Gen 23:1-20

Genesis 23:1–9 (ESV) —
1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, 4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.” 7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”


• There are a lot of interesting parts to this story. How old is  Isaac when Sara dies? 37 years
• Is there anything unusual about the mention of her age? She is the only woman whose age of death is recorded
• What does Abraham want and how is he treated?
• Initially, he just wants to buy the cave
• He is treated with great respect
• Why is Abraham's request unusual?
• Most people return to their homeland to bury their dead
• Abraham's commitment to bury Sarah here shows his faith that in 400 plus years (15:13), this will be his homeland
• Genesis 15:13 (ESV) — 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.
• Abraham's action says that this is now his native land -- that is a big step of faith
• Also is set in contrast to the end of chapter 22. While 22:20-24 is a glimpse of the future, it is also a reminder of where his "family" lived
• His "family" was not his old life, but his new life in the land of promise
• They offer to give him the cave -- what is happening?
• Some of it is negotiating
• Some of it may be honoring Abraham
• Some of it may be trying to get Abraham to owe them
• Some of it may be a reluctance on the part of the Hittites to give him a legal claim to the land (preferring to keep him as a sojourner)
• Abraham makes it very clear, he will buy the cave at full price


Genesis 23:10–16 (ESV) —
10 Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, 11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12 Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13 And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.


• Ephron's response is interesting. What is he saying?
• Ephron knows that Abraham will not take it for free
• Ephron gives him the field and the cave with that knowledge
Barker comments, "Hittite law specified that when a landowner sold only part of his property to someone else the original owner had to continue to pay all taxes on the land. However if he sold the entire tract the new owner was responsible to pay the taxes (cf. 1 Chron. 21:24). Consequently Ephron held out for the entire tract knowing that Abraham needed to make his purchase quickly so he could bury Sarah."
• So, yes, they were treating him as honorable, but no, they were not taking a loss
• Ephron seems to make light of the value, as if it is nothing, but that is the price he is expecting. This is typical negotiating practice
• Any guess on what land sold for during that time?
• Land went for 4 shekels an acre, but we have no idea how much land is being offered (probably not 100 acres)
• David, 800 years later, only paid 50 shekels for the site that would be Solomon's temple (probably not the temple mount of today)
• 400 shekels is 100 pounds of silver
• This is really the first purchase in the land
• The planting of the tree symbolized a hope in an enduring existence in the land
• The purchase of the field and grave is something Moses will use to remind Israel to finish
• The cave will hold "only Sarah but also Abraham (25:9), Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah" (Ross,1985)
• Abraham is taken to the cleaners by Ephron, but so what?
• Abraham had an eternal home
• Ephron didn't hurt Abraham by taking advantage of his need, he hurt himself


Genesis 23:17–20 (ESV) —
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.


• This passage is essentially the legal fine print
• The transaction was completed at the city gates
• Verse 20 makes it very clear that Abraham brought property in the promised land from the Hittites
• The promise of the land is one of the major themes in Genesis. But so is death. Death entered by sin and ruined the race. The deaths of patriarchs and saints are brutal reminders that people are sinners. Death brings out mourning. But death in this passage was also a basis for hope. In life the patriarchs were sojourners; in death they were heirs of the promise and “occupied” the land. (Ross, 1985)


Hebrews 11:39–40 (ESV) — 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.


Hebrews 11:8–16 (ESV) — 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.


APPLICATION:
1. Abraham's actions reveal a commitment to God's promise. Abraham took concrete steps toward the promise
2. Abraham saw life from an eternal perspective (at least after the birth of his son). He wasn't concerned about money or being cheated, he knew he had a greater promise
3. We all will die someday. We must remember that this life is not our reward, nor is it our home. Enjoy life that God gives, but do claw for things God has not given