GENESIS 23
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[c] 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.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.
– Genesis 23:10-20
GENESIS 23 ABRAHAM BUYS A BURIAL GROUND FOR SARAH
According to a commentary, ancient and modern practices in that culture was this. As a gesture of kindness, the seller may offer to give the property to the buyer, until the buyer insists on paying a price. Ephron the Hittite followed this custom. When Abraham refused to receive it as a gift, he suggested a price, which he claimed was modest but was really very high. This was supposed to be the beginning of the bargaining. No questions or haggling happened. In front of many other Hittites, he let them weigh the amount of silver that Ephron asked.
This was probably the only property that Abraham owned because he never settled in one place. He just followed and obeyed where God took him. It wasn’t even for him to permanently reside, but for Sarah to have a burial ground.
REFLECTION
- What trait or character of Abraham was evident in this incident?
