My Take-Aways:
Something Old in a new way:
Genesis 25:5
Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. I was amazed that Abraham left some of his wealth to the sons of his concubines and yet left nothing to Ishmael. But God fulfilled his promise to Hagar concerning Ishmael.
Something New
Genesis 25:21
Many women had infertility issues. Something to Do: Genesis 25:18 "There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives." I need to live in peace with my family.
Something to do:
Genesis 25:18
Live in peace with my family. Don't be in hostile with them.
Something Old in a new way:
Genesis 25:5
Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. I was amazed that Abraham left some of his wealth to the sons of his concubines and yet left nothing to Ishmael. But God fulfilled his promise to Hagar concerning Ishmael.
Something New
Genesis 25:21
Many women had infertility issues. Something to Do: Genesis 25:18 "There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives." I need to live in peace with my family.
Something to do:
Genesis 25:18
Live in peace with my family. Don't be in hostile with them.
34 Comments:
Wendy,
I too share the desire to pass down a heritage of faith to future generations that follow me. I claim the promises in Deuteronomy 11:18-21
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
I have not given up even though my younger daughter is not walking on the path that I think the Lord has laid for her. But He reminded me in the midst of my persistent prayers that each person's walk is their own; that my daughter is a blessed child of God, precious in His sight. He is working a great work in her and I am to stand back and pray but let Him complete His work. Here sits a mother trying to do that....So that is also my application for today. "By Faith, Karen believed the promises of the LORD and prayed intercessory prayer for her children and her children's children"
My "I didn't know" today was the very first set of verses in Genesis 25..."Abraham married another wife." After Sarah died, and after Isaac was married, Abraham remarried. He is now, what, 145 years old? And he had 6 additional sons, he is clearly no longer laughing at his ability to have children at an old age. Why is the second wife called a concubine?
It is also interesting to note that one of these 6 sons was the ancestor of the Midianites, the people to whom Moses fled after he killed the Egyptian guard, and from whom Moses' wife came.
I am flying to the states tomorrow. Please pray for safe travels. I also wanted to thank you all for your prayers for my brother and sister-in-law. I will see them during this trip and I hope that she is in comfort and has peace. I am trusting in Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals!
Have a blessed day everyone!
Karen (in snowy Basel)
Sometimes I get so grieved as I watch my daughter struggle with fear... because I know it's partly what I've instilled in her. And I didn't even realize I had been doing it. That is not a lasting legacy I want her to have. I too want her to know a heritage of faith. A faith like all those spoken of in Hebrews 11. And I pray that one day she'll look back and be able to say that her mother was another one of God's many that lived and breathed faith.
Gen 25:1 was something that I had totally forgotten. I think Abraham with Sarah and Hagar.
Gen 25:5-6 This has me wondering about Ishmael. Did he receive anything then? Because we know he didn't as a boy when he was sent away with his mother.(Gen 21:14)
Gen 25:21 So many women struggled with becoming pregnant. I wonder why..?
Gen 25:8 I too want to live a long and satisfying life, but I don't want my death to bring me just closer to my ancestors. I want to join my King and kneel at His feet. And because of Him it is possible!
I hope that I am found to be faithful too, Wendy.
What a short reading today! But there were nuggets to glean.
Something old: The 12 sons of Ishmael became the founders of 12 tribes; paralleling the 12 tribes to come from Isaac's lineage thru Jacob.
Something new: Esau and Jacob were 15 years old when Grandpa Abraham died. What kind of grandpa was he and what did they learn from him?
Nugget: Isaac "pleaded" with the Lord on behalf of Rebekah and her desire to have a child. We see a man so concerned with his wife's happiness and wanting things to be good for her...what a loving husband. I want my prayers to be honest and so heartfelt that I feel the pain of the person I'm praying for.
digging out in MN
Morgen
Wendy, verse 41 from Beth was in her study "Believing God." I just finished that study this past fall and it was so, so good. By faith, like Abraham, we have to:
1. Believe God is who He says He is.
2. Believe God can do what He says he can do.
3. Believe that I am who God says I am.
4. Believe that I can do all things through Christ.
5. Believe that God's Word is alive and active in me.
I'm Believing God!
