Genesis 23

Genesis 23:1-20

Abraham Purchases a Burial Plot - The story of Abraham purchasing a plot of land from the sons of Heth was a reflection of the customs of his day. The Code of Hammurabi, believed by some scholars to have been written by a Babylonian king around 2100 B.C., impacted its culture for centuries. It is very likely that Abraham based this purchase upon rule number 7 of this Code, which says, “If any one buy from the son or the slave of another man, without witnesses or a contract, silver or gold, a male or female slave, an ox or a sheep, an ass or anything, or if he take it in charge, he is considered a thief and shall be put to death.” Genesis 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. Genesis 23:1 — Comments - Although the age of the death of many patriarchs are recorded in Scripture, scholars note that Sarah is the only woman in Scriptures whose age of death is recorded. It is suggested that this was done out of respect for the woman who became the “mother of Israel.” Genesis 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Genesis 23:1-2 — Comments - The Death of Sarah – Genesis 23:1-2 gives us an account of the death of Sarah. I have always assumed that the sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) and the death of Sarah (Genesis 23) were separated by a long period of time. but this may not be necessarily be the case. We read in this passage an unusual statement that “Abraham came to mourn for Sarah.” Would not Abraham have been with Sarah when she died? We read in Genesis 21:33-34 that Abraham and Sarah were dwelling in Beersheba in the land of the Philistines at this time. We know that Abraham journeyed from Beersheba to Mount Moriah (Jerusalem) on a three-day journey that took him approximately forty miles to the north. After the sacrifice in Genesis 22, we read in Genesis 23:2 of Abraham traveling to Hebron where Sarah died to weep for her.

Why would he travel to Hebron? Hebron lay approximately halfway between Beersheba and Jerusalem. The Book of Jubilees (19.1-3) states that Sarah died thirty-five years after Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him on the altar. If she died at the age of one hundred twenty-seven (127) years old, it means that Isaac would have been only three years old when Abraham took him to mount Moriah to sacrifice. At this young age, Isaac would have been too young to carry the wood on his back (Genesis 22:6).Genesis 23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, Genesis 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. Genesis 23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Genesis 23:6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. Genesis 23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. Genesis 23:7 — “and bowed himself to the people of the land” - Comments - In the previous verse, the sons of Heth called Abraham “a mighty prince.” Great men are humble men. Genesis 23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, Genesis 23:9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. Genesis 23:10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Genesis 23:11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. Genesis 23:12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. Genesis 23:13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. Genesis 23:13 — Comments - In Genesis 23:13, Abraham insisted on paying the full price of the land. In a similar way, King David also insisted on paying the full price of the land (See 1 Chronicles 21:18-27). In Genesis 33:11, Jacob insisted on paying Esau. 1 Chronicles 21:24, “And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.” Genesis 33:11, “Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.” Genesis 23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, Genesis 23:15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. Genesis 23:16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. Genesis 23:17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure Genesis 23:18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. Genesis 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. Genesis 23:20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.