No One Escapes Death Not Even the Three Patriarchs

"And the days of Israel drew near to die" (Genesis 47:29). This is what is written, "What man can live and not see death?" (Psalm 89:49). What man was like Abraham, whom He saved from the fiery furnace, yet of him it is written, "And Abraham expired and died" (Genesis 25:8)? What man was like Isaac, who stretched out his neck upon the altar, yet of him it is written, "I do not know the day of my death" (Genesis 27:2)? And what man was like Jacob, who wrestled with the angel, of whom it is written, "And the days of Israel drew near" and so forth? "And the days of Israel drew near to die." This is what Scripture says, "For we are sojourners before You... our days on the earth are like a shadow" (1 Chronicles 29:15). Would that it were like the shadow of a wall or the shadow of a tree! Rather, "like a passing shadow" - like the shadow of a bird that passes, and its shadow passes with it. "And there is no hope" (1 Chronicles 29:15) - there is no one who hopes that he will not die; all know and say with their mouths that they will die. Abraham said, "And I go childless" (Genesis 15:2). Isaac said, "before I die" (Genesis 27:4). And Jacob too said, "and I shall lie with my fathers" - when? At the time he was about to die.