ABRAHAM BURIES SARAH AT HEBRON
Genesis 23:1-20
Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. (19)
chapter 23
1. Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.
2. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
3. Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,
4. "I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead."
5. The Hittites replied to Abraham,
6. "Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead."
7. Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
8. He said to them, "If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
9. so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you."
10. Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.
11. "No, my lord," he said. "Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead."
12. Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
13. and he said to Ephron in their hearing, "Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there."
14. Ephron answered Abraham,
15. "Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."
16. Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.
17. So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre - both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field - was deeded
18. to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.
19. Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron ) in the land of Canaan.
20. So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.
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1. Sarah had 37 years of domestic life together with Abraham and Isaac, and then died in Hebron. She is the only woman in the Bible whose lifespan was recorded, another sign of her importance. God valued Sarah, cared for her so intimately, and took her to himself, but her example lives on in our faith.
2. Abraham was in mourning. But Sarah’s burial needed to be handled. Abraham had to engage thoroughly, contextually, humbly with his neighbors to purchase the burial plot for his dead wife Sarah. Although a “foreigner,” he is very competent and understands the procedures of engaging in such a transaction. On their part, the Hittites treat him with great respect, not only as an equal, but a “prince among us.” He earned that respect through his humility (7), cultural sensitivity and contextual awareness. Hebron means “unity” as with friends. Abraham spent money to make an alliance with the Hittites. Jesus tells us to use wealth to make friends (Lk 16:9). To do so we need to learn humility.
3. With this deal complete, Abraham finally has legal rights to the land, a foothold upon which God would build a tribe, a nation, a kingdom through him. The daily things of our lives also have great potential, as the kingdom grows through these (Mt 13:31-32).
Prayer: Father, your care for Sarah moves my heart to trust you more. Help me learn Abraham’s humility in all things today, trusting your purposes.
One Word: Sarah was buried like a seed in Canaan