My something new today was like Karen's that Abraham remarried and had other children. I did not know that.
My nugget and something to apply were Genesis 25:7 that Abraham died having lived "a long and satisfying life." When I die I want to be able to say that I lived a satisfying life. I know, from walking on both sides, that the only way to live a satisfying life is to live it God's way and for Him. When you build your house on the rock life works, all other is truly sinking sand (Matthew 7:24-27). I want to teach my son this and pass on this inheritance of faith. I pray that he does not have to walk the wrong path first to find the right one.
Know that you all were lifted in up in prayer this morning as we continue on our second week of our journey.
In Christ,
Brandee, TN
I did not know that Abraham married again and that he had more children. I knew the story of Jacob and Esau but I also did not know that Isaac was 40 when he married, was 60 when the twins were born and that the twins were 15 when Abraham died. Wondered what kind of Grandfather he was? The nugget for me was that even though I do not choose God's path along the way every time he will take care of me just like he did Abraham's children. I too have children that are not walking the path I feel God has for them but as was said by Karen each person has their own path to walk. I had mine and learned from it and a much better Christian for it. I only pray that they find their right path soon. Here's to week one!! I am having such a wonderful time with each of you. Pray for me next week as I start classes again and work full time.
Good Morning!
I was thankful for a shorter reading!
I will have to listen and read later as my time is short this am.
Please pray for my daughter, Jordan. She spent the night over the trash can. This is the second time in three weeks that she is throwing up for no apparent reason!
Something familar but new:
Even though God told Rebekah that she would have sons she seemed surpised that she did have twins when she gave birth to them. I also found it interesting the parallels to the verse in Gen 3:15 where God is telling the serpent will strike our heel and that Jacob also means deceiver.
Didn't Know:
That Abraham had another wife and she was also referred to as his cocubine. I also found it interesting about Abraham giving all his poscessions to Isaac and took care of the second wifes children. I also took note that when Ishmael took his last breath that he joined his ancestors in death.
Is there a place I can go to better understand the various nations formed?
Nugget:
When I go to God for an answer, I need to have faith and confidence in His answer. The fact that Satan is always crouching at my door and ready to strike, reminds me how important it is to remain in Him always.
Have a blessed day!
Meredith in OK
The transcribed post is up for those of you who need it.
Have a wonderful day ladies. Let's live by faith. How can I finish this sentence today, "By faith Joy..."
Blessings!
Good Morning All.
Wendy and Karen, yes we believe too that our children will serve Him all the days of their life. That is the legacy we want and are passing down to our children.
Something different/new: Gen 25:5 Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. 6 But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to a land in the east, away from Isaac.
I didn't remember him giving gifts and I thought it was interesting that Abraham sent them away from Isaac. In the commentary I read it said "Abraham was careful to set Isaac apart as the child of promise." Can you imagine the excitement and curiosity you would have about you future knowing you were the child of promise... We are the children of promise, because of being thedescendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we are set apart as the children of promise. Selah
Something new/different: Gen 25:7 Abraham lived to be 175 years old.
Esau and Jacob were 15 years old when he died. What all did they hear from their Grandfather. As a grandparent myself I know we are always speaking intotheir lives.
Something to apply/do: (When Abraham died) Gen 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite.
It shows me that there are times that despite all else that is going on between two people, there are times and situations that I need to lay down differences and do what needs to be done!
Have a great day everyone!
Lynn - OR
PS Karen Yes please have a safe and blessed trip.
Wendy, I think my eyes must have skipped over the part where Issac and Ishmael buried Abraham together. Thanks for sharing that.
Something old in a new way: Both Sarah and Rebekah had trouble getting pregnant and this was the line in which a large nation was to come from. Did God do this, so Abraham, Sarah, Issac, and Rebekah would realize that it was God bringing the nation into being?
Something New: Abraham married after Sarah died and had more children.
Nugget: Abraham lived a long and satisfying life. By Faith Noni....
Good Morning,
1)heard in a new way; Genesis 25:21-26 Rebekah is barren & Isaac pleads with God for children. Twenty years later Rebekah gives birth to twins.
