me to this land? Should I then have your son go back to the land you came from?

Abraham said to him, “See to it that you don’t return my son there. Adonai, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from my native land and who spoke to me and made a pledge to me saying, ‘To your seed I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you and you will take a wife for my son from there. If the woman is not willing to follow after you, then you will be free from this oath of mine. Nevertheless, you must not return my son there.” So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he made a pledge to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left with all the best of his master’s things in his hand. Then he arose and went to Aram-Naharaim, to Nahor’s city. 11 Then he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time for the going out to draw water.

12 Adonai, the God of Abraham my master,” he said, “please make something happen before me today, and show loyalty to Abraham my master. 13 Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are going out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please tip your jar so that I may drink,’ and she will say, ‘Drink—and I’ll also water your camels’—let her be the one You have appointed for your servant Isaac. So by this I’ll know that You have shown graciousness to my master.”

15 Now before he had finished speaking, behold there was Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother) going out with her jar on her shoulder. 16 Now the young woman was very good looking, a girl of marriageable age, and she was a virgin. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me sip a little water from your jar.”

18 So she said, “Drink, my lord,” and she quickly lowered her jar onto her hand and gave him a drink. 19 Now when she finished giving him a drink, she said, “I’ll also draw water for your camels until they’ve finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly poured out her jug into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew water for all his camels, 21 while the man continued to pay close attention to her, keeping silent in order to know whether or not Adonai had made his way successful.

22 Now after the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a nose ring of gold weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets on her hands weighing ten shekels of gold. 23 “Whose daughter are you?” he said. “Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

24 She said to him, “I’m the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She also said to him, “There’s both straw and plenty of feed with us, as well as room to spend the night.”

26 Then the man bowed down and worshipped Adonai, 27 and he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His loyalty and His truth toward my master. As for me, Adonai has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s house these things.

29 Now Rebekah had a brother and his name was Laban, and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, “Thus the man said to me,” he went to the man. There he was, standing by the camels at the spring. 31 So he said, “Come in, blessed of Adonai. Why are you standing outside when I’ve tidied up the house and there is room for the camels?”

32 So the man came to the house and he unloaded the camels. Straw and feed were given to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Food was placed before him to eat, but he said, “I won’t eat until I’ve stated my business.”

So he said, “Speak.”

34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he said. 35 Adonai has blessed my master very much so that he has become great, and He has given to him flocks of sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male slaves and female slaves, camels and donkeys. 36 Now Sarah, my master’s wife, gave birth to a son for my master after she was old, and He gave him everything he owns. 37 Then my master made me take an oath, saying, ‘You must not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I’m dwelling.’ 38 Instead you must go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 But I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman won’t come back with me?’ 40 So he said to me, ‘Adonai, before whom I’ve walked continually, will send His angel with you, and He will make your way successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s household. 41 Then you’ll be free from my oath—if you come to my family and if they don’t give her to you—then you’ll be free from my oath.’ 42 So I came today to the spring and I said, ‘Adonai, the God of Abraham my master, if You are really going to make my way upon which I am walking successful, 43 look, I’m standing by the spring of water. So let it be that the unmarried girl who is going out to draw water, to whom I’ll say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jug,” 44 and she’ll say to me, “You drink, and I’ll also draw water for your camels”—let her be the woman whom Adonai appoints for my master’s son!’ 45 I had not yet finished speaking to my heart, and behold there was Rebekah going out—her jug was on her shoulder and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 And she quickly lowered her jug off of her and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ Then I placed the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands. 48 I bowed down and worshipped Adonai and blessed Adonai, the God of my master Abraham, who guided me on the true way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 So now, if you’re really going to show loyalty and truth to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me and I’ll turn to the right or to the left.”

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and they said, “The matter proceeds from Adonai. We cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, and let her become a wife for our master’s son, just as Adonai has spoken.”

