Negotiations for Sarah’s burial and the deed to Hebron (Genesis 23)

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Sarah’s “lives”

“Now Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.” (Genesis 23:1 NAS95)

Genesis 23 details Sarah’s death in Hebron and Abraham’s mourning. Abraham requests a burial place for his wife Sarah from the sons of Heth, who offer him any of their burial places. Abraham negotiates with Ephron the Hittite for the cave of Machpelah, offering to pay the full price for the field. Ephron agrees to sell the field and cave to Abraham for 400 shekels of silver, officially deeding it to him as a burial place. In his humility, Abraham paid more than full price for the burial cave and the field surrounding it, refusing to accept it as a gift from the people of the area.

King David later followed Abraham’s example by refusing to accept the land for the future temple as a gift. David insisted on paying a fair price for the land where he wanted to build an altar for the Lord.

Even today, although Abraham legally purchased this land and tomb, a battle continues with the descendants of Heth over the territory. The name “Heth” in Hebrew means “terror,” and the descendants of the people who lawfully sold Machpelah to Abraham continue to terrorize and brutalize Abraham’s descendants over this land.

The importance of Sarah’s age at death, 127 years, cannot be underestimated. She gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old. As the book of Hebrews tells us, she was well beyond the ability to conceive and give birth to a child. God originally revealed the promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah when they were 75 and 65 years old, respectively, meaning they waited 25 years for Isaac. Isaac was 37 years old when his mother died; he was not a teenager.

Historical Significance of Hebron

“Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” (Genesis 23:2 NAS95)

When Abraham and Sarah were living in the land, they knew the town by the name Kiriath-arba. The place was later renamed Hebron. The name Kiriath-arba means “city of four,” which, according to Rashi, referred to the four Anakites or “giants” who lived in the town.

“So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, for an inheritance. Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, until this day, because he followed the LORD God of Israel fully. Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.” (Joshua 14:13-15 NAS95)

This is the same area that Caleb conquered over 400 years later when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land after the Exodus from Egypt. Caleb defeated the remaining giants who lived in that area.

Later, the area became known as Hebron, which means “legion” or “confederacy.” This was the place where Abraham and his allies gathered to organize and execute the rescue of Lot and the others kidnapped from Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain, as recorded in Genesis 13-14.

The area around Hebron was once a fruitful land heavily populated with oak trees, but now it is high desert. Hebron’s significance to the people of Israel extends beyond Abraham. Jacob returned to Hebron towards the end of Isaac’s life, and this is where Jacob and his family lived when he sent Joseph to look for his brothers. Jacob was still residing there when Joseph sent for him from Egypt. This area holds a significant place in Israel’s history.

“Then Abraham rose from before his dead and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, ‘I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight.’” (Genesis 23:3-4 NAS95)

The name “Heth” means terror, to shatter, to break, or to abolish. They were a fearsome and violent people.

“Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead.” (Genesis 23:6 NAS95)

Here we see Abraham presented as a strong and powerful individual. However, before Sarah’s death, Abraham’s personality was more timid and overly cautious. After his wife’s passing, he comes across as a man of strength, endurance, character, and a commanding presence. When we first meet Abraham in Genesis 12, most would not use these terms to describe him.

We see a similar pattern with Moses. In his younger years, he was timid and even cowardly, but as he grew closer to God, he became more humble yet more powerful at the same time. Both Abraham and Moses recognized that their strength and power were not their own.

Abraham’s Negotiation Tactics

“And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, ‘If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field. Accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.’ Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, ‘My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.’ Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth—four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard.” (Genesis 23:12-16 NAS95)

At first, the people were willing to give Abraham the cave to bury Sarah. However, once Abraham insisted on paying for the cave and the land around it, negotiations began. Yet, just as quickly as they started, they were over. Abraham simply accepted Ephron’s terms and paid him 400 shekels of silver for the land. There is some debate in Jewish and Christian circles as to whether Abraham paid the fair market rate or significantly more because he was unwilling to haggle. On the other hand, Ephron sold him both the land and the cave, even though Abraham was only interested in purchasing the cave.

There is a clue in the name the Jews gave to the cave itself—Machpelah. The term means “double fold,” which may suggest that Abraham paid double the fair market value. This entire transaction was conducted without lawyers, only with a handful of witnesses and a handshake, so to speak.

Abraham buried Sarah, his wife, in a simple cave, and now he also owned the land surrounding it.

Abraham’s negotiation for Sarah’s burial site stands as a powerful testament to his integrity, humility, and unwavering faith in God’s promises. By refusing to accept the land as a gift, he ensured that his family had a legitimate and permanent stake in the Promised Land. His actions set a precedent followed by King David and reinforced the principle of honoring commitments and paying a fair price. Even today, the historical and spiritual significance of Hebron endures, serving as a reminder of God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants. The burial of Sarah in the cave of Machpelah was not just an act of mourning but a declaration of faith in the future inheritance of the land God had promised to His people.

Speaker: Richard. Summary: Tammy.