As we pray for our children's walk with the Lord, we too might have to wait many years to see the (birth)fruits of the Lord in them.
2)did not know; That so many women are barren, but are promised children. It seems to be a running theme. We need to trust & be faithful & wait on the Lord's time.
Abraham had other sons by Keturah wife/concubine. In Gen 25:6, before Abraham died he gave these sons gifts & sent them off to the east, away from Isaac. I wonder if Abraham was worry about these sons interacting with Isaac
3)nugget; Everything is in God's time. I need to learn to be content & wait on the Lord, in where I am & where my children are. To pray for everything. To give God the glory for answered prayer even if that answer is in the future.
Snowing & beautiful today here on Long Island NY
Blessing & Peace Mary
I wanted to ask for prayer today for my father-in-law, Jim, he is in the hospital having hernia repair surgery, and it is a pretty bad hernia.
I haven't read yet, but will post my comments later when my family reads together.
Thank you for the prayers!
Karla
Wendy, thanks again for some good points to ponder.
Karen, that is my prayer as well. Safe travels to you.
Meredith in OK, I read that the sons of Keturah are the ancestors of the Saudis and Bedouins.
1. Familiar but new: I also did not realize that Abraham was still alive when Esau and Jacob were born. I also wondered what kind of a grandfather he was and what he taught the boys.
2. Did not know: Isaac waited 20 years for his prayers to be answered. Wow.
It is also interesting that Esau and Jacob's names fit their personalities. Our children live up to the label that we give them.
Last night my mind went back to Terah in Haran. I didn't notice it before but the place where he settled and died is also the name of his son who died. It could not have been easy for a father to outlive his son. Maybe he settled in Haran as a way to always remember him?
Have a blessed day, fellow sojourners!
Karla,
Lifting up your father-in-law, Jim in prayer.
I loved the challenge of adding a "verse 41" to Hebrews 11! So much so that I entered one in my journal! My husband and I are believing for something that in the natural shouldn't be accomplished but "By faith" we are obeying God and stepping forth anyway!
Today I am going to just combine everything together into what God was showing me. The first thing I picked up on was that Rebekah was barren as Sarah. Isaac prayed to the Lord and He answered. I did a little reading in a commentary and it brought out an insighful point. "The promised blessing through the chosen seed of Abraham was not to be accomplished merely by human effort." My brief on this...God allows it to be difficult - we seek Him - He answers(in His time) - He is the ONE glorified.
I noticed when reading 1 Chron. 1:34 that the son's of Isaac were listed as Esau and Israel. (Jacob becomes Israel) I looked up the word reference there and it is yisrael, meaning "He struggles with God".
I just LOVE God's word.
Meredith, Karen, and Karla, you are all in my prayers today, God be with you and your families.
Something familiar but new: As others have said, Abraham giving everything to Isaac, and gifts to his other children, but nothing to Ishmael. It almost makes me think that maybe Abraham didn't have a very close relationship with Ishmael or maybe he decided to leave Ishmael's treasures up to God.
Something new: Both Isaac and Ishmael, together, buried Abraham at the cave he had bought so many years before. It is a very quiet and peaceful feeling.
Life application: Always make time to understand how important family is and hope to hear and see God's plan for them. I living in a very spiritual family, but within my intermediate family I am the only Christian. It has taken much patience, prayer, and understanding to get along with my family like I did before I answered the door to Christ. If the love and understanding is in a family with Christ as your rock, a legacy will follow. :)
...how did we get to Friday so quickly?!
Good morning Wendy and to you all,
Lifting prayers up for the people and requests mentioned here today.
Lots to ponder, even though the reading was short. My nugget was how Isaac pleaded/prayed on behalf of his wife Rebekah - Genesis 25:21. Here, intercessory prayer is mentioned again. The note in my NIV Life Application Bible states: "God wants to grant our requests but He wants us to ask Him. Even then, as Isaac learned, God may decide to withhold his answer for a while in order to 1. deepen our insight into what we really need, 2. broaden our appreciation for His answers, or 3. allow us to mature so we can use His gifts more wisely". Hmmm... His timing, not ours.