52 Now when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground to Adonai. 53 Then the servant brought out articles of silver and gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brothers and to her mother. 54 Then they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and spent the night.

When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me off to my master.”

55 But her brother with her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days—or ten. Afterwards she may go.”

56 But he said to them, “Don’t delay me, since Adonai has made my way successful. Send me off so that I can go to my master.”

57 So they said, “We’ll call the young woman and let’s ask her opinion.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?”

She said, “I will go.”

59 So they sent Rebekah their sister off with her nanny, and Abraham’s servant and his men, 60 and they blessed Rebekah and said to her:

“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your seed possess
the gate of those who hate him.”

61 Then Rebekah got up, with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed after the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

62 Now Isaac had come from visiting Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the land of the Negev. 63 Isaac went out to meditate strolling in the field at dusk. Then he lifted up his eyes and saw, behold, camels were coming. 64 Rebekah also lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac. Then she fell off her camel.

65 Then she said to the servant, “Who is that man there who is walking in the field—to meet us?”

The servant said, “He is my master.”

So she took the veil and covered herself. 66 Then the servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.

67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, took Rebekah and she became his wife—and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after the loss of his mother.

Abraham’s Old Age and Descendants

25 Now Abraham took another wife—her name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s sons were Asshurim, Letushim and Leummim. Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s sons. Now Abraham gave everything that he had to Isaac, but to the sons of Abraham’s concubines, Abraham had given gifts and sent them away from his son Isaac while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.

Now these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life that he lived: 175 years. So Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, old and satisfied. Then he was gathered to his peoples. Then Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, next to Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham bought from the sons of Heth. There Abraham is buried along with Sarah his wife.

11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed Isaac his son, and Isaac lived near Beer-lahai-roi.

12 Now these are the genealogies of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian slave-girl, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names according to their descendants: Ishmael’s firstborn, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedem. 16 These are Ishmael’s sons and these are their names, by their unwalled and walled settlements, twelve princes according to their clans. 17 These are the years of Ishmael’s life: 137 years. He breathed his last, died and was gathered to his peoples. 18 Then they dwelled from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria. Over against all his brothers he fell.


Rivalry for the Throne

Now King David was old, advanced in years. Though they covered him with clothes, he could not keep warm. So his servants said to him: “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and be his nurse; and let her lie by your side, so my lord the king may keep warm.”

So they sought for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful. So she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king was not intimate with her.

Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: “I’ll be king!” So he prepared for himself chariots, horsemen and 50 men to run before him. His father had not scolded him at any time by asking: “Why have you behaved this way?” He was also a very handsome man; and he was born after Absalom.

So he conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the kohen. Following Adonijah, they supported him. But Zadok the kohen, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei and David’s mighty men, were not on Adonijah’s side.

Then Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth[a], which is beside En-rogel, and invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants, 10 but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon. 11 But Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba, Solomon’s mother, saying: “Haven’t you heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has assumed the kingship—and our lord David doesn’t know it? 12 Now come, please let me give you advice. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon! 13 Go at once to King David, and say to him: ‘My lord the king, haven’t you sworn to your handmaid, saying: “Surely your son Solomon will become king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Then why does Adonijah reign?’ 14 Behold, while you are still there talking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

15 So Bath-sheba went to the king into the chamber. Now the king was very old, with Abishag the Shunammite serving the king. 16 Bath-sheba bowed and prostrated herself to the king. The king asked, “What troubles you?”

17 She said to him: “My lord, you swore by Adonai your God to your handmaid: ‘Surely, Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 Yet now, behold, Adonijah reigns, though you do not know it—my lord the king. 19 He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the kohen and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20 As for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered traitors.”

