How does Abraham obtain a burial place for Sara while living as a stranger in Chanaan?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Abraham asks the children of Heth for a burial place, pays Ephron four hundred sicles of silver before witnesses, and receives the field and double cave where he buries Sara.

Chapter breakdown

Sara lives to be 127 years old. She dies in Arbee, which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan. Abraham comes to mourn and weep for her.

After the funeral mourning, Abraham speaks to the children of Heth. He describes himself as a stranger staying among them and asks for the right to a burial place so that he can bury his dead. They address him as their lord and call him a prince of God among them. They offer him their leading tombs and say that no one will be able to prevent him from burying his dead in that person’s tomb.

Abraham stands and bows to the people of the land, the children of Heth. He asks them, if they agree to his burying his dead, to speak for him to Ephron, the son of Seor. He wants Ephron’s double cave at the end of his field. Abraham asks to pay what it is worth and to receive it in their presence as a burial possession. Challoner’s note explains that the Latin word adoravit, literally “adored,” here means the lesser honour and respect shown to people by bowing. That explanation is commentary on the wording, not another action in the story.

Ephron lives among the children of Heth. He answers Abraham where everyone entering the city gate can hear. He asks Abraham to listen and offers him both the field and the cave within it, in the presence of his people. He tells Abraham to bury his dead there.

Abraham bows again before the people of the land. Speaking to Ephron in their presence, he asks him to accept money for the field so that he can bury his dead in it. Ephron names the price as four hundred sicles of silver, asks what that amount is between them, and again tells him to bury his dead. Abraham hears the price and weighs out the four hundred sicles Ephron has requested, using money in current use. The children of Heth hear the payment being made.

The property becomes Abraham’s possession: Ephron’s field facing Mambre, the double cave within it, and every tree throughout its surrounding boundaries. This is confirmed in the sight of the children of Heth and everyone entering the city gate.

Abraham then buries Sara, his wife, in the double cave in the field facing Mambre, at Hebron in Chanaan. The chapter closes by repeating that the children of Heth have confirmed the field and its cave as Abraham’s burial possession.

The story inside

The chapter follows a specific need through to its fulfilment: Sara dies, and Abraham needs a place to bury her. Although the children of Heth offer access to their tombs, he asks for Ephron’s double cave as a possession and offers its full value. Ephron offers the field as well as the cave. Abraham asks to pay, Ephron names four hundred sicles, and Abraham weighs out that sum publicly. The account then names the property transferred, the people who witness it, and Sara’s burial there. These steps explain how the burial place becomes Abraham’s possession. The chapter does not explain his private reason for insisting on payment or say what would have happened if he had accepted another arrangement.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Sara’s death leads to both mourning and practical care. Abraham weeps for her and then seeks a place to bury her. The chapter records both parts of his response; it does not describe his inner thoughts about death or the future.
2
The burial purchase is made in public. Abraham asks for a possession before the children of Heth, Ephron names the price, and Abraham weighs out the requested silver where they can hear. The account confirms the transfer before those witnesses and includes the field, cave, trees and boundaries.
3
Respect for people must be read according to the action described. Abraham bows twice during the conversation. Challoner explains the first bow as honour shown to people, so the Latin word translated as adoration should not be used to turn this scene into worship of the children of Heth.

Test your recall

How do Abraham’s request, Ephron’s stated price and the public payment lead to Sara’s burial?

Show answer

Abraham asks for the double cave as a possession, offers to pay for the field, and weighs out Ephron’s price of four hundred sicles of silver before the children of Heth. Once the field and cave are confirmed as his possession, he buries Sara there.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 2367–2374
Genesis Chapter 23 Sara’s death and burial in the field bought of Ephron. 23:1. And Sara lived a hundred and twenty-seven years. 23:2. And she died in the city of Arbee which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan: and Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.
Lines 2375–2387
23:3. And after he rose up from the funeral obsequies, he spoke to the children of Heth, saying: 23:4. I am a stranger and sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead. 23:5. The children of Heth answered, saying: 23:6. My lord, hear us, thou art a prince of God among us: bury thy dead in our principal sepulchres: and no man shall have power to hinder thee from burying thy dead in his sepulchre.
Lines 2388–2401
23:7. Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit, the children of Heth: Bowed down to the people.... Adoravit, literally adored. But this word here, as well as in many other places in the Latin scriptures, is used to signify only an inferior honour and reverence paid to men, expressed by a bowing down of the body. 23:8. And said to them: If it please your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron the son of Seor. 23:9. That he may give me the double cave, which he hath in the end of his field: For as much money as it is worth he shall give it me before you, for a possession of a burying place.
Lines 2402–2409
23:10. Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of all that went in at the gate of the city, saying: 23:11. Let it not be so, my lord, but do thou rather hearken to what I say: The field I deliver to thee, and the cave that is therein; in the presence of the children of my people, bury thy dead.
Lines 2410–2425
23:12. Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 23:13. And he spoke to Ephron, in the presence of the people: I beseech thee to hear me: I will give money for the field; take it, and so will I bury my dead in it. 23:14. And Ephron answered: 23:15. My lord, hear me. The ground which thou desirest, is worth four hundred sicles of silver: this is the price between me and thee: but what is this? bury thy dead. 23:16. And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had asked, in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred sicles of silver, of common current money.
Lines 2426–2432
23:17. And the field that before was Ephron’s, wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, both it and the cave, and all the trees thereof, in all its limits round about, 23:18. Was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gate of his city.
Lines 2433–2441
23:19. And so Abraham buried Sara, his wife, in the double cave of the field, that looked towards Mambre, this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan. 23:20. And the field was made sure to Abraham, and the cave that was in it, for a possession to bury in, by the children of Heth.