Gen 23: Death of Sarah

Sarah died at the age of 127 in Kiriath-arba. Abraham bought a cave from Ephron and buried Sarah there.

• v2: Abraham mourned and wept over Sarah as he lamented the loss of his wife. Even as we lament and mourn the death of our loved ones, we still maintain hope through the grace that concerns them and ourselves
• v3-4: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." (Heb 11:13) Abraham had to ask for property to bury his wife, because he was an alien in the land and hence God "gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground" (Acts 7:5).
• v5-6: Abraham humbled himself before the Hittites; the Hittites responded by calling him a mighty prince, for those who humble themselves shall be exalted.
• v7-9: Abraham returned his thanks for their offer with all respect. He did not covet the cave, but desired to obtain it through fair and honest means, appealing to the other Hittites to help him make his request to the owner.
• v10-11: Ephron freely gave Abraham the land.
• v12-13: Abraham refused Ephron's kind offer, resolving to give him the full value, not in pride, but because he was able to pay and hence would not take advantage of Ephron's generosity.
• v15: Ephron would rather oblige his friend than to have the money.
• v16-17: Prudence, and justice, directed Abraham and Ephron to be fair and open in their dealing, and hence the bargain was made publicly before all the neighbours. Though all the land of Canaan was Abraham's by promise, yet, the hour of his possessing had not yet come, and so he paid for it in full.
• A burial place was the first and only spot of ground Abraham possessed in Canaan while he was still alive. Compare this to the cities that Cain and Nimrod possessed and built. Are we building up cities and storing up treasures here on earth, or do we possess a burial place, to be a constant memorandum of death to ourself and to the flesh?