Thank you Wendy and fellow travelers, for a rich week once again, dwelling and learning.
Love
Marianne
Wow-
My old but new-Esau would serve Jacob
Did not know-Ishmael and Isaac buried Abraham together. And Ishmael's children lived in open hostility with all their family.
Application nugget-Work can be accomplished with unwilling parties if a mutual purpose is shared. Ishmael and Isaac both respected their father and worked together to honor him. I need to work with all of those around me, whether we agree or not, in order to honor my Lord and Savior.
Thank you all for your posts today-it has made for a rejuvenating afternoon!
Prayers going out for those who requested them, and my father-in-law came out of surgery safe and is doing well. Thankyou all for praying!
Blessings on this Friday!
Karla
In one of my commentaries it gave Abraham's obituary that I thought was interesting:
~Gen. 25:7-8 died at a ripe old age, 175 years.
~15:15 He died just as the Lord had promised him
~12:4 walked with God for a century
~James 2:23 a friend of God
~Gen.15:15 Died in peace Rom 5:1
~15:16 saved by faith
~12:2 gave world the world gift of Jewish nation, thus Christ.
I know that we have all struggled with the way that Ishmael and the sons of Keturah were treated, but to God, Isaac was the promised son for Abraham, conceived miraculously, and the son through whom Jesus Christ was to come.
In 25:12-18 are the sons of Ishmael. One of my commentaries said that the Holy Spirit first mentions the rejected line, then that person is basically set aside and not mentioned much again. The line leading to Christ is then given and followed...which in this case is Isaac.
A commentary noted that the struggle of the twins in the womb represents the struggle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
v.23, Rebekah knew that the 2 boys would be 2 nations, and that the older would serve the younger. That came true when the Edomites (Esau) served the house of David (Jacob.) II Chronicals 21:8
I too, have prayed for all the requests. Prayer does change thing.
Jan TN
Good Afternoon Everyone...man these readings have been very very touchy and good...i have read the bible before and thru sunday school but never lookd at it this way as we are reading them..
1. NEW WAY = Gen 25:5-6 Abraham gave everything to Isaac and gave gifts to other concubine sons...didnt notice that nothing was given to Ishmael...wow
2. SOMETHING NEW = Gen 25:1 Abraham married another wife Keturah(concubine - the difference between this and a wife is tht the wives had dowries(goods) and concubines didnt have anything...Gen 25:21-26 Isaac pleaded with the Lord on "BEHAVE OF HIS WIFE" because she wasnt able to have children, and at age 60 they had twins...how wonderful it was to have a husband "PLEAD" for his wife..he shows tht he really loved her and cared for her..and it took 20yrs to have kids from when they got married...wow tht is to show ups tht its on God's time not OUR...ive been married for 10yrs and have been praying for the petition for God to give us kids...and i sometimes wonder why but now that im a foster mom(explaind about it on yesterdays blog) im very very satisfied with my foster children tht if the good Lord's willing i will be adopting, not 1 but 3 of them..God is awesome...
3. APPLY TO LIFE = Gen 25:8 tht if we let GOD BE GOD and have faith and put our trust in him, we too can have a long and satisfying life...GLORY BE TO OUR GOD...
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD..
Hi!
Karla, I'm glad your father-in-law came through his surgery okay.
Grace and Peace, the Pilgrims and others in that era would often wait up to two years to name their children. They waited so that they could use a characteristic of their personatlity or a trait that they desired for their child as his/her name. In today's reading we go from having Isaac pray for Rebekah to have children to her having them, yet there were 20 years in between. Did God provide these fitting names to them, or is it possible that they were named after their personatities came out?
1. The gift distribution caught me off guard for the reasons everyone else mentioned, but somethhing else jumped out at me, too. In verse Gen. 25:6, it says that he "gave gifts to the sons of his concuneS." Plural. How many did he have? Were there more children? If so, why aren't they mentioned? It seems as if Abraham must have been very, very wealthy by this point to provide for all of these people, and if he had multiple wives/concubines, he must have gotten over his fear of never having children, especially to have so many children at this age!
