231 And the life of Sarah is a hundred and twenty and seven years—years of the life of Sarah; 2 and Sarah dieth in Kirjath-Arba, which 'is' Hebron, in the land of Caanan, and Abraham goeth in to mourn for Sarah, and to bewail her.
3 And Abraham riseth up from the presence of his dead, and speaketh unto the sons of Heth, saying, 4 'A sojourner and a settler I 'am' with you; give to me a possession of a burying-place with you, and I bury my dead from before me.' 5 And the sons of Heth answer Abraham, saying to him, 6 'Hear us, my lord; a prince of God 'art' thou in our midst; in the choice of our burying-places bury thy dead: none of us his burying-place doth withhold from thee, from burying thy dead.' 7 And Abraham riseth and boweth himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth, 8 and he speaketh with them, saying, 'If it is your desire to bury my dead from before me, hear me, and meet for me with Ephron, son of Zoar; 9 and he giveth to me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which 'is' in the extremity of his field; for full money doth he give it to me, in your midst, for a possession of a burying-place.' 10 And Ephron is sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answereth Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all those entering the gate of his city, saying, 11 'Nay, my lord, hear me: the field I have given to thee, and the cave that 'is' in it, to thee I have given it; before the eyes of the sons of my people I have given it to thee—bury thy dead.' 12 And Abraham boweth himself before the people of the land, 13 and speaketh unto Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, 'Only—if thou wouldst hear me—I have given the money of the field—accept from me, and I bury my dead there.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 23:1-13
Commentary on Genesis 23:1-13
(Read Genesis 23:1-13)
The longest life must shortly come to a close. Blessed be God that there is a world where sin, death, vanity, and vexation cannot enter. Blessed be his name, that even death cannot part believers from union with Christ. Those whom we most love, yea, even our own bodies, which we so care for, must soon become loathsome lumps of clays, and be buried out of sight. How loose then should we be to all earthly attachments and adornments! Let us seek rather that our souls be adorned with heavenly graces. Abraham rendered honour and respect to the princes of Heth, although of the ungodly Canaanites. The religion of the Bible enjoins to pay due respect to all in authority, without flattering their persons, or countenancing their crimes if they are unworthy characters. And the noble generosity of these Canaanites shames and condemns the closeness, selfishness, and ill-humour of many that call themselves Israelites. It was not in pride that Abraham refused the gift, because he scorned to be beholden to Ephron; but in justice and in prudence. Abraham was able to pay for the field, and therefore would not take advantage of Ephron's generosity. Honesty, as well as honour, forbids us to take advantage of our neighbour's liberality, and to impose, upon those who give freely.