The Death And Burial Of Sarah – A Grave Deal (G-23-HBS)

   January 29, 2020
Death and burial of Sarah

In chapter 23 we see the death of Sarah and Abraham’s purchase of a cave in which to bury her, the cave of Machpelah.

Genesis 23:1-20 KJV

[1] And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

[2] And Sarah died in Kirjath–arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

[3] And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,

[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.

[5] And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

[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.

[7] And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

[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,

[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.

[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,

[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.

[12] And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

[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.

[14] And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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.

[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.

Genesis 23:1 KJV

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

  • Sarah is the only woman in Scripture whose age, death, and burial are mentioned, probably to do honor to the venerable mother of the Hebrew people.

Genesis 23:2 KJV

And Sarah died in Kirjath–arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

  • He came from his own tent to take his station at the door of Sarah‘s.
  • The “mourning” describes his conformity to the customary usage of sitting on the ground for a time; while the “weeping” indicates the natural outburst of his sorrow.

Genesis 23:3 KJV

And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,

  • Eastern people are always provided with family burying-places; but Abraham‘s life of faith – his pilgrim state – had prevented him acquiring even so small a possession (Acts 7:5).
  • He bespoke their kind offices to aid him in obtaining possession of a cave that belonged to Ephron – a wealthy neighbor.

Genesis 23:4 KJV

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.

  • Abraham calls himself a stranger and a sojourner even in the Promised Land which God had promised to give to him.

Genesis 23:5 KJV

And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

  • This is a very generous offer made by the children of Heth who live in this land.

Genesis 23:6 KJV

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.

  • Abraham had made a tremendous impression. They call him “a mighty prince.” This man’s influence counted for something.

Genesis 23:7 KJV

And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

  • Abraham’s posture followed the customs of the time.

Genesis 23:8 KJV

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,

  • Abraham was not willing to bury Sarah in a borrowed tomb; he wanted to have a place that would belong to his family long after his death.

Genesis 23:9 KJV

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.

  • The “double cave.”
  • His words meet with Ephron indicated that he wanted to purchase some property, the cave of Machpelah.

Genesis 23:10 KJV

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,

  • Literally, was “sitting” among the children of Heth in the gate of the city where all business was transacted.
  • But, though a chief man among them, he was probably unknown to Abraham.

Genesis 23:11 KJV

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.

  • Here is a great show of generosity, but it was only a show; for while Abraham wanted only the cave, he joins “the field and the cave”; and though he offered them both as free gifts, he, of course, expected some costly presents in return, without which, he would not have been satisfied.

Genesis 23:12 KJV

And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

  • Here, Abraham’s posture continues to follow the customs of the time.

Genesis 23:13 KJV

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.

  • The patriarch, knowing this, wished to make a purchase and asked the terms.

Genesis 23:14 KJV

And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

  • Prudence, as well as justice, directs us to be fair and open in our dealings; cheating bargains will not bear the light.

Genesis 23:15 KJV

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.

  • As if Ephron had said, “Since you wish to know the value of the property, it is so and so; but that is a trifle, which you may pay or not as it suits you.”
  • They spoke in the common forms of Arab civility, and this indifference was mere affectation.

Genesis 23:16 KJV

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.

  • The money, amounting to about $1,000, was paid in presence of the assembled witnesses; and it was weighed.
  • The practice of weighing money, which is often in lumps or rings, each stamped with their weight, is still common in many parts of the East; and every merchant at the gates or the bazaar has his scales at his girdle.

Genesis 23:17 KJV

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

  • Abraham had to purchase not only the field and the cave, but also the trees.
  • This meant that he was responsible for the maintenance of these trees as well.
  • All was done in the formal, legal manner of the time.
  • The record is fascinating to read, but also noteworthy for this: the only land Abraham ever really possessed was a burial spot for his wife.

Genesis 23:18 KJV

Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

  • Ephron honestly and fairly makes a good title to the land.
  • As that which is bought, must be honestly paid for, so that which is sold, must be honestly delivered and secured.
  • Let us manage our concerns with punctuality and exactness, in order to avoid contention.

Genesis 23:19 KJV

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.

  • Thus he got possession of Machpelah and deposited the remains of his lamented partner in a family vault which was the only spot of ground he owned.

Genesis 23:20 KJV

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.

  • This is an important summary because finally, after years of nomadic wandering, Abraham owned a small piece of real estate in the midst of all the land divinely promised to him and his descendants.
  • The cave also became, many years later, the family burial plot for Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob, with Rachel being the exception.

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