Genesis 23 - Printer Friendly

The story of Genesis leaps forward several decades. It's likely been around 20 years or so since Abraham prepared to offer Isaac on the altar. It's been about 35 years since last we saw Sarah, insisting that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away.

Now Sarah has died at the age of 127 years old. That would make Abraham 137 years old and Isaac about 37 years old (Genesis 17:17). We find them living in Hebron, near the familiar area of Mamre, about 20 miles south of what would become Jerusalem (Genesis 23:1–2).

After Abraham mourns for his wife, he approaches the Hittite people of the area with a request. These Hittites would be the descendants of Noah's grandson Canaan, making them part of the original Canaanites. Abraham comes before an assembled group of Hittite landowners or elders, perhaps in the city gate of Hebron.

Abraham presents himself to them as a foreigner and a sojourner. He requests that they give him a piece of property to use as a burial place. Their response is gracious. They know Abraham well. They call him "a prince of God among [them]." Abraham was a foreigner, but he was also quite wealthy and clearly blessed by God in all he did. The Hittites of the area seem to have regarded him as a friend (Genesis 23:3–6).

In fact, the Hittites offer Abraham the choice of any of their own tombs to bury his dead. Abraham, however, wants something more specific. He wants to establish a permanent family burial place of his own in the land of Canaan. He wants to acquire a piece of property that will belong to him and him alone.

Once the Hittites state that they are willing for Abraham to bury his dead in their region, Abraham reveals he has a specific property in mind. He singles out Ephron, son of Zohar, and asks to purchase a cave of his east of Mamre at Machpelah.

A negotiation of sorts takes place, couched in the tradition and customs of Middle Eastern bargaining. Ephron offers to give the cave to Abraham, along with the field attached to it. Abraham insists on paying for it (so there can be no future dispute about who owns it). Ephron dismissively mentions a price of 400 shekels of silver for the cave and field. Abraham immediately agrees, paying out the price on the spot and in full view of the assembled Hittites. Very quickly, the transaction is concluded and signed off by the Hittite elders (Genesis 23:7–18).

Finally, Abraham buries Sarah in the cave he now owns in the promised land of Canaan. Later, Abraham himself will be buried there, then Isaac and Rebekah and Jacob and Leah. Without a battle of any kind, the people of God have begun their occupation of the land God has promised to give to Abraham's offspring (Genesis 23:19–20).

At the age of 127 years old, Abraham's wife Sarah dies. Now living in the region of Hebron, near Mamre, Abraham approaches the local people, the Hittites, about purchasing a specific cave he wants to use as a permanent family burial place. Abraham asks for a cave owned by Ephron the Hittite. After an odd negotiation, Abraham agrees to buy the cave and a field attached to it for 400 shekels of silver. Finally, Abraham buries Sarah in this cave at Machpelah in the land of Canaan. The permanent occupation of the land of Canaan by God's people has begun.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.