22 Then behold, while she was still talking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in, 23 and they informed the king, saying: “Behold the prophet Nathan is here.” When he came in before the king, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24 Then Nathan said: “My lord the king, did you say: ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne?’ 25 For he has gone down today, slain oxen, fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the captains of the army and Abiathar the kohen—and behold, they are eating and drinking with him, and they are saying: ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite me, your servant, Zadok the kohen, Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. 27 Was this thing done by my lord the king, without letting your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

28 Then King David answered and said: “Summon Bath-sheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. 29 Then the king swore an oath: “As Adonai lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, 30 as surely as I swore to you by Adonai, the God of Israel, saying that your son Solomon will be king after me and will sit on my throne in my place. Thus I will surely fulfill it this day!”

31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the ground and prostrated herself before the king, and said: “Let my lord King David live forever!”

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Forefathers of Yeshua the Messiah

The book of the genealogy[a] of Yeshua ha-Mashiach, Ben-David,[b] Ben-Avraham: Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers, Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,[c] Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,[d] Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David the king.

David fathered Solomon by the wife of Uriah, [e] Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asa, Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, Joram fathered Uzziah, Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, Ahaz fathered Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Josiah, 11 and Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12 After the Babylonian exile Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, Abiud fathered Eliakim, Eliakim fathered Azor, 14 Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, Achim fathered Eliud, 15 Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, Matthan fathered Jacob, 16 and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Miriam, from whom was born Yeshua who is called the Messiah. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the Babylonian exile are fourteen generations, and from the Babylonian exile until the Messiah are fourteen generations.

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Instructions to the Twelve

10 Yeshua summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so they could drive them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. Now these are the names of the twelve emissaries: first, Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; Jacob the son of Zebedee and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; Jacob, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot,[a] and Judah the man from Kriot,[b] the one who also betrayed Him.

Yeshua sent out these twelve and ordered them, “Do not go to the Gentiles, and do not enter into any Samaritan town. But go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with tzara’at, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Do not get gold or silver or copper for your money belts, 10 or a bag for the journey, or two shirts,[c] or sandals, or a walking stick; for the worker is entitled to his food.

11 “Whatever town or village you shall enter, find out who in it is worthy and stay there until you leave. 12 As you come into the house, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your shalom come upon it. But if it’s not worthy, let your shalom return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you leave that house or that town, shake the dust off your feet. 15 Amen, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah[d] on the Day of Judgment than for that town.

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog[e] you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you should say, for it shall be given to you in that hour what you should say. 20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end shall be saved. 23 Whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. Amen, I tell you, you will never finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

26 “So do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed and nothing hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear in your ear, proclaim from the housetops! 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.[f]

29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?[g] Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father’s consent. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I came to bring shalom on the earth; I did not come to bring shalom, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set

‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother, and
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.’[h]

37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me isn’t worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me isn’t worthy of Me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me isn’t worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a tzaddik in the name of a tzaddik shall receive a tzaddik’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, amen I tell you, he shall never lose his reward.”

Signs and Wonders Bear Witness

11 When Yeshua had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their towns. Now when John heard in prison about the works of the Messiah, he sent word through his disciples and said to Yeshua, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Yeshua replied, “Go report to John what you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk, those with tzara’at are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is the one who is not led to stumble because of Me.”[i]

A Prophet Without Honor

Now as they were leaving, Yeshua began to talk to the crowd concerning John. “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? No? So what did you go out to see? A man dressed in finery? Look, those who wear finery are in the palaces of kings! Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send My messenger before You,
who will prepare Your way before You.’[j]

11 “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser. Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Immerser until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated with violence, and the violent grasp hold of it. 13 For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear!

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call to one other, saying,

17 ‘We played the flute for you,
    but you did not dance.
We wailed,
    but you did not mourn.’

18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”[k]

20 Then Yeshua began to denounce the towns where most of His miracles had happened, because they did not turn from their sins. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,[l] they would have turned long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 Nevertheless I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will go down to Sheol! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.”

Yeshua Teaches the Ways of His Father

25 At that time Yeshua said in response, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and discerning and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for this way was pleasing to You.

27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son[m] and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’ [n] 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”