Genesis
Chapter 23
Death and Burial of Sarah
Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years.
She died at Kiriath-arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to weep and mourn for Sarah.
Abraham left his dead one
and spoke to the Hittites:
“I am only a stranger among you; give me a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead.”
The Hittites answered Abraham:
“Hear us, my lord. You are God’s prince among us; bury your dead in the best of our tombs; none of us would refuse you a tomb to bury your dead.”
Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land,
and then spoke to them:
“If you are willing that I bury my dead, hear me and plead with Ephron, the son of Zohar,
to give me the cave of Machpelah belonging to him; it is at the edge of his field. For the full price and in your presence, let him give it to me for a burial place.”
Now Ephron was there sitting among the Hittites, and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all seated at the town gate:
“No, my lord, listen! I give you the field, and I give you the cave in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, I give it to you. Bury your dead there.”
Abraham bowed before the people of the land and spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land:
“Ah, if only you will listen to me, I will give you the price of the land. Accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.”
Ephron replied to Abraham:
“My lord, hear me.
Four hundred silver coins for a piece of land, is it not the right price for both of us? Bury your dead.”
Abraham agreed with Ephron and he weighed out for Ephron the silver he had insisted on in the hearing of the Hittites—four hundred silver coins, in merchants’ coins.
And so Ephron’s field in Machpelah, located east of Mamre, which includes the cave and all the trees in the area,
was acquired by Abraham as his possession in the presence of the Hittites and everyone who entered through the gate of their city.
After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpelah.
The unused field and the cave were given to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial place.
Commentaries
Death and Burial of Sarah.
Although all the narrative about Abraham occurs in Canaan, the Patriarch still does not own any property in this area.
Sara’s death drives him to buy a piece of land for her burial. The text vividly portrays the traditional practice of buying and selling, as well as the setting: the city gate. It also highlights Abraham’s status as a foreigner and his willingness to embrace the customs and practices of the local people.
Abraham’s business could, in a certain way, anticipate the later conquest and possession of the entire territory of Canaan—from Dan to Beersheba—which, despite being “promised,” still had to be conquered. The tradition surrounding the purchase of this field, as well as the fact that the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel were buried there, is particularly relevant during the conquest, but especially in the monarchy. Remember that it is precisely in Hebron where the first two kings of Israel began to rule, alongside their ancestors, until David conquered Jerusalem and established it as the administrative and religious center, as well as the capital, of the kingdom.