Abraham Buries Sarah (Genesis 23)



Sarah dies at the age of 127. We read about this at the beginning of Genesis 23. She dies in Canaan, away from home. The loss is profound for Abraham. Genesis 23:2 offers such a tender description. Abraham goes to her to mourn and weep over her. He sits shiva, in other words. This tender picture of individual grief and loss comes amid the often-hard story of Genesis, full of falls, failures, folly, and forsakenness in the wilderness.

This kind of grief, it can’t be stopped. Yes, there are different kinds of losses we experience. The loss of a sense of safety, the loss of a job, the loss of hopes coming true, the loss of our preferred political campaign, the loss of a good vacation. But there are levels of grief. Losing a child, losing a parent, losing a spouse – that is next level grief, and it must be especially honored.

The rest of the chapter focuses on the task of burying Sarah. A beloved husband, Abraham wants the perfect spot for his wife’s burial land and landscape. He specifies – “the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to [Ephron] and is at the end of his field.” It is a beautiful spot even to this day which now houses a temple structure.

Abraham, a foreigner in Hebron there in the land of Canaan, must negotiate with the local people in Hebron, the Hittites. Genesis 23:3-20 tells the tale of that negotiation.

Abraham asks the Hittites for a burial plot for Sarah. He is quick to make clear he’s willing to pay fair price.

The Hittites respect Abraham as a “mighty prince among us,” and are very sympathetic to Abraham’s loss, They generously offer land for Abraham to bury his beloved wife.

Appreciative of their generosity, yet with the ideal spot for Sarah picked out, Abraham asks the people for help in getting Ephron to sell him that ideal spot. He asks the Hittites to intercede on his behalf by going to Ephron to ask that some of his land be given to Abraham.

Ephron happens to hear Abraham’s request to the people. Ephron like his people is gracious and offers the special plot of land for Sarah’s burial. The implication is that Abraham can have the land without charge. But Abraham insists on paying full market price.

Ephron accepts the deal, but only because Abraham insists. He says this about the transaction – “My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

That phrase, “listen to me,” it appears several times. Yes, it is a conversational thing in ancient Hebrew. But in the context of grief, that plea for the one in front of you to listen, it is packed with a wallop of human truth. That’s what grieving people need most, to be heard. That’s what we all need, especially when we’re hurting, to be heard.

This transaction – yes, it is a transaction. Real estate is being exchanged for monies. But the transaction is replete with humanity. Abraham’s grief is presumed. 

The other repeating refrain is, “bury your dead.” These people, foreigners to Abraham, they treat him with kindness and dignity. Again, we see the Bible point to the vitalness of hospitality across geographic and cultural boundaries.

At the end of this human and humane interaction with the Hittites and Ephron, Abraham through his tears buries his beloved wife in Hebron in Canaan land. The spot becomes the burial ground of Abraham’s people thereafter.

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