2. Gen. 25:22 "So she went to the Lord to ask about it." Did Rebekah go somewhere specific to pray about why her children were fighting in utero or did she pray or did she really, literally, go to the place where God was and ask? If she prayed, what a neat way to think about it - just like running next door to borrow some eggs from a neighbor. I think it's cool that her relationship with God was such that she would ask him anything and everything. If she actually WENT to Him, though, where did she go? How amazing would it be to know that you could take off down the road and visit with God Almighty Himself?? At this point in time, was He still just popping in for visits like when Abraham was resting in his tent or when Adam and Eve were hanging out in the Garden?
3. I guess that's my 'what to apply,' too ... I want to live in such a way that my family would joyously welcome - no, expect! - God to be just around the corner and that He could drop in at any moment ... to have such a close relationship that we would know exactly how to be welcoming to our Creator ... what a picture that puts in my head.
Thanks for great information, everyone!
Amy
Familiar but new: Isaac married Rebecca and she had problems getting pregnant. If God had picked Rebecca out as a wife for Isaac and also knew that when she was still pregnant the twins would fight even starting in the womb why would Isaac be put in the situation where he would need to plead with the Lord to give them children? It goes back to the promise God made to Abraham that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars. He chose Isaac not Ishmael for the lineage of Christ. So why did Isaac have to plead "so God answered Isaac's prayer"?
new: Abraham took another wife after Sarah.
Life app: Abraham died at a ripe old age reminds me of a fine aged wine. I want to savor life and be satisfied with the life God gives me come what may.
I am really enjoying the readings on faith, it is very pertinent to things going on in my life right now.
Something old heard new:
It is amazing to me that these people lived SO long! and were still having children LONG past what would be "child-bearing" years in current times. Although their lifespans were shorter than the pre-Noah people's, I'm curious to find out if they continue to get shorter as the sin continues to get greater...
Something new:
Isaac's sons were Esau and Isreal, but Isreal's name was originally Jacob which means "heel" or "deceiver" in Hebrew. Apparently he has some changes coming... Also interesting that they fought in the womb.
Something to do:
Continue to have faith. God has a plan for EVERYthing down to the most minute detail. And beyond that, he is so compassionate that He wants to clue us in on the bigger picture. He wants US to learn and be filled with the Spirit and passionate conviction of our faith that we may become a living message of his way, truth and light. All we have to do is believe whole-heartedly. This is a daily struggle for me as I try to control things quite a bit. Letting go and letting God is my nugget today.
Thanks ~ Olivia in Seattle
p.s. Meredith - I will keep Jordan in my prayers today.
I read through the blog after posting my comments. You ladies are Good! Marianne, I will be passing on your insight to our son who is trying to make some life decisions and hear God regarding them. Thanks to all! I am praying after reading each prayer request even though I don't comment about it.
I'm still trying to figure out how to set up the google blog acct with my picture. Specific steps would be helpful and appreciated.
Karla, Praise God that your father-in-law's surgery went well.
Lehrerin/Amy, thanks for the clarification on the naming of the children. I just assumed they were named as soon as they came out of the womb!
This study has been a blessing. I have learned so much from what everyone has shared.
Also yesterday when I posted a prayer for clarification, I think I received the answer today. From my own post, too! Something about how we live up to our names.
I was asked to consider being a TA for Koinonia Institute which is all out of left field since I'm only on my 2nd class. (Note: this whole KI thing is all God's doing. It's my Oct 22, 2009 entry "So That's What God Was Up To" in my blog if you want to read it. http://tinyurl.com/yh2lbe4
I don't post much so it's not hard to find!) I prayed about it and solicited prayer. Then as I was walking back to my desk and thinking about this blog (somehow this is always on the back of my head now - anyone else?), it came to me. "Teacher" is in my name. And God wants me to live up to it.
Wow.
This is only Day 8, dear friends. God is moving!
Cindy,
Here was my response to your a few days ago re the picture. It didn't work?
_______________
Cindy,
First, welcome!
To add a pic, sign in to your gmail account.
~ Click on "Settings" (upper right next to Help and Sign out).
~ Under the "General" tab sixth option down is "My picture."
