Genesis 23: Sarah's Death and Burial
Abraham mourns Sarah and purchases the cave of Machpelah from the Hittites as a burial place.
Genesis 23 (WEB)
1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
4 “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5 The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
6 “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8 He talked with them, saying, “If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place.”
10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11 “No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
13 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
15 “My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
16 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
18 to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, 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 before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.
Genesis 23 (KJV)
1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 And Sarah died in Kirjath–arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure
18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.
Genesis 23 (ASV)
1 And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spake unto the children of Heth, saying,
4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
6 Hear us, my lord; thou art a prince of God among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
7 And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession of a burying-place.
10 Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the children of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
12 And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
15 My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border thereof round about, were made sure
18 unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the children of Heth.
Summary
Sarah dies at one hundred twenty-seven years in Kiriath Arba, that is Hebron, in Canaan, and Abraham comes to mourn and weep for her. As a stranger and foreigner in the land, he rises to ask the children of Heth for a burying place. They honor him as a prince of God and offer their finest tombs, but Abraham insists on buying a specific site. He asks for the cave of Machpelah at the end of Ephron's field, offering the full price. Ephron offers to give the field and cave freely, yet Abraham insists on paying, and weighs out four hundred shekels of silver before witnesses. The field, cave, and trees are formally deeded to Abraham as a possession, and there he buries Sarah his wife.
Main Characters
- Abraham — The grieving husband who mourns Sarah and secures a permanent burial place by purchasing the field of Machpelah.
- Sarah — Abraham's wife, who dies at one hundred twenty-seven years and is buried in the cave of Machpelah near Hebron.
- Ephron the Hittite — The owner of the field and cave of Machpelah, who offers it freely but receives Abraham's full payment.
- The children of Heth — The local people who honor Abraham as a prince of God and witness the legal transfer of the burial site.
Key Verse
Genesis 23:4 (WEB)
“I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
Lessons Learned
- Grief and mourning over loss are honest and fitting expressions of love.
- Faith lives as a sojourner here while trusting God's promises for the future.
- Integrity in dealings, like paying a fair price, honors God and others.
- God's people can secure a lasting hope even amid the reality of death.
- Love grieves honestly. Abraham comes to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her, showing that faith does not silence genuine sorrow (Genesis 23:2, WEB).
- Believers live as sojourners. Abraham calls himself a stranger and a foreigner living among them, holding the land as promise rather than present possession (Genesis 23:4, WEB).
- God grants favor among others. The children of Heth honor Abraham as a prince of God and offer him the best of their tombs (Genesis 23:6, WEB).
- Integrity insists on fair dealing. Though offered the field freely, Abraham insists on giving the full price for it (Genesis 23:13, WEB).
- Faith secures a foothold of hope. Abraham weighs out four hundred shekels and the field is deeded to him as a lasting possession (Genesis 23:16-17, WEB).
- Hope rests even in burial. Abraham buries Sarah in the cave of Machpelah, a tangible stake of God's promise in the land (Genesis 23:19, WEB).
- How does Abraham's mourning for Sarah show the place of grief in a life of faith (Genesis 23:2)?
- Why does Abraham describe himself as a stranger and foreigner in the land (Genesis 23:4)?
- Why does Abraham insist on paying the full price rather than accepting the field as a gift (Genesis 23:13)?
- How do you handle grief and loss, and where do you find God's comfort in those seasons?
- What does it mean for you to live as a sojourner here while trusting God's promises for the future?
- Abraham comes specifically to mourn and to weep for Sarah, openly expressing his sorrow over the loss of his wife of many years. His grief shows that lamenting loss is a healthy and faithful response, not a failure of trust, for love rightly weeps over death.
- Although God has promised him this land, Abraham does not yet possess it and lives among the Hittites as a resident outsider. Calling himself a stranger and foreigner reflects his faith that the promise's full realization lies in the future while he sojourns in hope.
- Ephron offers to give the field and cave freely, but Abraham insists on weighing out the full four hundred shekels before witnesses. He wants an undisputed, legally owned possession and acts with integrity, refusing to take advantage of another's generosity in a matter so significant.
- Personal: create space for members to share experiences of grief. Affirm that mourning is appropriate and point them to the comfort God gives, encouraging honesty before God in seasons of loss.
- Personal: invite members to reflect on holding earthly things loosely as sojourners. Encourage them to anchor their security in God's promises and eternal hope rather than in present circumstances.