ABRAHAM SERIES: THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH

Years had passed since the test of offering Isaac as a sacrifice, and Abraham had still not reunited with Sarah and Isaac. The words, “I’m sorry I did not tell you what God spoke to me, please forgive me, but I knew I had to obey God and I was trusting him for the life of Isaac,” were not spoken. And now in Kirjatharba, better known as Hebron, Sarah, at a hundred and twenty-seven years old, is dead, and a bittersweet reunion between her and Abraham never took place.

This blog, centered around the purchase of a burial place for Sarah, reveals that upon receiving word of Sarah’s death, Abraham traveled the twenty-six miles from Beersheba to Hebron, where he mourned and wept for Sarah. No doubt, when Abraham saw the body of his wife, he had many regrets over his failures and the years of separation from her.

 Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth, who owned the land, concerning the purchase of property to bury Sarah. Recognizing and acknowledging Abraham’s status, they allowed him to select which sepulchre he wanted to purchase. After making his selection, Abraham asked the men to negotiate for him with Ephron, the son of Zohar, who owned the cave of Machpelah, located at the end of his property. Additionally, Abraham was willing to pay the asking price for it.

Ephron responded positively in the Bedouin bargaining manner to Abraham’s request and said, “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.” First bowing in respect and then rising and speaking, Abraham agreed to pay the stated amount of four hundred shekels of silver for the purchase. The transaction was completed at the gate of the city, in the presence of the sons of Heth. For this transaction, Abraham acquired the field, the cave, and all the trees within its borders, and then Abraham buried Sarah in the newly purchased cave of Machpelah.

According to biblical scholars, Abraham initially sought to purchase only the cave for a burial plot; however, Ephron sold Abraham the cave and the surrounding field due to Hittite law. The land and cave were considered a unit, which required the owner to pay feudal obligations. If the cave were the only thing sold, Ephron would be responsible for the feudal obligations, which he apparently did not want to assume; therefore, he required Abraham to purchase the entire unit. This purchase for Abraham, who lived the life of a nomad in Canaan, was the first actual property that his family would own. By purchasing land, Abraham was indicating that he and his family intended to continue living in Canaan. Thus, in the future, the cave of Machpelah served as the burial ground for not just Sarah, but also Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob.

From the scripture, I also noted that Isaac was not present during the purchase of the land or the burial of his mother, Sarah.

Here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 23:

While you are living, it is never too late to explain why you acted the way you did to those you may have offended.

Sometimes people allow death to occur without resolving issues.

Make amends with loved ones before they die.

People do not necessarily have to accept your reasoning.

The absence of family members during a burial can be a sign of unresolved family issues.

When possible, people will eliminate financial obligations.

When you give respect, you will receive respect in return.