20130812 Monday, August 12 2013
Genesis 23: Sarah's Cave

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah"

As is the way of all mortal creatures (see What Makes Physical Life Possible? and What Does The Bible Really Say About Your Soul?), Sarah lived her physical life and then died.

"23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her." (Genesis 23:1-2 KJV)

Abraham was a foreigner in Canaan all of his life ("I am a stranger and a sojourner with you," below; see Camped Out In Canaan and Abraham's Journey: When Will He Arrive?). When Sarah died, Abraham sought to purchase a grave for her from the people who owned all of the land.

"23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,

23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." (Genesis 23:3-4 KJV)

Abraham was highly regarded by the Canaanites (so was Jesus Christ centuries later; see What Does The Bible Really Say About Canaanites?). They offered Abraham anywhere that he chose.

"23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

23:6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead." (Genesis 23:5-6 KJV)

Abraham then requested to buy a certain cave of Hebron.

"23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 23:9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you." (Genesis 23:97-9 KJV)

Although the owner offered it to Abraham as a gift, Abraham insisted that he pay the fair and full market value of the property.

"23:10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, 23:11 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.

23:12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. 23:13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, 23:15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

23:16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant." (Genesis 23:10-16 KJV)

So it was that the cave and the land immediately around it were deeded to Abraham.

"23:17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure 23:18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

23:20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth." (Genesis 23:17-20 KJV)

Abraham was also eventually buried with Sarah.

"25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; 25:10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife." (Genesis 25:8-10 KJV)

Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob/Israel and Leah were also eventually buried in what became a family tomb. Jacob's last words, in Egypt, were his will to be buried there.

"49:29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 49:30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

49:32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people." (Genesis 49:29-33 KJV)

Fact Finder: Although all are today in the same tomb, how is Jacob's body different than that of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah?
See Jacob's Mummy