The tomb of Abraham and Sarah
1 Sarah lived a hundred and twenty- seven years. 2 She died at Kiria tharba—that is Hebron—in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to weep and mourn for Sarah.
3 Abraham left his dead one 4 and spoke to the Hittites, “I am only a stranger among you; give me a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord. You are God’s prince among us; bury your dead in the best of our tombs; none of us would refuse you a tomb to bury your dead.” 7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land, 8 and then spoke to them, “If you are willing that I bury my dead, hear me and plead with Ephron, the son of Zohar, 9 to give me the cave of Machpelah belonging to him; it is at the edge of his field. For the full price and in your presence, let him give it to me for a burial place.” 10 Now Ephron was there sitting among the Hittites, and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all who were seated at the gate of the town, 11 “No, my lord, listen! I give you the field and I give you the cave in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, I give it to you. Bury your dead there.”
12 Abraham bowed before the people of the land and spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, 13 “Ah, if only you will listen to me, I will give you the price of the land. Accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron replied to Abraham, “My lord, hear me. 15 Four hundred silver coins for a piece of land, is it not the right price for both of us? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham agreed with Ephron and he weighed out for Ephron the silver he had insisted on in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred silver coins, in merchants’ coins.
17 And so Ephron’s field in Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave in it, and all the trees in the field, throughout its entire area, 18 was ac quired by Abraham as his possession in the presence of the Hittites and of all who went in at the gate of their city. 19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. 20 The unused field and the cave that is in it were given to Abraham as a possession for a burying place by the Hittites.
- Jeremiah 32,9
Abraham travels throughout Palestine without ever having a place of his own (Heb 7:9); he holds everything as a promise. Sarah's death however, gives Abraham the opportunity, at least, to buy a place for her burial.
