The Genesis Project. Chapter 23

Sarah dies after the near-sacrifice of Isaac, and Abraham purchases a burial site from the local Canaanites

Hello and welcome back to The Genesis Project, my translation and commentary on the first book of the Hebrew Bible.

In this week’s post, we read about Sarah’s death and Abraham’s subsequent purchase of a burial site from the Hittites—a Canaanite tribe in whose territory he lived at the time. The site, the Cave of Machpelah, becomes the burial ground for Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. Also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs, it is located in the old city of Hebron in the West Bank.

While the text in this week’s chapter highlights the negotiating tactics of both Abraham and the local Canaanites, the superfine details of negotiating occur in next week’s chapter in which we learn of Abraham’s steward seeking Rebecca’s hand for Isaac in Abraham’s hometown in Mesopotamia.

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Chapter 23

The report of Sarah’s death follows nearly immediately after the account of the akeidah—the binding and near sacrifice of Isaac at the hands of her husband Abraham. Some suggest that Sarah died after hearing about it. Variations on this theme include: she and Ishmael accompanied Abraham and Isaac, and she died praying at the altar. Or, Sarah was a greater prophet than Abraham—she knew it wasn’t God’s will to kill Isaac; rather, she died because of seeing Abraham’s willingness to kill him; i.e., from disappointment in Abraham, not grief over Isaac. Or, because of a blemish in Isaac making him unsuitable as an offering.

In order to properly bury Sarah, Abraham publicly and legally buys land in Canaan from a local people—the Hittites. This is another trial, one of humiliation. God promises Abraham a vast amount of land, due to his merit. Here, Abraham faces the gap between the promise and its fulfillment. He doesn’t complain or challenge God’s justice.

This is one of three purchases of parcels in the Land listed in the Hebrew Bible. The other two are Jacob buying land in Shechem from the Hivvites (33:9), and David buying Araunah’s threshing floor for an altar on Mount Moriah—the site of the future Temple—in 2 Samuel 24:24 and 1 Chronicles 21:18-28.

Note the text’s attention to the details recounting the negotiations between Abraham, the Hittites, and Ephron the owner of the land that Abraham ultimately purchases. While not as extensive as what we encounter when Abraham’s emissary, Eliezer, returns to Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac (Chapter 24), it emphasizes a particular aspect of Judaism. It is a bottom-up spirituality, one grounded in everyday transactions, not a top-down one, where the heights of spiritual experience must be shoehorned by everyday reality. That is, how we deal with our fellow man reflects how we deal with the larger community, the natural world, and God.

1: Sarah’s lifetime:[1] one hundred twenty-seven,[2] the years of Sarah’s life. 2: Sarah died[3] in Kiriath-Arba,[4] which is Hebron,[5] in Canaan-land. Abraham came[6] to eulogize[7] Sarah[8] and to bewail her.[9]

3: Abraham rose up[10] from upon the presence[11] of his dead[12] and spoke to the children of Heth,[13] saying, 4: “I am a sojourner[14] and a resident[15] with you all.[16] Give to me[17] a gravesite[18] with you all,[19] and I shall bury[20] my dead from before me.”[21]

5: The children of Heth[22] answered[23] Abraham, saying to him, 6: “Hearken to us, my lord.[24] You are a prince of God^[25] in our midst.[26] In the choicest of our burial places[27] bury your dead.[28] Any one of us[29] will not withhold[30] his burial place from you,[31] from burying your dead.”

7: Abraham arose[32] and prostrated himself[33] to the people of the land,[34] to the children of Heth.[35] 8: He spoke to them, saying, “If it is with your souls[36] to bury my dead[37] from before me, hearken to me, and entreat for me[38] Ephron[39] son of Zohar.[40] 9: He shall give to me[41] the Cave of Machpelah,[42] which is his,[43] that is on the edge of his field.[44] For full price[45] he shall give it[46] to me,^[47] in your midst,[48] as a grave-possession.”[49]

10: And Ephron was sitting[50] in the midst of the children of Heth.[51] Ephron the Hittite responded to Abraham in the ears of the children of Heth,[52] for all who come to the gate of his[53] city,[54] saying, 11: “No, my lord.[55] Hearken to me.[56] The field I have given to you,[57] and[58] the cave that is in it, to you I have given it.[59] In the eyes of the children of my people[60] I have given it to you.[61] Bury your dead.”

12: Abraham prostrated himself before the people of the land.^[62] 13: He spoke to Ephron in the ears of the people[63] of the land, saying, “Rather,[64] if only[65] you would hearken to me.[66] I have given[67] the field’s money.[68] Take from me,[69] and I will bury my dead there.”[70]

14: Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15: “My lord,[71] hearken to me. Land of four hundred silver shekels[72]—between me and between you—what is it?[73] And your dead, bury.”[74]

16: Abraham listened to Ephron,[75] and Abraham weighed out[76] to Ephron the silver about which he had spoken[77] in the ears of the children of Heth: four hundred silver shekels, negotiable for merchandising.[78]

17: The field[79] of Ephron that was in Machpelah that faces Mamre[80] was confirmed^[81]—the field, and the cave that is in it,[82] and every tree in the field that is in its entire boundary all around^[83]—18: to Abraham[84] as a purchase[85] in the eyes of the children of Heth,[86] among all who come to the gate of his city.[87] 19: And afterwards,[88] Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, that faces Mamre—it is Hebron—in Canaan-land. 20: The field—and the cave that was in it—was confirmed for Abraham for a grave-possession[89] from the children of Heth.[90]