~ Click on "Browse" to choose the picture you want to upload.
~ "Save settings" towards the bottom when you're done.
HTH!
January 5, 2010 5:25 PM
Thank you Grace and Peace. I didn't get back to check to see if anyone responded yesterday b/c I was sick and went to bed with chills. I just set up my Blogger acct and tried to find a picture to put on there. I don't have pictures stored on this computer and will have to get them off our laptop. I was successful at setting up everything else though. Now let's see if I can sign off with the blogger tag???? (How do I do that?)
I did it! yay
Brandee
I pulled the prayer from the back of Believing God and have been praying in the mornings. I love the big 5!
Thanks for reminding me. Believing God was transforming for me.
Hello Wendy and friends!
I finished off the year with the revelation (pun intended) that God has so much more to say to me!
I am so excited to be doing this journey again in 2010, but imagine my surprise to return from my Christmas travels and find so much change taking place!
Change is not a bad thing, but one of the things I have loved about this Bible study is the ability to understand what everyone is saying! You see, I am deaf - I hear with a cochlear implant, but I depend a lot on lip-reading as well (won't go into the specifics due to limited space :) I've been telling some of my deaf girlfriends how wonderful this online study has been for me this past year!
Many Bible studies are done with videos, and if they aren't captioned the Deaf can't participate. Even with my implant, the discussion time afterwards is a challenge wihtout an interpreter - the women share but I can't always grasp what they are saying behind me, or across the room. Then because I'm afraid of repeating something that was already said, I tend to say nothing at all. But here, I've been an active participant! And the insights you've shared over the past year have deeply impacted my understanding of God's word.
I've been struggling to understand Wendy in her vlog, and I'm not sure if I will be able to do this. I can still follow along in the questions snd nuggets, but I admit I will miss some of the points Wendy brings to light about the day's reading.
God speaks in the silence I just need to be willing to listen with my heart. I may not be as active as before, but I'll still be here :)
Susan
December Rose
Grace and Peace has been transcribing Wendy's vlog at the following: http://princessjoyful.blogspot.com/
I hope this will help.
Sorry...actually Joyful is transcribing Wendy's vlog. Right website....wrong person.
http://princessjoyful.blogspot.com/
Hi Susan
Welcome back. I am so glad to hear from you. How are you doing?
A prayer request
Many of you remember Chef Diane, one our friends from study last year. She is need of our prayers right not, big time. I can't go into details but please pray. If you know how to contact her please do so. I know she would love to hear from you.
Passing down a heritage of faith is the most important thing we can do for our children!!!! Being in the word, doing bible studies,praying, but most importantly LIVING your faith in front of your children is an incredible witness. My son recently turned 30 and he is a solid, filled with the Holy Spirit, living by faith, Christian.
I am amazed at him! As he grew up we had hard times: his dad was terminally ill for 10 years then passed away, I had kidney failure and 2 years later received a transplant, we lost his older brother a few years after that - so much loss and hardship and yet today he credits his walk of faith with the Lord to the fact that no matter the circumstances, he always saw me depending on the Lord in faith. Looking back I could not tell you for sure that I had shared anything with him much, but my actions spoke to his heart.
During the bad times when his father was sick a blessed group of women from my church saw to it that I was able to join them for Kay Authur studies and Beth Moore Studies and kept me in God's Word. I was so blessed by this and would never have made it through all I have lived without the knowledge that God was there ALL the time with me. I suppose I lived Deut.11:18-21 but I didn't always know I was; but my actions spoke loudest.
My point is to live your life , pray unceasingly, study God's word and meet each day with the God who loves you as the precious child you are in Faith. I am still amazed at the living example my son says he witnessed through those years. And yes , as a mother I am still concerned about his walk-such as finding the right job God is leading him to, hopefully finding a good christian girl to marry and hopefully have some children of his own - but I know in my heart that he has a strong relationship with the Lord and I am so very glad that with God's gracious help I was able to lay a foundation for his Faith in God. Just live your faith in God; the message will come through loud and clear to your children. God will set them on their own journey; often in His time. We must be faithful to pray for them, pray that they will hear His call on their life.
God bless you all,
Cynde
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