Genesis Chapter 23

Death of Sarah

Remember the figures of speech: SIMILE: Resemblance; ALLEGORY: comparison by representation; METAPHOR: Representation; HYPOCATASTASIS: An implied resemblance or representation; TYPE: A figure or example of something future; ANALOGY: Resemblance in some particulars between things otherwise unlike. As we diligently search God’s Word for His Truth, these are keys to our understanding the underlying actions and words.

23:1-2

This is the first time a woman’s death and age are recorded. Since Sarah is 127 at her death, then Isaac would now be 37, and Abraham now 137. Abraham mourns and grieves for Sarah even to the point of openly weeping for her. She was his beloved Princess, he obviously loved her dearly and deeply.

23:3-4

Despite his deep sorrow and grief, Abraham must now deal with her burial. Abraham and Sarah have always been characterized as “strangers and sojourners in the land”, meaning that Canaan was NOT their homeland. It was considered very important where someone was buried; they were to be buried in their ‘homeland’. Since Paddan Aram, or N. W. Mesopotamia, was their original homeland, that would have been where Abraham would have buried his beloved Sarah. He even admits he is a sojourner in the land. Yet we hear something amazing, he is asking for a cave to use as a sepulcher for Sarah; a burial place. This is the same type of burial place Jesus was laid after His death on the cross.

23:5-6

The people identified here are the Hittites, the sons of Heth. The Hittite empire was centered in what today is Turkey, yet they had colonies in various other lands. Abraham was seeking to purchase the cave, not just have it ‘given’ to him. A purchase indicates you have sacrificed something valuable. The people clearly understand and acknowledge Abrahams standing as an important ‘Prince of the land’ because of his relationship with God; thus they assure Abraham that he may ‘use’ their burial place.

23:7-9

Now Abraham humbly asks to speak to Ephron, son of Zohar, the ruling owner of the cave, in order to transfer ownership of the cave to him. Abraham offers the full price for the cave, so that it would become his legal possession. Keep in mind that all of this land was promised to Abraham by God, yet he does not yet ‘legally’ own any of it.

23:10-11

Although it sounds like Ephron is willing to ‘give’ the cave and the land adjoining the cave to Abraham, this is a ‘negotiating term’; you give me and I will give to you, type of terminology. It did not mean Ephron would ‘gift’, or transfer, the land and cave to Abraham for no consideration. Note that Hittite law demanded the owner pay taxes on the entire parcel of land; both the field and the cave. To transfer part of the parcel did not exempt the original owner from paying taxes on the entire piece of property. Only by legally transferring the entire parcel, could the old owner be relieved from paying the taxes on the whole parcel of land.

23:12-13

Now Ephron has said he is willing to ‘give’ the field and cave to Abraham so he may bury his dead wife. Again, he has not stated the price. So Abraham tells him, in the presence of the entire ‘audience’ of the ‘people at the gate’, meaning the place of legal transactions, that he will pay whatever price Ephron names, so he can bury Sarah.

23:14-15

That is what Ephron is waiting to hear, so now he names the price at 400 shekels of silver, which is a very, very high price for the land and cave! Yet he adds the statement about “what is that paltry sum between us?”, meaning that Abraham cannot now back out of the transaction without showing he is in contempt of Ephron and not a man of his word. He also cleverly says ‘so now you can bury your dead’, in effect leaving Abraham in the position of not being able to negotiate any further.

23:16

Abraham immediately acts upon the offer by carefully weighing out the amount of silver Ephron had requested for the entire parcel of land. Obviously, when it came to obtaining a burial place for his beloved Sarah, he would pay whatever was necessary. All the people witnessed the weighing of the silver and the formal transaction for the land, including the field and the cave.

23:17-18

The field and cave are now described for us, yet note that the description mentions the ‘borders’ being made sure. This is a statement that corresponds to a complete legal survey of the field, land and cave being made to clearly identify the parcel of land that is being sold to Abraham, forever. We still use similar terms and formal surveys to this day, to identify parcels of land being transferred from own owner to another. This now makes Abraham no longer an alien and stranger in the land as he is now a ‘legal owner’ in the land of Canaan. This also means he is forever forsaking his homeland of Paddan Aram, in Mesopotamia, and becoming a legal citizen of the land of Canaan. He can never go back, he has in effect, renounced his homeland! This is the first property of the Patriarchs, a cave and field, that binds them to the Promised Land. Abraham has purchased the land in Faith, trusting that God has led him to this land, and promised it would be given to him and his posterity, forever. This entire transaction is done in the sight of all the peoples of the gate of the city, meaning it is recorded and witnessed as a complete legal transaction and transfer of ownership of the land.

23:19-20

Sarah’s final resting place is in the Promised Land; she is the first to ‘occupy’ the land permanently, so to speak. Although her soul and spirit have gone on to Sheol, the place of the dead, it is a sign of the deep faith of Abraham in God’s promises. We are told the cave and field of Machpelah is to the east of Mamre, or Hebron, in the land of Canaan. This is a permanent burial place for Abraham and future Patriarchs of the Promised Land. Archaeology has since provided proof that the transactions by the Hittites for the land ownership was done in this way. The terminology and steps taken correspond with typical Hittite documents found.

As we continue to study Genesis we will see that Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah were all to be buried in this same burial cave. Since the importance of this cave showed that the Jewish people were to be possessors of the land of Canaan; in the future, the Moslems would take over this land and build a mosque over the burial site, much like they do today to try to remove the proof that Jews are to inherit the land from God. Have you forsaken and renounced your past life and committed in faith to inherit the Eternal land God has prepared for you? Our forever Promised Homeland is NOT of this earth; it is a Heavenly Homeland with Jesus!